News
August 7, 2015
International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples 2015
To highlight the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples on August 9, 2015, Canada World Youth would like to share with you the accomplishments of two exemplary alumni:
Teanna Ducharme, Gitwinksihlkw, BC (Nisga’a Nation)
Teanna Ducharme is a member of the Nisga’a Nation from the community of Gitwinksihlkw, BC. She participated in a Canada World Youth (CWY) 6-week cultural exchange project in Tanzania in 2013 and was so inspired by her experience that she returned to CWY for a 6-month Women’s Exchange program in Nicaragua-Honduras in 2013, and again as a CWY Delegate to the World Conference of Indigenous Peoples (WCIP) at the United Nations in New York in 2014. After participating in the CWY programs, she relocated from her home community in Northern BC to Vancouver to further her education and has completed her first year of study in Health Sciences. Her dream is to one day become an Aboriginal midwife, working in rural communities in Northern Canada.
Teanna is a member of the Aboriginal Youth Committee at CWY. She recently took part in the United Nations Expert Mechanisms on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples(EMRIP) in Geneva, Switzerland. She was fortunate to represent North American youth and had the chance to deliver a statement on behalf of the Caucus at the EMRIP meetings. During her time in Geneva, Teanna had the privilege to build her leadership skills by participating in the United Nation’s Institute for Training and Research(UNITAR)Indigenous Training Programme to enhance the Conflict Prevention and Peacemaking Capacities of Indigenous Peoples’ Representatives in July 2015. In a week, she will embark on a journey to Lusaka, Zambia to work in a safe house for young girls who have been affected by violence.
Teanna Ducharme is devoted to her Nisga’a Indigenous language, culture and identity and encourages other Indigenous youth to be ambassadors for their people. She is currently working on creating a Nisga’a Youth Ambassador Program, which will give Nisga’a youth the opportunity to travel the world and share their culture with other Indigenous youth.
Cory Nicotine, Saddle Lake, AB (Saddle Lake Cree First Nation)
Cory Nicotine participated on the Canada World Youth Youth Leader in Action program in Tanzania (2012-2013) and is now an active senior member of iHuman Youth Society’s Mentorship Circle. He founded iHuman’s newest youth-led program Knowledge is Pow Wow, that focuses on bringing youth to different cultures and religions through creative activities and conversations.
Cory has also participated in the iHumans Friday Night Challenge group, where he supports his peers striving to remain clean and sober. He is also a co-researcher and contributor to iHuman’s Uncensored program, a curriculum that aims to educate and train social service providers and authority figures about the experiences of Edmonton’s high-risk youth population.
Over the past seven years, Cory has co-presented this curriculum to audiences at conferences and professional development sessions across Alberta and in Yellowknife. Cory Nicotine also works to develop an online version of a post-secondary Educational Psychology (EDPY) course in Alberta.
His sincere wish is to inspire other people to engage themselves in these projects that aim to gather people through their differences.
Cet article est également disponible en FR.