49 # R I S I N G Y O U T H C O M M U N I T Y I M P A C T V O L . 2
W
ith so many places shut
down during the COVID-19
pandemic, youth in
Yellowknife had very few places to go
to or activities with which to entertain
themselves. Recognizing this need,
Kehaya-Squo Febril decided to use
her #RisingYouth grant to organize ice
fishing activities for youth in Yellowknife.
She used the funding to purchase an
auger, which was donated to the Foster
Family Coalition of the NWT at the end of
the winter for future use. She also used
the grant to acquire fishing gear and a
fishing hut with a portable heater. She
even purchased winter gear to eliminate
any barriers for youth who may not
access to adequate gear themselves.
Engaging with the Land
Through Ice Fishing
Kehaya-Squo Febril
"We were able to go on Great Slave Lake
a few times and spent the day fishing
with about 10 youth at a time," Kehaya
recounts. "Our fishing tent kept us warm,
and the auger worked without fail. This
was such an incredible opportunity for
these youth, a lot of whom have never
gone ice fishing before."
The ice fishing activities gave youth the
opportunity to de-stress with peers and
learn some new skills, while spending
time on the land. As Kehaya shares, "the
youth had huge smiles on their faces the
entire time!"
This was such an
incredible opportunity
for these youth, a lot of
whom have never gone
ice fishing before.
A special thank you to Foster
Family Coalition of the NWT for
sharing the #RisingYouth grant
opportunity with Kehaya-Squo to
make this project possible.