Infrastructure at the Heart of the Community: Youth
Rainier Ward talks about a youth center project in Metepenagiag Mi’kmaq Nation.
Infrastructure at the Heart of the Community: Youth
Transcript
(Image of Investing in First Nations community infrastructure interactive map)
(New Brunswick is highlighted on the map and a marker appears on the community)
(A white rectangle with text appears above the map)
Text on screen:
Project: Youth Centre
Community: Metepenagiag Mi’kmaq Nation, New Brunswick
(Text fades away, new text appears)
Text on screen:
Infrastructure at the Heart of the community: Youth
Rainier Ward speaking: If we can say it in Mi’kmaq, say it in Mi’kmaq! If you can do something in a culturally-relevant way, do it that way! Having Mi’kmaq language assets in the community is a really really big deal.
(Photo of Rainier Ward, his name, title and the project name appear below)
Text on screen:
Rainier Ward
Youth Coordinator
Metepenagiag Youth Center / Nitaganami House Program, NB
Rainier Ward: My name is Rainier Ward. I am the Youth Coordinator with Mi’kmaq Child and Family Services in New Brunswick for the Metapenagiag Youth Center and Nitaganami House program.
(Rainier Ward speaking inside of the youth center)
Rainier Ward: We kind of have this idea for our Youth Center to be a real prevention project. So kind of teaching the kids culture as prevention, as a foundation for wellness.
(The youth center’s fenced outside pool, the entrance, the kitchen, a sign for an event on the wall)
Rainier Ward: Having cultural activities so we can kind of bolster our kids with identity and culture, so when things kind of go on in their life, they'll have a good foundation to kind of work off of.
(Rainier Ward speaking inside of the youth center)
Rainier Ward: Now, I was an addictions worker before I did this so I’ve seen these kinda kids come up and I know them... and they're all really, really bright and they're really smart and motivated, and there’s great athletes, great academics, kids who are into arts. When we think about kids today, we’re all "Oh, they’re all about technology!" and this and that... but no! They really, really want to get into it and get their hands messy, and all the kids are really, really interested in hunting, fishing, getting back on the land. Hopefully we can kinda take everything that we do here and just build them up, and a place like this would work as a really great screening tool and prevention asset so that hopefully we can have less big events and have kind of... put little fires out before they start. And that’s why I really like this job in this facility.
(Map of Canada with New Brunswick highlighted)
(A marker shows the community on the map, text appears on screen)
Text on screen:
Culture & Recreation
Project: youth centre
Community: Metepenagiag Mi’kmaq Nation, New Brunswick
Visit www.canada.ca/infrastructure-on-reserve to see all projects supported by the Government of Canada’s First Nations targeted infrastructure investments.
(Canada wordmark)