Youth Digital Stories and Community Exchange

Gwich’in Council International (GCI) is a Permanent Participant at the Arctic Council, a forum for cooperation and collaboration in the circumpolar north. GCI works to amplify the voice of the Gwich’in
Nation on issues of sustainable development and the environment, and we look for opportunities to connect community priorities and needs with what is happening across the Arctic.

One shared priority is mental health and wellbeing, recognizing the devastating impacts of suicide particularly among youth. Building on the work of the Arctic Council, and its Sustainable Development Working Group (SDWG), we wanted to use materials (films) already created as an anchor to wellness events. It was also important that youth be not only involved as participants but central in the design and delivery, and supported in leadership roles.

We partnered with the Western Arctic Youth Collective (WAYC), and contracted them to imagine, plan, and deliver events, as well as document their learnings, share recommendations, and create a guide for other youth groups to take on similar events. We also established an Advisory Committee to support the work.

We are pleased to share the outcomes and materials with the goals of informing and enabling future work. We encourage others to use this delivery model and partner with youth in meaningful ways,
which will build capacity, skills, relationships, and partnerships.

Resources

Local 2 Global Full Event Report 2021 May L2G GCI WAYC Event Report FINAL.pdf WAYC Guide on How to Host Your Own Event 2021 How to Host Your Own Event - FINAL.pdf

More about Project CREATeS and the films: https://www.projectcreates.com/