Follow-Up Program

Participants of the Arctic Youth Leadership Expedition return exhilarated by the experience of a lifetime, many determined to use their newly acquired skills to make a difference in their own lives and in their communities. The expedition is effective in introducing youth to the joys inherent in successfully navigating challenging situations and taking charge of their lives, evident through testimonials provided by participants, trainers and teachers. But the reality is that without continued support and opportunities to develop and apply their leadership skills, most will be unable to maintain their motivation. IDC and Nunasi recognize this and are committed to providing consistent support and regular opportunities for youth, inspired by the AYL expedition, through the design and delivery of a well rounded post-expedition program.

The purpose of the post expedition program is to enable continued development of and provide reinforcement for the leadership skills learned on the expedition, support alumni in becoming confident, motivated leaders, and assist them in creating and following a fulfilling career/life path. Our goal is to provide a multi-faceted program to facilitate participants' growth as leaders on their return to their home communities.

This year, the AYL Coordinator will investigate, design and develop the following activities, with a view to including them as foundational components of the AYL program:

• A weekend leadership retreat/conference in Inuvik, or Yellowknife, to provide alumni with the opportunity to discuss their experience, learn their leadership style, develop a plan to cultivate their leadership potential, and provide input into further opportunities for youth leadership programming.
• Leadership workshops to determine and develop leadership style.
• Research and/or develop other leadership/interpersonal skills development workshops for AYL alumni and interested youth in conjunction with other organizations (School Boards, Youth Centres, HR/Career Development Departments, Aurora College).
• Work with Alumni to develop and design a "buddy" program to encourage and support the next year's participants and share thoughts, feelings, best practices from their expedition.
• Networking event(s) with career development professionals, college and university recruiters, local employers, IDC and NorTerra Group companies, sponsors and key government organizations.

Community support is equally important to fledgling young leaders. The AYL Coordinator will work with community agencies, youth centres, schools and interested individuals to develop a list of qualified and committed mentors willing to work with and support AYL graduates on return to their home communities.

A key component of authentic leadership is modeling the way, applying your skills effectively in support of others. This year, the AYL Coordinator will work with AYL alumni to research and select appropriate volunteer opportunities that will enable participants to cultivate their newly learned skills and experience the positive sense of self and fulfillment attained by giving back to their communities. If done in conjunction with the local schools, perhaps the development of a student leadership society or peer leadership classes may be effective.

Individual follow-up is a crucial piece of the Arctic Youth Leadership program, facilitating positive outcomes for alumni in the area of effective educational and career planning, and for sponsors in the area of skilled future leaders and personnel. The expedition evaluation will consist of individual interviews, group discussions and debriefings conducted by the program instructors at the completion of the program, prior to participants returning to their home communities. All individual program evaluation sheets will be delivered to the AYL Coordinator for analysis and reporting purposes. In conjunction with IRC and NorTerra's HR Departments, the AYL Coordinator will ensure annual tracking and follow-up of all participants to evaluate the impact this program has on individual career and educational choices.

The full time coordinator will update and maintain a database of participants since the program's inception, and connect with each. Communication will include an assessment of their progress, what education and training they have undertaken since the program, and a determination of their need for further training, support, counselling and/or other assistance in achieving their career/life goals. The AYL Coordinator will act as liaison in this area and connect alumni with appropriate resources.