Indigenous youth leads initiatives in community and is making an impact  

Reanna has always had a passion for supporting her community, but she couldn’t imagine where this passion would lead her.

“Me two years ago, I don’t think I would see myself here ever, so it is a big thing for me. I want to continue what I’m doing,” she said.

When she was in Grade 12, she was working with the Friendship Centre in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories (NWT). One day, the youth support worker asked if she would be interested in applying for a grant and hosting her own project.

“We did it together because I’ve never applied for a grant before. It was my first time getting that experience, but I really wanted to do a traditional games project in Yellowknife,” said Reanna.

Reanna was working at a hide camp when she learned her application was approved, becoming the first recipient of Cuso International’s Northern Indigenous program. With the funds received from a micro grant, she organized the Northern and Dene Games Kick-Off, including traditional games such as one-foot-high-kick, two-foot-high-kick, arm pull and stick pull, as well as fish cutting, duck plucking, and a craft table were also available.

“It was a very big thing for me, especially being in Grade 12, it gave me such a big opportunity for experience. I got to host my own project, but so much more came out of it. I got to invite the whole community out, I was able to hire local facilitators, we had a lot of new participants come out,” she said. “It was very successful. I loved it, it was great.”

Cuso’s Indigenous Canada Program provides grants of up to $5,000 to Indigenous Youth Leaders to support projects taking place in Northern Canada. 

Cuso’s Northern Indigenous program helps facilitate Indigenous youth engage in volunteerism, internship, employment and entrepreneurship within their communities - while also providing meaningful connections and valuable learning experiences. The goal of the program is to build transferable skills that are essential to their economic and leadership success long-term.

Youth leaders also receive mentorship, training, and capacity building to support the implementation of the project.

Following the success of the project, Reanna worked with another youth to host a recreation leader training camp. The group spent five days on the land doing recreation training, including educational presentations, workshops, fish filleting, hide tanning, team-building exercises and activities, and outings in Yellowknife.

With more confidence and experience, Reanna supported her sister with applying for a project, this one helping the homeless in her community. Reanna was able to take what she had learned to both support and co-lead the project.

Reanna credits the Cuso program with helping her build essential skills for long-term success, including leadership, financing, and community connections and engagement. It also reinforced the career path she wants to pursue.

Reanna is now working with Cuso, supporting other Indigenous youth in the Northwest Territories build skills for long-term success. She began in January and over the summer is working within a practicum student placement. This provides Reanna the opportunity to get the hours she needs to complete her diploma while getting more experience in the career path she loves.

“I’ve always been interested in doing community events and being community involved except I’ve never had the opportunity until Cuso,” she said. “In NWT there’s never that opportunity to get a microgrant to do a youth-led project like that, so I think it’s very important.”

Reanna said she is proud of what she’s been able to accomplish so far.

When asked about the program, Reanna said “The best thing would be to get every youth to apply for them. There are so many opportunities that come from it. You benefit as an individual applying for the grant, but so many youth in your community benefit from it.”

“It is definitely lifechanging and I hope more people can experience what I get to experience here because I think I’m the luckiest girl in the world right now, so I’m very thankful for everything Cuso does.”