Connecting Culture at Camp Connections

The Cause

Camp Connections is a cultural camp for children & youth whose lives have been touched by social services. The Foster Family Coalition of the NWT wishes to hire a Cultural Advisor to help the children and youth re-discover some of their culture  While in care it can be hard to focus on development past the immediate. Cultural connections often fall to a lower priority until it is too late. With the knowledge of a Cultural Advisor, the children and youth will be able to learn about fish filleting, drying and smoking as well as plants and edibles, safe fire building, safety in snares and traps and traditional stories and legends. In addition to hiring this Cultural Advisor, The Foster Family Coalition would like to improve upon supplies needed to offer these teachings. We would like to purchase a smoker, materials for a drying rack and snares. As well, our beautiful tipi that marks the entrance to camp has been badly damaged and the Foster Family Coalition wishes to replace it to provide the children and youth a safe space to escape into culture.

Who Will it Benefit?

First and foremost this project with benefit the children and youth who access Camp Connections. The benefit to their lives will be immeasurable as they learn and discover parts of their own culture and/or the culture of the place they call home. By extension when the children and youth feel more confident and capable in their culture and self-esteem, those caring for them will also benefit.

To the physical improvements to Camp Connections in relation the cultural enhancements, other community groups and organizations will benefit by being able to access them as well.