Canada - Cuso International

Work In Focus
Canada (Northwest Territories)

From uplifting Indigenous communities to promoting sustainable development and improving local capacities, explore our work in the Northwest Territories.

The Cuso Effect

A person in a cap smiles while sitting in front of bookshelves and colorful books, dreaming of the Northwest Territories.

Cuso International has recruited and placed 72 volunteers in 11 communities of Northwest Territories since 2016

months of dialogue and consultation with Indigenous communities, grounded in Indigenous ways of knowing, being and doing.

Locally-Led Solutions

We know that one-size-fits-all solutions are yesterday’s thinking, that’s why we support hyper-localized solutions designed for any by the people, place and economy of the Northwest Territories.

Supporting Indigenous Peoples in the Northwest Territories Supporting Arctic Indigenous Youth for SDGs Volunteer Placements for Northern Education

Supporting Indigenous Peoples in the Northwest Territories

Three people in winter coats and fur-lined hoods smile in a snowy forest setting in the Northwest Territories.

Northern Indigenous Program

The goal of this project is to empower Indigenous youth, particularly in the Canadian Arctic, by supporting them in designing and implementing community-driven projects that address local needs. Cuso will do this by:

Hiring and training Indigenous youth
Supporting Indigenous-led organizations
Providing micro-grants and access to founding

Supporting Arctic Indigenous Youth for SDGs

Person in a dark hoodie stands before bookshelves filled with books, evoking the solitude of the Northwest Territories.

Fostering and integrating Local Indigenous knowledge from Northern Territories (FLINT)

This project aims to support Indigenous youth in the northern territories (Nunavut, NWT and the Yukon) by increasing awareness of the SDGs, engaging them in community dialogues, and fostering youth-led initiatives.
Cuso will do this by:

Community and youth dialogues to discuss the SDGs, identify barriers, and propose youth-led interventions.
Developing and distributing educational resources and tools on SDGs created by and for youth.
Implementing initiatives led by Indigenous youth in support of the SDGs.

Volunteer Placements for Northern Education

A group of eight people smiling indoors, holding gift bags in the Northwest Territories, with a congratulatory banner.

Northern Distance Learning Volunteers in the NWT

Our program offers volunteer placements with the Beaufort Delta Council and South Slave Divisional Education Council, providing enriching cultural exchange opportunities and working in partnership with communities and volunteers to improve education supports in the Northwest Territories.

Partnership for a Sustainable and Inclusive World

Together with our partners we’re solving problems, creating solutions and building a more prosperous and inclusive world for all.

Colorful, connected cubes on the left with the word "frontiers" in gray on a white background.

Northwest Territories’ Voices of Change

Meet the people who have had the chance to experience the Cuso effect in the Northwest Territories.

SEE MORE STORIES

“Education in today’s world can take you to some pretty cool places. It’s taken me all the way up here to have this experience,” said the Toronto-based volunteer. “To get these kids excited about education and where it can take them, it’s the name of the game.”

- Parker, Northern Canadian program

Person in red jacket holds two large fish on a snowy Northwest Territories landscape, with a tent in the background.

“I feel one part about being here I’ve really enjoyed is that I’ve been able to have an impact on people,” she said. “I think if people came up here, they would understand that the Northwest Territories is a wonderful place. It’s so beautiful. I think if more people came up here, there would be a bit better resource allocation in Canada.”

- Margot, Indigenous Canada Program

A smiling person with glasses and a blue scarf stands outdoors in the Northwest Territories beneath a clear sky.

“With one particular student, I could see that she is very smart and could solve problems well in math. But she was missing school, kept missing deadlines, and wasn’t doing the work at home.”

- Kim Quy Nguyen, Northern Canadian Program

Three people in fur-hooded winter coats smile in a snowy Northwest Territories forest, tall trees towering behind.

Be A Force For Good

Support the next wave of locally-driven solutions to accelerate gender equity and inclusion, climate action, and economic resilience in the Northwest Territories.

GIVE TODAY

Your gift will be matched six times by Global Affairs Canada.