community vitality monitoring partnership process eleventh...
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Community Vitality Monitoring
Partnership Process
Eleventh Annual Report 2009
Community Vitality Steering Committee
January 2010
Community Vitality
Monitoring
Partnership Process
Eleventh
Annual
Report
2009
Community Vitality Steering Committee
January 2010
Community Vitality Monitoring
Partnership Process
Steering Committee
Richard Gladue AREVA Resources Canada Inc.
John Tosney AREVA Resources Canada Inc.
Alun Richards AREVA Resources Canada Inc.
Morris Onyskevitch (Jan – June) AREVA Resources Canada Inc.
Roxanne Baldwin (Jan – July) Cameco Corporation
Gary Merasty Cameco Corporation
Walter Smith Cameco Corporation
Darwin Roy Cameco Corporation
Scott Boyes Ministry of First Nations and Métis Relations
Warren Kelly Northern Mines Monitoring Secretariat
Dr. James Irvine (Chair) Population Health Unit
Northern Regional Health Authorities
Community Vitality Partnership Process 2009 Annual Report
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Steering Committee Page 1
Overview
This eleventh Annual Report describes the development of the Community Vitality
Monitoring Partnership Process (CVMPP), its activities in 2009, and general plans and
expectations for 2010. Cameco Corporation and AREVA Resources Canada Inc. fund
the process. The Northern Mines Monitoring Secretariat (NMMS), the northern Regional
Health Authorities, and other northern organizations also provide assistance.
The initiative to assess community vitality (the social well-being and quality of life of
residents) arises directly out of the recommendations of a joint Federal-Provincial Panel
on uranium mining developments in northern Saskatchewan. As a result of the Panel’s
review and reports, surface leases for northern uranium mining projects require the
companies to participate in a community vitality monitoring program. The
recommendation from the Panel states “Protection of northern communities and the
people in them is as important as the protection of the biota. Qualified professionals
should be engaged to monitor and study the impacts of uranium mining on the quality of
life in northern communities. Any detrimental impacts should be mitigated.” The scope
and definition of the program, however, are developed on a partnership basis with the
NMMS, the northern Regional Health Authorities and other northern organizations.
The vision for activities is “to show that monitoring information related to uranium mining
impacts and other community influences can be used to address and act upon issues of
priority to northern communities”.
The goal is to identify and track indicators that provide insight in community vitality
such that people can use that knowledge to improve and maintain the quality of life
in northern Saskatchewan, focusing in particular on the following:
1. providing information related to uranium mining impacts on community
vitality that is useful to northern community stakeholders;
2. encouraging partnerships that will work cooperatively on specific community
vitality monitoring activities of common interest; and
3. developing communication activities that will assist northern community
stakeholders to use community vitality monitoring information to improve
and maintain the quality of life in northern Saskatchewan.
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Steering Committee Page 2
The Community Vitality Monitoring Partnership Process began in late 1998. At a
workshop in 1999, northern participants identified the following five topics as priorities for
information gathering:
a) environment and land;
b) health;
c) economic/social/infrastructure;
d) communication dynamics and relationships; and
e) special topics (youth/outmigration/poverty).
A number of projects have been undertaken in consultation with northern stakeholders
and involving northern consultants. 2004 focused on youth and related issues; 2005
work comprised a review of past projects and a major study on the social impacts of the
mine site work rotation system; and 2006 again focused on northern youth. The
Challenges to Post-Secondary Education for Residents of the Athabasca Basin project
was started in 2007 and finalized in 2008. A planning workshop occurred in 2008 and
2009 included the initial planning for the Career Ambassador project.
The Community Vitality Coordinating Committee appreciates the involvement and effort
of all the northern people and organizations who helped with these activities. The
committee members thank Dr. James Irvine for his work as the Coordinating Committee
chairperson.
For more information, please contact the present coordinating committee members:
Dr. James Irvine, Population Health Unit, Athabasca, Keewatin Yatthé and
Mamawetan Churchill River Health Authorities, La Ronge
Alun Richards, AREVA Resources Canada Inc., Saskatoon
Richard Gladue, AREVA Resources Canada Inc. Saskatoon
John Tosney, AREVA Resources Canada Inc., Saskatoon
Gary Merasty, Cameco Corporation, Saskatoon
Walter Smith, Cameco Corporation, La Ronge
Darwin Roy, Cameco Corporation, La Ronge
Warren Kelly, Northern Mines Monitoring Secretariat, La Ronge
Scott Boyes, Ministry of First Nations and Métis Relations, La Ronge
Waiting for
spring at
Pinehouse
Community Vitality Partnership Process 2009 Annual Report
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Steering Committee Page 3
Table of Contents
What is “Community Vitality”? _____________________________________________________ 4
2.1 Initial Meetings and Committee Formation ___________________________________ 5
2.2 Development of Monitoring Issues __________________________________________ 5
2.3 Background Study _______________________________________________________ 6
2.4 Goal and Vision __________________________________________________________ 7
Completed Projects _______________________________________________________________ 7
3.1 Migration _______________________________________________________________ 7
3.2 Healthy Foods Assessment ________________________________________________ 8
3.3 Youth Initiatives Conference _______________________________________________ 9
3.4 Northern Saskatchewan Community Vitality Youth Workshop ___________________ 9
3.5 Reviewing the Past – Five Years – Planning the Future ________________________ 10
3.6 Youth Focus Groups ____________________________________________________ 10
3.7 “We Say 2 . . .” Workshop ________________________________________________ 11
3.8 Project Review and Evaluation ____________________________________________ 12
3.9 The Impact on Families and Communities of the Fly In/Out Work Rotation System in
Uranium Mines in Northern Saskatchewan ________________________________________ 12
3.10 “Learning through Leadership” Conference _________________________________ 13
3.11 Challenges to Post-Secondary Education for the Residents of the Athabasca Basin 14
3.12 “Growing the Spirit of Our Youth” Planning Workshop ________________________ 14
2009 Activities __________________________________________________________________ 15
4.1 Career Ambassador _____________________________________________________ 15
4.2 Northern Saskatchewan Awards of Excellence Gala __________________________ 16
Plans for 2010 __________________________________________________________________ 17
Conclusion _____________________________________________________________________ 17
Appendix “A” ___________________________________________________________________ 19
Community Vitality Partnership Process 2009 Annual Report
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Steering Committee Page 4
What is “Community Vitality”?
The present community vitality monitoring initiative arises directly out of the
recommendations of a joint Federal-Provincial Panel on Uranium Mining Developments
in Northern Saskatchewan. As a result of the Panel review and reports, the revised
surface leases for northern uranium mining projects require the companies to participate
in a community vitality monitoring program.
The original idea of community vitality focused on the social well-being and quality of life
experienced by community residents and how a community could respond to changes
such as those that may be caused by an industrial project. In general, “community
vitality” requires adequate formal services, a strong network of social supports, effective
political leadership, and a viable local economy that is both diverse and resilient. Self-
sufficiency is also an important part of the definition of community vitality.
There are, however, many alternative approaches to assessing a community’s vitality,
including approaches that assess community health (physical, mental/emotional,
spiritual/cultural, and social), community quality of life, community sustainable
development, and community wellness. In the case of the CVMPP, northerners helped
to define community vitality and to outline the related issues.
Athabasca Student Awards – Fond du Lac
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Development of the Community
Vitality Program
2.1 Initial Meetings and Committee Formation
The two District Health Boards and one Health Authority, together with the Northern
Mines Monitoring Secretariat (NMMS), Environmental Quality Committees (EQCs), the
uranium mining companies and Saskatchewan Northern Affairs (SNA), provided the
framework of local organizations to help guide the development of the community vitality
monitoring initiative.
An initial exploratory meeting was held in December 1998 involving representatives from
NMMS, SNA, the uranium industry, the northern Health Boards and the co-managed
Population Health Unit, Saskatchewan Health and the Northern Inter-Tribal Health
Authority along with other resource people familiar with the topic. Participants noted that
there was no “off-the-shelf” approach for monitoring community vitality, and that
community vitality goes beyond both the issues of uranium industry impacts and the
issues of physical and community health. The meeting confirmed a broad interest by the
participants in the community vitality monitoring initiative. A coordinating committee was
established to organize a workshop and to finalize an initial draft work plan by the fall of
1999 for the community vitality monitoring initiative.
2.2 Development of Monitoring Issues
A workshop was held in 1999 in La Ronge to identify information-gathering priorities for
the Community Vitality Monitoring Partnership Process common to all potential partners
that could be used to make a difference to the quality of life in northern Saskatchewan.
The workshop identified a consensus on topics for information gathering. These are as
follows (no specific order of priority):
(1) Environment and Land: Local physical and biophysical environment, local
relationships to the land, and impacts related to development.
(2) Health: Local health status, behaviors, self-perception and self-esteem,
delivery systems, and health determinants. There is interest in focusing on
information gaps and developing surveys that involve partnerships among
interested parties.
(3) Economics/Social/Infrastructure: Compiling and synthesizing existing data,
and making information accessible in such a manner that the community will
find it useful.
(4) Communication Dynamics and Relationships: Within families and
communities as well as with industries, etc. Maximize the effectiveness of
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communicating the information gathered on the identified topics to all
community members.
(5) Special Topics – Youth/Outmigration/Poverty: The status, causes and
impacts of these special topics were identified in this workshop as priority
issues for northern Saskatchewan communities.
There was strong agreement that the process of drawing together, communicating and
using information in northern communities merits high priority. Participants noted that
there is already substantial information collected by various parties on each of the above
topics that needs to be better coordinated, communicated and translated into something
useful to community members.
The topics established at the workshop are broad and could encompass a wide array of
specific community vitality topics, not all of which could be tackled within this initiative or
would prove to be useful in addressing community issues.
2.3 Background Study
Consultants were contracted to complete a background study to:
Identify and assess various professional approaches that are similar to the
definition of community vitality. A review of various professional approaches
helped to identify similar undertakings that have been attempted before.
Review the influences of resource development, in general, on community life to
help identify potential impacts on community vitality by the uranium industry.
Identify and examine existing/available data sources for their potential application
to the monitoring of uranium mining impacts on community vitality.
Identify and assess possible options for engaging people in northern
communities.
Identify and evaluate the main alternative approaches for monitoring community
vitality in Saskatchewan’s north.
Information from this study was used to assist in developing priorities and work plan
activities. It will also be used for reference for any community level monitoring activities
that may take place.
Official opening of
the Hatchet Lake
Rink
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2.4 Goal and Vision
The specific monitoring goal for the first two years of the initiative was as follows:
“To identify and track indicators that provide insight into community vitality such
that stakeholders can use that knowledge to improve and maintain the quality
of life in northern Saskatchewan, focusing in particular on the following:
providing information related to uranium mining impacts on community
vitality that is useful to northern community stakeholders;
encouraging partnerships that will work cooperatively on specific
community vitality monitoring activities of common interest; and
developing communication activities that will assist northern community
stakeholders to use community vitality monitoring information to
improve and maintain the quality of life in northern Saskatchewan.”
The vision for activities for the first few years has been:
“To show that monitoring information related to uranium mining impacts and
other community influences can be used to address and act upon issues of
priority to northern communities.”
The coordinating committee concluded that information should contribute to resolution of
issues and should not be collected for its own sake. The initiative cannot accept primary
responsibility for assembling and maintaining a broad socio-economic and health
database for northern Saskatchewan communities. Much of this is being done through
existing organizations and programs. New data collection efforts should focus on data
gaps identified by interested parties, who are in the best position to identify their own
needs.
Completed Projects
3.1 Migration
In 2000, the reasons for northerners moving to and from the north were studied. The
project included northern consultants and provided opportunities for “capacity building”
through acquiring northern survey skills. Four of the significant issues identified are:
An education opportunity is the primary factor for migration out of northern
Saskatchewan;
An employment opportunity is the primary issue that could have made residents
continue living in northern Saskatchewan;
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Friends, family and a sense of home are important factors for northern residents;
and
There are regional differences within the north.
These results were developed into a set of recommendations that were presented to
various agencies and organizations whose activities and decisions could potentially have
an effect on migration decisions.
3.2 Healthy Foods Assessment
Some of the community health impacts being seen in northern communities are a result
of the lack of availability and utilization of healthy foods along with major changes in
physical activity. Impacts include increasing rates of diabetes, heart disease, stroke and
cancer.
Food cost is one influence on healthy eating, along with knowledge and awareness,
family and cultural eating practices and experiences, and the availability of food choices.
Conducted in 2001 with the assistance of the Community Vitality program, the Healthy
Food Costs survey looked at the cost of healthy store-bought foods in northern
communities. It assessed some average costs for what it takes to feed a family in
various regions of the north and compared the results with other parts of the province.
The survey found a large variation in the price of some food products even within the
north and, for example, documented a large range in the price of milk in the fly-in
communities. Following this initial Community Vitality food cost survey, nutritionists
through the health authorities are continuing to monitor costs every few years.
Drying Fish at
Grandmother’s
Bay
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3.3 Youth Initiatives Conference
One of the main focuses of the Community Vitality process is northern youth. A two-day
conference was held in March 2001 in Prince Albert to discuss positive factors and
influences affecting the success of northern youth in school and in life. About forty
people took part, including community leaders, friendship centre workers, health and
other government officials, Environmental Quality Committee members, mining company
officials, First Nations representatives and, of course, several youths. One of the major
outcomes of the conference was the organization of a Community Vitality Youth
Workshop.
3.4 Northern Saskatchewan Community Vitality Youth
Workshop
The workshop focused on a theme similar to the 2001 conference:
What do you as youth see as the positive and negative influences on your lives
and communities and what would you recommend as actions to build upon the
positives?
Thirty-four youths from 20 different communities throughout northern Saskatchewan
attended the workshop held from March 22 to 24, 2002 at Cameco’s Rabbit Lake
uranium operation. The youth delegates were free to direct the discussions wherever
they wanted. In addition to the workshop activities, the participants toured the nearby
McClean Lake uranium mine and mill operated by AREVA Resources. They also
participated in sports and a variety of entertainment activities including hosting the first-
ever rock and roll concert at a northern Saskatchewan mine site.
The youth participants developed a number of very practical recommendations around
the issues of education, leadership, recreation and communities. These are included in
the workshop report: We Say . . . Community Vitality Northern Saskatchewan Youth
Workshop. The Executive Summary was reproduced in the Appendix to the 2003
Community Vitality Annual Report. The “We Say” report begins with the vision
statement:
“We may not be able to change the world, but we can change our
communities by starting with ourselves.”
The youth from each region selected two representatives from their region to carry the
message forward. Using a PowerPoint presentation and presenting in Cree, Dene and
English, the workshop results were presented throughout the north as well as to
Provincial Government Cabinet Ministers and other MLA’s in Regina. A presentation
was also made at the 2004 Northern Health Conference.
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3.5 Reviewing the Past – Five Years – Planning the Future
When the CVMPP was initiated in 1998, a formal review of the various projects and their
effectiveness was planned to take place in the fifth year. Much of this work was done in
2003 with the major project being the “Reviewing the Past – Five Years – Planning the
Future” workshop held in La Ronge. Over 30 people representing various groups and
organizations active in northern Saskatchewan attended the workshop.
The workshop’s recommendations and conclusions are summarized below:
Three areas of immediate focus should be:
To evaluate the first five projects in terms of results, communication and
implementation of recommendations;
To identify the quality of life determinants as defined by the communities
themselves;
To build upon the initial youth workshop.
The five projects undertaken by the Community Vitality Partnership Process since 1999
were successful and provided significant and useful information. The results generated
by each study have not been shared widely enough and the information provided in the
various reports may not be reaching the appropriate target audience. There should be a
discussion of what the communication requirements are for each of the completed
projects.
“Quality of life” must be defined by the communities themselves and may be different in
each community. A study should be commissioned to explore the definition of quality of
life and related issues in northern Saskatchewan communities.
A second youth workshop (“We Say 2”) was recommended.
In every project, effective and meaningful partnerships should be fostered with agencies
and organizations active in the north and, when possible, residents of Saskatchewan’s
north should play active and meaningful roles.
Every project should contain a comprehensive communication component for project
planning and the dissemination of research results.
3.6 Youth Focus Groups
Given the enthusiasm received from the results of the “We Say” youth workshop and the
very large northern youth population, there was a need to “step back” and seek a more
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basic examination of youth and community vitality issues such as justice, health and
family.
The focus groups were held in February and March 2004 in six northern communities
with 63 Grade 9 to 12 students participating. They had a number of thoughts and
recommendations on the justice, health and family topics. The youths concluded that:
The most important issue for northern youth is the availability of more youth
activities such as sports, cultural activities, dances etc. Parents need to take a
more active role with their children through volunteering for events their children
are involved in, setting rules for their children and generally being positive role
models.
3.7 “We Say 2 . . .” Workshop
This 2004 workshop was held at AREVA’s McClean Lake Operation on June 11 to 13.
The organizing committee sought participants who had completed Grade 9 and who
were 15 to 25 years old. Northern health regions worked with the schools to select
participants. The workshop involved 23 young people from communities across northern
Saskatchewan.
The workshop established several definitions including:
“Family” is a number of people who stick together, communicate, work together,
act as role models, support one another, have good attitudes, love one another,
trust and respect one another.
“Health” is the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual well being of the
individual and the community.
Winners of “Who
Wants to be a
Miner?” – La Loche
South Bay Youth
Camp
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“Justice” means being treated fairly, being respected, discipline, co-operation and
communication.
After the Conference, the elected members of Team North prepared a presentation to
summarize the most significant results of the “We Say 2 Conference”. The presentation
was given to the Provincial Youth Advisory Committee and the Northern Labour Market
Committee in 2004 and to other organizations in 2005.
3.8 Project Review and Evaluation
The project review evaluated the design, implementation, outcomes and communication
of previous projects to ensure future work done by the CVMPP is completed in an
efficient, effective manner that best meets the needs of northern communities. This
included reviewing the project files from the perspectives of:
Project design to meet intended outputs;
Appropriateness of partnerships developed to implement the project;
Actual project implementation;
Outcomes of the project;
Effectiveness of communicating the results to the target audience.
The evaluation also investigated actions taken by other agencies in response to the
outcomes of the projects, and involves a stakeholder spot survey to measure awareness
of the CVMPP. Most respondents were pleased with how the projects were carried out
but there were issues related to communication. They included project decisions made
without proper communication, reports released without consultation and the participants
not knowing what was ultimately done with the reports. Everyone felt the projects were
relevant to the needs of Northern Saskatchewan and were easily understandable.
3.9 The Impact on Families and Communities of the Fly In/Out
Work Rotation System in Uranium Mines in Northern
Saskatchewan
This study was undertaken by consultants through an interview program in selected
communities in three regions of Northern Saskatchewan using a structured interview
guide. A reference group, including the CVMPP Steering Committee and a cross-
section of other northern residents with first-hand experience of the effects of the work
rotation systems, identified issues and guided study design. Interviews were conducted
with mine workers, their families, and other community residents. Community
Consultants in each of the six communities played an invaluable role in identifying
possible participants, setting up interviews and assisting in interviews.
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The recommendations from the study applied to the mine sites and to the communities.
The mine site suggestions ranged from addition of pick-up points and fly days, increased
number of phones, cellular service and internet capability, more family site visits and
improved worker orientation. The recommendations to the communities included
awareness of available social services, increased daycare, recreation programs and
volunteer activities. A presentation on the work rotation study was given to the “Work-
Family Balance & Labour Force Shortages” conference in Saskatoon in 2007.
3.10 “Learning through Leadership” Conference
The main activity undertaken in 2006 was a youth event focusing on leadership. In May,
36 young people, aged 14 to 19, from 16 northern communities met at the Cameco’s
Key Lake operation. The “Leadership Through Learning” conference consisted of six
leadership training workshops held over three days to fulfill two main objectives:
To strengthen leadership qualities through a series of training sessions to
become more effective leaders in their schools, communities and their own lives.
To introduce the young people to mine related employment opportunities by
meeting and interacting with people currently involved in the industry.
The summary report and conclusions from the conference are reproduced in the
Appendix to the 2006 Community Vitality Annual Report. The northern youth
spokespersons for the “Learning Through Leadership” conference gave presentations on
their findings at appropriate venues in 2007.
Uranium Mining
Employment
Training (UMET)
Students at McClean
Lake
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3.11 Challenges to Post-Secondary Education for the Residents
of the Athabasca Basin
One of the major focuses for 2008 and 2009 was finalizing the project, The Challenges
to Post-Secondary Education for the Residents of the Athabasca Basin. The project
documented that according to the respondents the biggest barrier was social challenges
at 50%. The most significant of these social challenges was the act of simply leaving
home. The other challenges were academic and financial at 18% each and cultural and
other at 7% each. This project required partnership expertise to ensure it was properly
designed to be inclusive and rigorous. The Prince Albert Grand Council, Ministry of
Advanced Education, Employment and Labour, Northern Lights School Division No. 113
and Hatchet Lake Band Education participated in the study.
There were also factors that contributed to success in post-secondary programs. The
top three were attitude, family support and role model and/or mentors. There were two
types of recommendations from this report being long-term and near-term
recommendations. The long-term recommendations were stricter academic standards
and to improve parental engagement in education. The near-term recommendations
were:
Develop a transitions program to enable potential post-secondary students to
make a smoother transition to an urban and post-secondary setting;
Acknowledge and recognize successful post-secondary participants at a
community level;
Implement extracurricular programming at community schools;
Strengthen the local teaching force;
Establish an Athabasca Education and Career Counseling Program;
Take steps to ease the financial challenges faced by post-secondary students.
The summary report and conclusions from the project are reproduced in the Appendix to
the 2008 Community Vitality Annual Report.
3.12 “Growing the Spirit of Our Youth” Planning Workshop
In November 2008 CVMPP hosted a planning workshop entitled “Growing the Spirit of
Our Youth” in La Ronge. The objective of the workshop was to bring together
representatives of various organizations and groups active in northern Saskatchewan
communities in order to engage them in discussions designed to guide the future
development of the initiative and to elicit ideas for new, effective and meaningful projects
for consideration by the CVMPP Steering Committee.
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The Growing the Spirit of Our Youth Workshop was well attended by more than 35
people representing 26 different organizations active in the Northern Administration
District of Saskatchewan. After an analysis of the information and input provided by all of
the participants it is recommended that, subject to feasibility, timing and the interest of
partner agencies, organizations and/or communities, the Community Vitality Monitoring
Partnership Process Steering Committee consider the implementation of the following
five projects in the listed order of priority:
NAD Achievement/NCVMP Gala Awards (renamed Northern Saskatchewan Awards
of Excellence)
Enhanced Career Counselling
Reduce/Reuse/Recycle in the North
Youth and the Environment
Youth Training and Involvement in the 40 Developmental Assets
The conclusion and recommendations from this report are listed in Appendix A.
2009 Activities
4.1 Career Ambassador
The Enhanced Career Counselling initiative from the Growing the Spirit of Our Youth
Workshop has been renamed as the Career Ambassador project. This project is
designed to increase the awareness of northern youth of the employment opportunities
in the mining and health fields. A website and written material will be available to First
Nation schools, provincial schools and post-secondary schools based in the Northern
Flipping
burgers
at Pine
Channel
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Administration District to promote post-secondary opportunities. According to the
Saskatchewan Ministry of Education the number of grade 10 students that actually
complete and graduate from grade 12 have dropped at an alarming rate. Out of the 602
students who enrolled in grade 10 at northern public schools in 2005-2006, only 149
obtained their grade 12 diploma in the graduation year of 2007-2008. That means only
24.75% of students that enrolled in grade 10 completed grade 12. This is a powerful
statistic that shows the need for the Career Ambassador project in the Northern
Administration District. Advising a student on which classes to take and how to prepare
for their academic and career futures is a priority for this project.
The website and DVD will contain a 24-question test that will direct the student via their
answers to careers that relate to their interests. There will be information sheets on a
variety of careers in the mining and health fields to assist the youth in learning about the
duties of the job, where the person could work, what characteristics you need to excel in
the position and the pre-requisites for the post-secondary education. The highlight of the
website will be a variety of videos by northerners discussing their job, their life
experience, education required to obtain their positions and advice for the student.
The website, DVD and written material will be available in 2010. It will be distributed to
the provincial and First Nation schools in the Northern Administration District.
4.2 Northern Saskatchewan Awards of Excellence Gala
Initial planning started in 2009 for the Northern Saskatchewan Awards of Excellence
Gala. The inaugural event will be held on October 2, 2010, at Jonas Roberts Memorial
Community Centre in La Ronge. The awards will consist of the following categories:
1. Arts and Entertainment
2. Health and Wellness
3. Entrepreneur
4. Sports and Recreation
5. Volunteer
6. Science and Technology
7. Education
8. Culture and Language
9. Youth Achievement
10. Legacy Award
The physical awards will be created by northern artist(s) and all nominees must be
northerners. The Gala will include a meal and local entertainment. We need to
celebrate being a northerner and be proud of what we can do.
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Plans for 2010
2010 will include presenting the Career Ambassador project to the Northern schools and
starting our journey of increasing the knowledge of northern students regarding a variety
of careers. The project will continue to grow as we receive recommendations from the
career counsellors, teachers and students. The 1st Northern Saskatchewan Awards of
Excellence Gala will occur in 2010 and share success stories with the North.
Athabasca Student Awards at Hatchet Lake
Conclusion
As can be seen by the past and present activities, the CVMPP has been working in a
methodical manner, bringing northern stakeholders into the planning and implementation
processes. Youth issues are common and of significant interest to northern
communities. As such, they are developing into a major focus of this program.
The concept of community vitality as raised by the Federal-Provincial Panel has gone
through much discussion with stakeholders in the north as well as in the uranium mining
industry. It is apparent that:
community vitality should be monitored;
the monitoring should be as a collaborative partnership of stakeholders (industry,
northern communities, northern agencies, etc.);
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monitoring is a developing process of addressing issues of concern rather than
simply collecting data; and
this process can help build research capacity in the north.
By assisting, coordinating, financially supporting and/or implementing (depending on the
project) various projects, the Community Vitality Monitoring Partnership Process can use
the approach that best suits the needs and circumstances of northern Saskatchewan
communities.
Because research design, implementation and follow-up, in this program, involves
extensive stakeholder communication, results often appear to be delayed and simplified.
However, this type of research has very high credibility in the north and elsewhere. All
parties in this innovative CVMPP realize that a major part of the work is finding the right
questions to ask and ensuring there is community support for asking them and for acting
on the knowledge gained. A deficiency in the Community Vitality Monitoring Partnership
Process has been sharing the information gathered from the projects with relevant
stakeholders and northern communities.
The full-time Community Vitality Program Co-ordinator is Shannon Cholin. Please
contact Shannon at 306-425-6883 or via e-mail to [email protected] with any
questions or ideas regarding Community Vitality. If you would like a copy of any of the
Community Vitality reports, please contact Shannon Cholin.
The Community Vitality Coordinating Committee would like to thank all of those who
have helped make this project creative, effective and, most of all, relevant to northern
communities.
Cluff Lake
Uranium City
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Appendix “A”
“Growing the Spirit of our Youth” Workshop
Conclusion and Recommendations
Over the past ten years, the concept of community vitality as defined by the Federal-
Provincial Panel on Uranium development in Northern Saskatchewan has gone through
much discussion with stakeholders in the north as well as the uranium mining industry.
During these discussions and throughout the activities of the program it has become
apparent that:
Community vitality is important and should be monitored,
The monitoring must be community driven (or defined) and be a
collaborative partnership of as many stakeholders as possible (industry, northern
communities, northern agencies, etc.). The activities could range from what would
traditionally be defined as a research or investigative study to the implementation of a
new program or initiative in a particular community, and;
Community vitality monitoring must not be allowed to stagnate as it is a
“developing” process targeted at addressing issues of concern to the community and
using the information generated constructively rather than simply collecting data for
data’s sake, and;
The process itself has helped to build capacity in general and research
capacity in particular in northern Saskatchewan.
Based on the results of the most recent CVMPP initiative - the “Growing the Spirit of Our
Youth” Workshop, held in La Ronge, Saskatchewan on November 13 & 14, 2008, and
an analysis of the information and input provided by all of the participants in that
workshop it is recommended that, subject to feasibility, timing and the interest of partner
agencies, organizations and/or communities, the Community Vitality Monitoring
Partnership Process Steering Committee consider the implementation of the following
five projects in the listed order of priority:
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1. NAD Achievement/NCVMP Gala Awards
The NAD Achievement/NCVMP Gala Awards project will consist of the organization and
delivery of a Northern Achievement Awards event designed to identify and publicly
recognize significant achievements by northern individuals, northern communities and/or
organizations. As identified in the previous table, the subject areas for this public
recognition of excellence ranged widely from student success (K to 12 and post-
secondary achievements) to the recognition of excellence in the retention and sharing of
“traditional knowledge”.
2. Enhanced Career Counselling
The Enhanced Career Counselling project would be designed to increase the
awareness of northern young people at an early age of future career choices
(including professional and trades) by broadening their exposure beyond those
careers that they observe within northern communities and enhancing their
understanding of the numerous career opportunities available to them. The project must
also focus on methods to couple this enhanced awareness with effective counselling in
northern schools that is designed to ensure that a student is aware of high school
requirements for continuing education and that appropriate assistance is provided to
allow the student to obtain the necessary prerequisites to continue their education and
achieve their career goals.
Some ideas to support the realization of these project goals include increasing the profile
of community members that have achieved diverse career goals by having them attend
and make presentations to students in northern schools, structured “career tours” of
workplaces both inside and outside the Northern Administration District and organizing
tours of post secondary education institutes early in the student’s high school career.
3. Reduce/Reuse/Recycle in the North
This project will involve the identification of opportunities in northern Saskatchewan
communities to maximize the potential to reduce, reuse and recycle all manner of
resources wherever and whenever possible. Significant success has been achieved in
various jurisdictions (including Manitoba and northern Manitoba communities) with the
implementation of this type of program. It is recommended that the initial step in the
implementation of this project be a wide ranging and comprehensive review of existing
programs (both successful and none) in order to identify opportunities, risks and
requirement for the success of the program
In other jurisdictions, the successful implementation of this type of a project has
relied heavily on the effective education of all levels of the community in the
program, the reason it is being implemented and the program’s overall goals. It is
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Steering Committee Page 21
recommended that this be the initial focus of a northern Saskatchewan program to
maximize the potential to reduce, reuse and recycle all manner of resources wherever
and whenever possible.
4. Youth & the Environment
The focus of the Youth & the Environment project is to engage northern young
people in enhanced environmental awareness at all levels. As such, there are some
direct links with the two previously discussed projects. Opportunities to couple the Youth
& the Environment project with the Reduce, Reuse and Recycle and the Enhanced
Career Counselling projects should be actively pursued.
One avenue that the project may wish to pursue is to actively organize and support the
development of local, community based youth organizations with an environmental
focus. Again, success in this type of youth organizations have been achieved in various
communities (including the Junior Rangers in Stanley Mission, and, although not focused
exclusively on the environment, the Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment’s Aboriginal
Conservation Officer Junior Rangers program and the Fond du Lac Junior Canadian
rangers program). Similar, to the previous project, it is recommended that the initial step
in the implementation of this project be a wide ranging and comprehensive review of
existing programs (both successful and none) in order to identify opportunities, risks and
requirement for the success of the program.
Opportunities also exist to integrate this project with the Reduce/Reuse/Recycle in the
North Project by having a local youth club spearhead the initiative in each community. In
addition, the natural offshoot of a community based youth organization with an
environmental focus is the opportunity to expose club members to the numerous and
varied environmental careers available to them.
5. Youth Training & Involvement in the 40 Developmental Assets
This project is relatively self explanatory and, should a decision be made to pursue the
project, the CVMPP should contact Jacquie Hakes (Mamawetan Churchill River Health
Region) and Linda Pedersen (Keewatin Yatthé Regional Health Authority) as the “40
Developmental Assets” initiative has already been launched as a partnership that
includes all three Northern Health Regions and the Northern Lights School Division.