Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Good morning. Northern Youth Abroad, or NYA, is a non-profit, non-government organization founded in Nunavut in 1997. The NYA program encourages the development of northern leaders through an extensive program of activities and challenges that help young people from the NWT and Nunavut to grow. Participants learn in a supportive environment, both in their home communities and while on volunteer job placements in southern Canada or Africa.
The Department of Education, Culture and Employment has been a supporter of the NYA program since it began in Nunavut. The first pilot project was held in the NWT in 2005. The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs has also been a significant partner.
Mr. Speaker, some of the challenges participants face include learning to live in a different environment with a host family. Another challenge is learning to deliver public presentations on topics related to their community and territory.
To date, in both Nunavut and the Northwest Territories, participants have mainly come from smaller aboriginal communities. Some of the successes of the program are that very high percentages of past participants begin to contribute as volunteers when they return to their home communities. Also, there is a secondary school graduation rate of over 90 percent of our northern youth who have completed the NYA program.
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Mr. Speaker, many alumni have gone on to post-secondary education.
In 2006, nine youth from the Northwest Territories were placed in the Canadian phase summer placements with host families in southern Canada. Five youth were involved in the international phase in Botswana, Africa.
This year, more than 60 applications have been received for the Canadian and international phase spaces reserved for NWT youth. For the first time, applicants come from every region of the Northwest Territories, but still mainly
from smaller communities. Mr. Speaker, this represents a record level of interest.
Every applicant to the NYA program is interviewed. For many, this is the first interview they have ever had to prepare for. It is a great opportunity for applicants to develop new skills even before they begin the program. Final selections have been made and I was pleased to note those chosen come from 13 different communities representing all regions of the Northwest Territories. I will write to Members to share the names and success of program participants over the next year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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