Nurrait – Jeunes Karibus reflects on 10 years of ‘magical’ adventures
Provider of on-the-land activities for Nunavik youth celebrates milestone with Kuujjuaq gathering
Participants, parents, teachers and current employees at Nurrait – Jeunes Karibus unite in Kuujjuaq on Oct. 5 to commemorate the organization’s 10th anniversary. (Photo by Cedric Gallant)
Joshua Nathan Kettler says his own first ski trip with Nurrait – Jeunes Karibus was “life-changing.”
Now he’s the vice-president of the organization that offers intervention programs for Nunavik youth by taking them on the land for adventures.
Kettler skied from Tasiujaq to Aupaluk at the age of 15. That was almost nine years ago.
“I saw a whole new level of what I could do in life, and brought so many people close to me,” he recalled at a weekend event in Kuujjuaq to mark the organization’s 10th anniversary.
Kettler said the experience he garnered doing expeditions with Nurrait got him one of his first jobs at Nunavik Parks.
Joshua Nathan Kettler, vice-president of Nurrait – Jeunes Karibus, steps on stage Oct. 5 to discuss the importance the program had on his life, and the life of others. (Photo by Cedric Gallant)
Now, as a leader with the non-profit organization, he said he believes programs like Nurrait “should be mandatory.”
“It helps with mental health,” he said.
In an event hosted at Jaanimmarik High School in Kuujjuaq on Oct. 5, the organization brought together young leaders from across the region to celebrate a decade of over 2,000 adventures and on-the-land activities.
The impact Nurrait had on Kettler’s teenage years is what the organization’s founder Valérie Raymond said she wanted to see all along.
Back in 2014, Raymond was a teacher at Jaanimmarik, and she heard the needs of her classroom.
“I felt they wanted to go outside,” she said in a French interview.
“We did what needed to be done for it to happen.”
The first expedition they did was a ski trip between Kuujjuaq and Tasiujaq. The result was so positive that for the rest of that year, they did activities every single week.
Since its foundation, there have been 1,284 participants, from across all of Nunavik, with 120 Inuit guides hired to help on expeditions. In total, there have been over 2,200 activities.
Valérie Raymond, founder and current president of the board at Nurrait – Jeunes Karibus, reflects on the creation of a program that she holds dear to her heart. (Photo by Cedric Gallant)
“It’s magical,” said Raymond. “It is such a strong human experience.”
For Raymond, the goal of this program was always to centre it around Inuit youth. Even though she is less actively involved now, having someone like Kettler, who experienced the program firsthand become a leader in it, was what she waited for.
“It has been my dream since Day 1 to have [youth] lead the organization and make it their own,” she said. “But I needed to be patient.”
Raymond added that there is a base of youth who have taken positions as guides, interns or board members.
Kettler agreed, saying the program is all about creating ambitions for its participants. They learn how to stay busy, build community and develop leadership skills.
“I hope that [participants] push for their goals and do whatever they need to be doing, and I hope for the good,” he said.
“If you are young, go through the program,” he said, “Try it out.”
The program vision is amazing but where are the impact on our Inuit? Any certified Inuk instructors? Any communication with the community implicated with trainings on the land? No offence, there was more none Inuit in the picture, aside from the few board of directors. If it’s an over 10 year project, by now, shouldn’t there be Inuit instructors?
Never herd of this program, but them , i don t brother about anything.
What an uneducated comment and cheap shot.
Hundreds of Inuit kids have been through this program and there are all sorts of leaders in it who are Inuit, including those in the pictures in the article above. The article said over 120 inuit were hired to be guides. No project would hold that long without community involvement, and that involvement generally comes from teacher. Feel free to be involved yourself or recruit.