Leadership

The main goal of the Arctic Youth Leadership (AYL) program is to empower youth: to enable them to discover and embrace their full potential, to support them as they develop the leadership skills they need to achieve it, and to assist them as they set realistic career and life goals. Since the Inuvialuit Development Corporation (IDC) conceived the program in 2004, the AYL expedition has provided the opportunity for 57 promising Inuvialuit youth to develop their leadership skills. Five successful expeditions have been delivered, and, it is clear that this annual leadership expedition is building a legacy amongst the youth within the Inuvialuit Settlement Region.

But we want to do more. IDC has been working closely with the Nunasi Corporation, our counterpart in the eastern Arctic, to provide the same opportunities for Inuit youth from Nunavut. and to date, two successful expeditions have been delivered. As the partnership developed, it became clear that the sharing of resources increased the efficiency and effectiveness of both programs and it created an opportunity to augment the outcomes. The IDC, in conjunction with Nunasi, is proposing to offer a youth leadership program in 2009 which maintains the integrity of the first five years, yet deepens the level of leadership skill development by selecting a more leadership focused course and through the addition of extensive post-expedition support.

This year, utilizing the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) program, the AYL program will be fully integrated, including participants from both the ISR and Nunavut on each expedition. The NOLS course will inject a fresh approach to outdoor training for youth, with a clear focus on leadership and peak performance. Both IDC and Nunasi are enthusiastic about the enhanced program for a number of reasons:

• An integrated program offers youth from both regions the opportunity to interact for an extended and intense period, to share the diverse qualities they bring to the expedition, and to discuss their futures from a broader perspective. As the youth recognize their own leadership potential and the value of building teams to face the challenges of the Horton River, celebrating these experiences with peers from another region may encourage the building of a strong network of young leaders across the ISR and Nunavut for the future.
• Integrated delivery allows for sharing of resources, enabling the hiring of a full-time coordinator. This person will become the face of AYL for participants; a permanent link for alumni to educational, leadership training, youth networks, career development resources, mentors and sponsors; design/deliver post-expedition programming; act as a liaison between IDC and Nunasi; and enhance community support.
• The NOLS course provides greater emphasis on identifying leadership types, leadership skill development, teamwork and personal responsibility. While on expedition, participants take leadership roles, challenged to apply and hone the skills they are learning with a focus on peak performance.

IDC and Nunasi are looking forward to this year's expedition. With a new focus during the expedition, we are anticipating that the youth will find satisfaction in their performance and be motivated to continue to work to their potential.