Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Speaker, I would like to announce an exciting new pilot program to provide leadership opportunities for young people in the Northwest Territories: the Northwest Territories Youth Abroad Program.

The Honourable Michael McLeod, Minister responsible for Youth and I, as Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, have agreed to jointly contribute start up funding for a pilot project that will operate over the next two years. This NWT pilot project will be operated under the direction of the Nunavut Youth Abroad Society and coordinated by Northwest Territories volunteers to involve young people from across the North.

In 1997, a group of educators in what is now Nunavut envisioned a comprehensive program to encourage young people to gain the experience and skills that would equip them to be future leaders of their territory. Subsequently, the Nunavut Youth Abroad Program was formed. At the time, the GNWT provided start-up funding to support the effort.

Mr. Speaker, the Youth Abroad Program is designed to take young people from smaller communities who haven’t travelled much beyond their local area and who show potential as leaders and to assist these youth obtain a variety of academic and life skills they can use in their future. These skills include an emphasis on succeeding in school and the development of a view of life beyond our borders.

After acceptance into the program, each participant must complete career and technology studies courses that are part of the NWT school curriculum. Participants will be matched with a local mentor and participate in skill development sessions. Ultimately, participants will go in groups of two to stay with a family in southern Canada and be placed in a summer job for a period of five weeks with the support of program workers. This support is key to the program’s success.

At the end of the first summer, participants return home and continue their academic studies in their home communities with post-placement activities.

In Nunavut, it was demonstrated that this link with the school system helped students to stay in school or, if they had already opted out, drew them back into the system. Of the young people who participated in the Nunavut program, 96 percent continued on to complete their secondary education and graduate. It’s important to note that some of these youth were initially identified as being at-risk, so these results are dramatic, indeed.

Once the NWT pilot program has been completed and assessed, consideration will be given to continuing onwards to the second phase of the NWT Youth Abroad Program.

Mr. Speaker, in phase two, youth who have completed the southern Canadian placement, may go on to international placements.

By the Government of the Northwest Territories making this two-year contribution to the Northwest Territories Youth Abroad Program, we are making an investment in the future leaders of tomorrow. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause