Susan Aglukark promotes children’s project in CamBay

Singer and songwriter Susan Aglukark is in Cambridge Bay April 13 to promote the new Kamajiit program of the Arctic Children and Youth Foundation. (PHOTO/ACYF)

Tonight people in Cambridge Bay will receive an invitation, hand-delivered by singer and songwriter Susan Aglukark.

Aglukark wants to invite parents and other members of the community to support the Kamajiit Safe Community’s program, a pilot project of the Arctic Children and Youth Foundation.

They’ll learn more about the Kamajiit program when Aglukark, who is the chairperson of the foundation founded by Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami president Mary Simon, speaks — and sings — at the Kiilinik High School, starting at 7:30 p.m..

The Arctic Children and Youth Foundation, as described by its website, is “Canada’s only national charitable organization that strives to champion Arctic children and youth.

Its mandate: “to assist Arctic children and youth to attain standards of living, education opportunities and health and well being equal to those of other Canadians.”

The foundation’s Kamajiit program, whose name means caregivers is Inuktitut, wants to involve parents, teachers and police in nurturing children, as well as their parents or guardians.

In Cambridge Bay, Aglukark is looking to rally support for this program, whose long-term goal is to improve the home and community environment and reduce school drop out and suicide among children and youth.

She also wants to recruit people willing to sit on a Kamajiit committee, who will then select four families willing to host “homework” nights one night a week, from 7:00 pm to 9:00 p.m., Monday to Thursday.

Here’s how the Kamajiit program will work: RCMP volunteers will drive children from nine and 12 years to a “safe” home, where they will work on their homework, receive a snack and participate in another activity, such as art, music or drama.

The children will start the homework night by a round circle activity. They’ll will be encouraged to talk about their day, discussing questions like “what was the hardest part of your day,” or “what was the highlight of your day,” with the host parents listening and offering help, when needed.

““In the midst of rapid change and development, social and economic challenge, we focus too much on keeping up and not enough on simple every day quality communication,” says the foundation’s description of the program.

The Kamajiit program also hopes that, as children become more enthusiastic about learning, young parents will become more engaged in their child or children’s education.

“One family at a time, villages and communities in northern Canada will begin to regain control,” says the foundation, which wants to introduce the Kamajiit program into all four Inuit regions.