Media Release: Yellowknife, NT, June 19, 2014:
NORTHERN YOUTH RELEASES LEADERSHIP CAMPS LINE-UP FOR 2014
Summer is promising to be a busy season for Northern Youth Leadership! It has plans this year to run three camps in July in three exciting locations, including a trip designed exclusively for girls at Gana River Lodge, a remote lodge located on Palmer Lake in the Mackenzie Mountains of the Sahtu Region.
“We are very excited about the Gana River camp. The girls will explore the Mackenzie Mountains by hiking, canoeing and learning about the area. Lodge owner Harold Grinde has generously offered to share his lodge with Northern Youth at no cost to the organization. Given funding pressures this year, Harold’s generosity has meant we can run this camp without having to worry about compromising our other programming”, says Jill Gilday, Director of Northern Youth.
A lack of long-term stable funding has created challenges for Northern Youth. Amy Lizotte, founding member of NYL states, “Like many small, non-profit organizations in the NWT, Northern Youth has had to get creative in finding ways to deliver it’s programming. Historically Northern Youth has relied on funding from the Department of Health and Social Services. Starting in 2015-2016, we will need to have a new strategy in place to deliver programs because the GNWT has decentralized its community wellness fund to better support regional initiatives. We are starting to strategize around how Northern Youth can work to support regional initiatives and hope to reach out to the regions this year”.
In an effort to address the long-term sustainability of the organization, which has grown tremendously since it’s inception as Taiga Camp, Northern Youth Leadership has also recently joined Tides Canada Initiatives, a shared administrative platform for non-profit. “Becoming a project of Tides brings Northern Youth access to a diverse range of expertise, which is a huge help for us as a one staff operation” says Gilday.
One of Northern Youth’s goals is to provide access to leadership opportunities for youth who might otherwise not be able to afford the camp. Gilday notes, “All camps cost $100, which includes transportation from home communities to the camps. In order to keep our camps accessible to all youth, Northern Youth relies on generous donations and is still looking for support for this summer’s programs.”
For media inquiries please contact Director, Jill at 867-445-4558 or [email protected].