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Northern Fraser Youth Capacity Building for Watershed Governance Northern Fraser Youth Capacity Building - Appendix I: Draft Prince George Youth Engagement Strategy Northern Fraser Youth Capacity Building - Appendix G: Weekend Training Retreat Program Northern Fraser Youth Capacity Building - Appendix F: Mentor Recruitment Brochure Northern Fraser Youth Capacity Building - Appendix E: Youth Recruitment Brochure Final Report - Northern Fraser Youth Capacity Building and Mentorship Initiative Location: Upper Fraser, Northern Fraser Project Summary
SUMMARY The project will build the capacity of youth from communities in the Northern Fraser region to participate and take a leadership role in raising the profile of salmon and watershed sustainability. The project will meaningfully engage up to 50 youth aged 16 - 24 from across the Northern Fraser region. Partnerships will be established or enhanced with stewardship groups, local governments, First Nations and community organizations to provide valuable learning and mentorship opportunities for up to 10 youth participants. OVERVIEW While youth are generally recognized as “leaders of the future” and touted as the beneficiaries of sustainability actions we take today, in many cases they are excluded from dialogue and decision making processes regarding sustainability initiatives, and ultimately their future wellbeing. This project will build the knowledge and capacity of young leaders to effectively participate in decision making processes. This project will build the capacity of youth from communities in the Northern Fraser region. Although youth are commonly recognized as “leaders of tomorrow” and decision makers strive to manage and develop resources in a way that “does not compromise the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”, youth continue to be under represented in decision making processes. In addition, there are few dedicated efforts to equip young people with the skills, knowledge and capacity to participate in community based decision making processes in a meaningful and effective way. This project will address this gap by building the leadership capacity of youth through mentorship and participation in real-life decision making processes. The proposed project meets multiple FSWP 2010 desired outcomes. In particular, the project will enhance youth awareness, knowledge and understanding of ecosystems and watershed sustainability and, through mentorship and participatory learning, will build the capacity of youth to take action and participate in decision making processes that benefit salmon and the watersheds we all depend on. In addition, First Nations youth will be a key target audience and specific strategies will be developed in partnership with First Nations organizations to ensure active participation by youth from First Nation communities throughout the Cariboo-Chilcotin and Upper Fraser regions. In addition, existing FBC partnerships will be enhanced with First Nation governments and leadership councils, such as the Tsilhqot’in National Government, Northern Shuswap Tribal Council, Carrier Chilcotin Tribal Council, Lheidli T’enneh as well as the Carrier Sekani Tribal Council and First Nations Youth Council to inform the development and implementation of the project. Specific governance and decision making processes that youth will participate in may include: While it is not a multi-year or phased project, this proposal links to the learnings and outcomes of the 2009/10 Youth Leadership and Mentoring Project (LR64). The expected outcomes from the 2009/10 project include: OBJECTIVES Objective #1 Knowledge and understanding of salmon sustainability issues including the connection between communities and ecosystems enhanced for up to 50 youth from the Northern Fraser Region by September 2010.
1. Knowledge and understanding will be enhanced through a regional youth dialogue on salmon and watershed sustainability that will engage up to 50 youth from across the Northern Region in a dialogue on salmon sustainability, declining salmon stocks, the impacts to communities and ecosystems as well as identifying actions youth can take to address these issues. This will enable youth to participate and take a leadership role in raising the profile of salmon and watershed sustainability in their communities. Participants will be recruited through various networks including First Nation organizations, stewardship groups, local government, school districts and other educational institutions such as University of Northern BC, Thompson Rivers University campus in Williams Lake and others as appropriate. Measure of Success: active youth participation with at least 75% reporting knowledge, capacity or networks enhanced as a result of the dialogue. 2. Methods to effectively engage youth will be identified throughout the project planning, development and implementation phase. In particular, youth participants at the regional dialogue will identify key barriers - and methods to overcome these barriers - to their involvement in local decision making and governance processes. Measure of Success: at least three strategies / methods to effectively engage youth identified at dialogue and documented in summary report.. 3. In addition to participating in the dialogue on salmon sustainability, the knowledge and capacity of up to 10 young leaders will be enhanced through participation in a hands-on learning workshop. This workshop will be followed by a mentorship placement with existing organizations where the young leaders will receive mentorship and support from community partners to participate in existing governance and decision-making initiatives. Potential partners may include Williams Lake, Quesnel and Prince George Municipalities (see attached letter of support from the Mayor of Prince George), Fraser Fort George, Bulkley Nechako and Cariboo Regional Districts, Tsilhqot’in National Government, Carrier Sekani Tribal Council, Carrier Chilcotin Tribal Council (see attached letter of support), Northern Shuswap Tribal Council, Lheidli T’enneh, and the First Nations Youth Council (see attached letter of support). This will enable youth to participate and take a leadership role in raising the profile of salmon and watershed sustainability in their communities as they will have knowledge and first hand experience of the complexity of decision making processes. To recruit youth, information about the program will be distributed electronically to Northern Fraser networks, youth organizations and high schools. Youth interested in the project will be invited to submit an application to participate. Existing and emerging relationships with Northern Fraser Aboriginal organizations will be utilized to recruit youth participants. Measure of Success: 10 youth - including up to 5 Aboriginal youth - participate in training workshop and mentorship and report enhanced knowledge, capacity and experience to participate in decision-making processes. 4. In order to effectively deliver the project and ensure longevity of the investment beyond the life of the project, partnerships will be enhanced and/or fostered with community groups and organizations, specifically focusing on First Nations governance and community organizations as well as groups that are involved in collaborative decision making processes such as Regional Sustainability Committees and Roundtables. By participating in and supporting the project, these groups will gain first hand experience with youth engagement and as a result will recognize the value of youth participation in decision making processes. Measure of Success: following project completion, at least three organizations endorse the outcomes of the project and provide letters of support to formally recognize the value of youth participation in decision making processes. 5. Youth participation in governance and decision making will be supported by community partners throughout the project with the intention that youth will continue to be involved with these community partners beyond the life of the project. Measure of Success: three community partners commit to youth engagement beyond the life of the project and recognize youth engagement as adding value to decision making processes. 6. An online network of Northern Fraser youth will be established or enhanced and will connect participants from the regional dialogue, training workshop and other youth-focused organizations. The network will share information and knowledge about watershed sustainability and connect youth leaders from across the region with each other and with organizations seeking to engage youth in a meaningful way. There may be an opportunity to “house” this network within The Aquatic Partnership following the completion of the project. This youth network will also link in with a number of existing stewardship and watershed networks, potentially including: Waterlution, DFO Community Advisors, Streamkeepers Network and the Stewardship Centre of BC.
Youth are the ultimate recipients of the decisions and actions we choose to take today and, as such, it will be their responsibility to address the consequences and outcomes of those decisions and actions. Engaging youth in the decision making process, enhancing their knowledge and building their capacity will help to ensure they have the skills as future leaders to make decisions and take actions that benefit both salmonids and the watersheds we all depend on now and into the future. Engage First Nations, government agencies and community groups/NGOs First Nations youth will be key participants in this project. In addition, First Nation organizations and governments will be engaged to help develop and implement the project as community partners. Other government agencies, collaborative entities and non-profit groups will be invited to participate in the mentorship component of the project.
This project links with a number of local plans and policies, including the Horsefly River Roundtable watershed planning and analysis and the Prince George Official Community Plan / ICSP review process, which specifically indentifies youth as a target audience. In addition, the Cariboo Regional District is currently drafting a Regional Growth Strategy with a climate change adaptation focus. Youth engagement will be an important component in developing a strategy that is relevant to the future of the region. Value-added aspects This project will build the capacity of youth from communities in the Northern Fraser region. Although youth are commonly recognized as “leaders of tomorrow” and decision makers strive to manage and develop resources in a way that “does not compromise the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”, youth continue to be under represented in decision making processes. In addition, there are few dedicated efforts to equip young people with the skills, knowledge and capacity to participate in community based decision making processes in a meaningful and effective way. This project will address this gap by building the leadership capacity of youth through mentorship and participation in real-life decision making processes.
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