Reflections on youth and community research

 By Sage Broomfield, 1st year MDP student

My name is Sage Broomfield, I am neyihaw from Treaty 8, English and Irish. My work in the MDP has focused on critical and community focused energy and environmental development. This summer I worked with CASES in partnership with The Gwich’in Tribal Council (GTC), in Inuvik, N.T in Treaty 11 Territory. My job was to support the implementation of a community and youth-based research model in the Gwich’in communities of Aklavik, Inuvik, Tsiigehtchic, and Teetl’it Zheh (Fort McPherson). 

The solar array of the Children First Society, childcare facility

Since my last blog post two youth have been hired two youth and I continue to support their interview and training processes from back in Winnipeg. And I have had a chance to reflect on my experience and the lessons I learned. Some challenges that I want to explore in the future are running youth programming for a short period of time during summer months and garnering youth interested in close but separate communities. I will do this through my continued work and research this year.

Even being in the community for a short period of time, two months, I was hearing what was interesting, important, or being built-upon in terms of energy security and sovereignty in the region. A personal highlight of my experience was chatting with the community members and youth who were interested in their energy futures.

During my field placement, I learned that good community research takes time, adaptability, and good relationships. I learned a lot about and able to reflect now on how to make this model or others like it more successful in future – which I look forward to doing.

Being in Inuvik put into practice my classroom learning and carrying out this project was and will continue to be an impactful experience. The months I was there were filled with daily lessons, new experiences, and good conversations. I am grateful to the Gwich’in Tribal Council and the CASES project for this opportunity and to the people of Treaty 11 who I had the pleasure of connecting with. 

A 10:30pm late summer sunset driving back from Tuktoyaktuk after falling asleep to full sunlight for the length of my stay - hiy hiy to the land of the midnight sun for this experience!