June 2021

YFNED is working towards the long-overdue, unified control of First Nations education in the Yukon.

Ätà Kù: YFNED’s New Summer Campus

YFNED is excited to announce a partnership with the Burns Family Trust to establish a summer intensive bush-camp program at Russell Burns’ trapline on the Annie Lake Road. Although Russell has been passionately providing land-based education opportunities for youth for many, many years, this is a new step: establishing a family trust, partnering with YFNED, and naming the summer campus Ätà Kù (Father’s Place in Southern and Northern Tutchone).

For the duration of the Summer Break, over 20 Indigenous youth will be immersing themselves for 3-days-a-week, in culture, language and land-based learning—under the guidance of the YFNED Education Advocates, Elders and other supports. This is a pilot program with limited participants with the aim to expand in the future.

This program is one of several other exciting youth initiatives YFNED is offering this summer, such as the Horse Camp and the Indigenous Leadership Youth Program.

Congratulations Grads!

Congratulations to all 130-plus Indigenous students who graduated in the class of 2021!

Cooks and coordinators of YFNED’s Nutrition team (pictured above) provided the feast at the June 11 ceremony to honour these students in this major accomplishment.

A special shout out to our very own YFNED Junior Education Advocates on their graduation:

• Jaxson Fitzsimmons

• Tyson Hinds

• Taylor Jobin

• Jordan MacDonald

• Georgia McKay

• Leandrea Reeves

• Emilie Roberts

• Trisha Schambers

• Cassidy Sturko

Murals in Mayo with the MTU

In early June, our Mobile Therapeutic Unit (MTU) worked with 12 amazing youth from Mayo to create a giant mural for their community. A partnership between YFNED, the First Nation of Na-Cho Nyak Dun, JV Clark School, and Carleton University’s Sprott School of Business, the aim was to engage the youth in an art project for self-expression, bolstered self-confidence, connection and .

The mural includes self portraits—and sometimes pet portraits—that the kids created themselves. The students were so dedicated and talented! Our MTU looks forward to many more opportunities to work alongside Mayo families and watch these youth grow.

Thanks to Mayo artist Donnie Germaine for his skillful mentorship.

YFNED Celebrates Successful First AGM

Our first real AGM took place this June 17 and it was a huge success. The Chiefs Committee on Education came together with the Directors of YFNED to review the year, set priorities for the future and assess our financial audit, which passed with flying colours.

Hot off the press is our magazine-style Annual Report which summarizes how, in a short few months, a thriving, effective and complex organization was established. Check out the full report online by clicking here.

Happy Times at Salmonpalooza

Hundreds of Indigenous families picked up their portions of frozen or canned salmon over June 15-18 at a drive-thru YFNED’s Nutrition team set up at the Takhini Arena. During busy times, cars were lined up around the block, waiting with smiles to receive some healthy traditional food.

“It’s been too long since we’ve been able to share salmon like this,” said one Elder, picking up a box to share with her grandchildren.

YFNED has partnered with Second Harvest and Agriculture Canada Surplus Food Rescue Program to once again provide urban-based Indigenous families with roughly 30,000 lbs of B.C. ocean-caught salmon.

Advocates Wind Down the School Year with Full Hearts

This June, our First Nation Education Advocates finished off the school year at full speed. Here’s a list of some of their activities:

• Supporting the year-end camping trip for Selkirk’s Grade 7 class. They also facilitated a 215-hearts project with the class, in memorial of the Kamloops Residential School grave. (see photo above of the displayed Hearts project).

• Supporting the 2021 Indigenous Rookie League (65 children participating) tournament. (See photo above).

• Wrapping up the Gadzoosdaa residence sewing and carving program, held Monday evenings since April.

• Teaching hand games with two Selkirk classes (40 students total).

• Fish Camp at Mount Lorne Community Centre for Golden Horn Elementary Grade 4/5 class with Fish Filleting, Medicine Walk, and Elder Roger Ellis.

• Helping with mural in Mayo.

• Supporting Jack Hulland’s farm field trip.

YFNED Cooks at CSSC Mercier Kitchen this Summer

After successfully running their services out of many Whitehorse-based public schools last semester, our team of cooks was looking for a commercial kitchen out of which they could continue their Nutrition Services through Summer Break. Our long-time supporters, the Commission Scolaire Francophone du Yukon (CSFY), stepped in with a generous offer: To use the fabulous new kitchen at the French high school CSSC Mercier over the break

“CSFY is very happy to host the YFNED Nutrition Team,” says Marc Champagne, Executive Director of the CSFY, “And we look forward to finding more opportunities to collaborate with YFNED in the future.”

YFNED Nutrition is so thankful to work in partnership with CSFY again—and to have such a beautiful, large kitchen where all 10 of our cooks can work together. The team is hard at work this summer:

• preparing to launch the hot meals program at all Whitehorse schools this fall.

• Supporting YFNED summer camps (Ata Kuq, Horse Camp, and Indigenous Youth Leadership)

• Preparing healthy meals for distribution to Whitehorse-based families.

Next steps in First Nation School Board Agreement

History was made on June 3, when the Chiefs Committee on Education (CCOE) and Government of Yukon announced the finalization of the Yukon First Nations Education Agreement. This marks the first step in First Nations regaining authority over First Nations education in the Yukon.

CCOE Technicians are now busy working with various First Nations to inform and guide the next steps of the process. One or more school councils will pass a resolution to create the school board and dissolve the council. Elections Yukon will hold a referendum in the school council area, requiring a 50% plus one vote to create the board and dissolved the council.

Once the Board is established, Elections Yukon will hold elections for 5 Trustees whose ancestors must have spoken a First Nations language. The Trustees then appoint a CEO and a negotiations with Yukon government will then commence.

Welcome New Staff!

UPCOMING EVENTS

July 29 Chiefs Committee on Education meeting

Aug 11-12 First Nation Education Commission meeting

August 23 First day of school (most Yukon schools)