Fun in the summertime

We hope you’re following YFNED on social media (Facebook or Instagram) because we can’t fit the photos from all our summer programs in this update!

Huge credit to our staff who have worked tirelessly to put on programming for Indigenous youth.

Our summer programming this year includes a pilot project growing more food. Thank you to our youth for getting their hands dirty connecting with the land, learning gardening techniques and helping provide nutritious food.

All food, honey and other products (including Traditional medicine) gathered and made from these programs will go back to families, communities and First Nations.

Thank you to our Elders for supporting these projects and sharing their knowledge, and to the TH farm whose model shows what Yukon Indigenous farming can look like.

Making music with our little ones

YFNED attends the CYFN GA

This week, YFNED attended CYFN’s GA at the Ta’an Kwach’an Fish Camp. On Wednesday, Melanie Bennett provided an update to the assembly on the team’s work over the past year. Her update highlighted our growing Early Years program, which is expanding to Carcross and Haines Junction, as well as the tireless work of YFNED’s Nutrition Team, First Nation Education Advocates, Early Years and MTU. Other team members participated in the three-day trade show talking with people about YFNED’s programs and services, as well as the ongoing Review of Systemic Racism in Yukon’s Education System. 

YFNED and the Yukon Youth and Child Advocate Office launched a review of systemic racism in Yukon’s education system earlier this year. Over the past four months, the team has been travelling around the territory collecting stories from communities across the Yukon. This past week the team attended Moosehide, the CYFN GA and held dinners in Champagne and Haines Junction. Next week, they’ll be visiting Takhini Subdivision and Mayo. Share your story with us, or learn more at: yfned.ca/racismreview. 

Coming soon - Shipyards Park Barbecue

Thanks for coming out to our July feast at the KDCC.

But please note that the August event is at a different location! We’re taking it outside to celebrate summer coming to a close - August 10 at Shipyards Park from noon - 2pm.

We will be back at KDCC for a feast on September 28.

For more information go to yfned.ca/nutrition

Paddling all the way to Moosehide

YFNED and LSCFN partnered up to take some of the LSCFN youth on a paddling trip from Minto to Dawson to attend Moosehide Gathering. They paddled about 370km, including a 100km day, to get to the gathering on time! We’re so proud of the youth who did this trip. They put in long days on the river, helped out at camp, and might have even had some fun along the way!

The YFNED team was honoured to be a part of the Moosehide Gathering this past weekend where a big focus of ours at the gathering was teaching and playing hand games, led by Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in Elder Roger Ellis, with a big help from our youth leaders Kianna Loots and Marcus Morberg. This elaborate guessing game has undergone a revival in recent years and YFNED is helping bring this cultural knowledge back to Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in territory and a new generation.

Today, the traditional game plays an important role in cultural and social development as many communities in the north seek to strike a balance between finding their place in the modern world, while continuing to honor and capture the essence of traditions.

A few of the of youth workshops that YFNED offered at Moosehide Gathering included, carving mini wooden paddles with Gus Morberg, beading the Moosehide logo Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in with citizens Tanis Van Bibber and Aurora Knutson, and making wood portraits! Our team had so much fun teaching and learning with the youth. Mähsi cho for connecting and creating with us.

Welcome new staff!

First Nation Education Advocates

Tanis Van Bibber joined us on July 10 as an Education Advocate, she is a member of Tr’ondek Hwech’in.

Corporate

Aili Fraser joined the HR team on July 29 as the new Recruitment Specialist.

John Postma has moved from contractor to employee status as our new Senior Data Specialist as of July 22.

Zac Musch joined us as the new Junior Data Specialist on June 24. Zac is Gwich’in.

Early Years

Summer McPhee started as our new Early Years Visitor in Watson Lake on July 2. Summer is a member of the Tahltan First Nation.

Education

Cliff Winter started as a Math Advocate on July 15.

Hugues Bernasconi has moved from a Math Advocate to Math Strategist as of August 1.

Nico Bochaton has moved from a Math Advocate to Math Strategist as of August 1.

Dana Tizya-Tramm started as an AOC Education Analyst on June 13. He is a member of the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation.

Janine Blakesley joined us as a Math Strategist on June 3.

Connor Booth joined us as the new JEAP Implementation Advisor on July 30.

MTU

Jeanine Smith (Etzel) has reprised her role as a Community Therapy Assistant in Ross River on July 17. Jeanine is a member of the Ross River Dena Council.

Nutrition

Talia Shelley moved from a Cook helper to a Cook on July 2.

Stephanie Stewart started as a Cook on July 3. Stephanie is a member of the Kwanlin Dün First Nation.

Kim Trinidad has moved from a Cook Helper to a Cook on May 30.

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And there are lots of job openings right now! Check out yfned.ca/jobs for all the details and to apply.

Upcoming events

Aug 10 - Shipyards Park BBQ
Aug 13-14 - FNEC
Aug 27 - First day of school
Sept 2 - Labour Day
Sept 28 - Family Feast at KDCC
Sept 30 - National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

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