What role does youth engagement play in leadership development? What role does it play in building relationships and meaningful careers?

Host Sam Bird speaks with veteran youth engagement expert Jocelyn Formsma, CEO of the National Association of Friendship Centres (NAFC) about how her extensive experience on youth councils led to her on path to leading a national organization.   

 In addition to leading the NAFC, Jocelyn is a Board Member of the Indigenous Bar Association, Advisor to the Ontario Indigenous Youth Partnership Project and on the Board of Trustees for the Canadian Museum of Human Rights.  

 Our theme music is from Minou-Pimatiswen by Nigel Irwin and the Chippewa Travellers. Supplemental music provided by Nagamo Publishing. 

If you enjoyed this episode, we’d love for you to share it with others and give it a five-star rating.

Don’t forget to subscribe to our podcast and sign-up to our newsletter to be notified about our next podcast series. Miigwech for joining us on this journey.

Young People Know is a co-production between Indigenous 150+ and the Mastercard Foundation EleV program.

To learn more about the Mastercard Foundation EleV Program, and the voices and visions of Indigenous young people visit our website EleV: Taking Flight Together and sign up for our newsletter. 

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A transcription of Episode 5 is available here.

Baamaapii!

How should young people be compensated for their time and expertise? What constitutes fair remuneration? What challenges do young people face when it comes to requesting compensation? 

 Host Sam Bird digs into these questions as well as the hidden costs of youth engagement that Indigenous young people often bear when they are consulted. 

 The episode guests include:

Riley Yesno -  Former member of the Prime Minister's Youth Council, Vanier Scholar, and former Student Trustee with the Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board (Anishinaabe, Eabametoong First Nation). 

Jocelyn Formsma - CEO, National Association of Friendship Centres, Board Member of the Indigenous Bar Association, and Advisor to the Ontario Indigenous Youth Partnership Project.

Brandon Montour - Concordia University Young Alumni Council, McGill University Faculty of Law - Faculty Council, (Kanien’kehá:ka from Mohawk Territory of Kahnawake).

Autumn LaRose-Smith - President of the Provincial Métis Youth Council & Former USask Student Union President (Métis).

Tutchone Dunfield - Former member of the Provincial Youth Council for Métis Nation of Alberta (Métis & Cree).

Darian Baskatawang - Former member of Premier’s Council for Youth Opportunities, Independent First Nations Youth Working Group, and Ontario First Nations Young Peoples Council, and lawyer at OKT Law (Anishinaabe, Whitesand First Nation).

Elycia Monaghan - a Kitikmeot Inuk medical student at NOSM University, and a former member of the Tree of Peace Friendship Centre Youth Council.

See here for more on OCAP and a Livable Wage, both of which are discussed in this episode.

Our theme music is from Minou-Pimatiswen by Nigel Irwin and the Chippewa Travellers. Supplemental music provided by Nagamo Publishing. 

If you enjoyed this episode, we’d love for you to share it with others and give it a five-star rating. 

To learn more about the Mastercard Foundation EleV Program, and the voices and visions of Indigenous young people visit our website EleV: Taking Flight Together and sign up for our newsletter. 

You can also follow us on our socials:

Instagram

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A transcription of Episode 4 is available here.

How are young people reforming practices within youth councils?

How have Indigenous young people led policy change that has improved the lives of Indigenous people and Canadians more widely? 

How are youth creating systemic change in the institutions they are a part of?  

Host Sam Bird explores these questions with a range of youth leaders including:

• Riley Yesno - Former member of the Prime Minister's Youth Council, and former Student Trustee with the Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board (Anishinaabe, Eabametoong First Nation).
• Brandon Montour - Concordia University Young Alumni Council, McGill University Faculty of Law - Faculty Council (Kanien’kehá:ka from Mohawk Territory of Kahnawake).
• Autumn LaRose-Smith - President of the Provincial Métis Youth Council & Former USask Student Union President (Metis).
• Tutchone Dunfield - Former member of the Provincial Youth Council for Métis Nation of Alberta (Métis & Cree).
• Brian Pottle - Former President of the National Inuit Youth Council  (Inuit from Nunatsiavut). 
• Darian Baskatawang - Former member of: Premier’s Council for Youth Opportunities, Independent First Nations Youth Working Group, Ontario First Nations Young Peoples Council.  (Anishinaabe, Whitesand First Nation)

A copy of the MOU between U of Saskatchewan and the U of Sask Student Union discussed in the podcast can be found here.

Young People Know is a co-production between Indigenous 150+ and the Mastercard Foundation EleV program. 

Our theme music is from Minou-Pimatiswen by Nigel Irwin and the Chippewa Travellers. Supplemental music provided by Nagamo Publishing and Andrea Menard. Other featured artists include Justin Delorme, Mimi O'Bonsawin, David R. Maracle, Silla, and G.R. Gritt.

If you enjoyed this episode, we’d love for you to share it with others and give it a five-star rating. 

If you enjoyed this episode, we’d love for you to share it with others and give it a five-star rating. 

To learn more about the Mastercard Foundation EleV Program, and the voices and visions of Indigenous young people visit our website EleV: Taking Flight Together and sign up for our newsletter. 

You can also follow us on our socials:

Instagram

Facebook

Twitter

Linked In

A transcription of Episode 3 is available here.

What are the mechanics of effective youth engagement? How do you create an environment where everyone present feels comfortable to participate?  In other words, how do you get Shy Native Youth to speak up? What do you do when Indigenous youth are speaking up and they're tremendously pissed off? 

Our host for this series, Sam Bird, explores these questions through conversations with three Indigenous young people: 

• Elycia Monaghan, a Kitikmeot Inuk medical student at NOSM University, and former member of the Tree of Peace Friendship Centre Youth Council

• Darian Baskatawang, a two-spirit Anishinaabe man of the Loon clan, member of Whitesand First Nation, and lawyer at OKT Law

• Autumn LaRose-Smith, a queer Métis woman, President of the Provincial Métis Youth Council Métis Nation of Saskatchewan, and former USask Student Union President 

Young People Know is a co-production between Indigenous 150+ and the Mastercard Foundation EleV program.

Our theme music is from Minou-Pimatiswen by Nigel Irwin and the Chippewa Travellers. Supplemental music provided by Nagamo Publishing and Andrea Menard. Other featured artists include Justin Delorme, Mimi O'Bonsawin, David R. Maracle, Silla, and G.R. Gritt.

If you enjoyed this episode, we’d love for you to share it with others and give it a five-star rating. 

To learn more about the Mastercard Foundation EleV Program, and the voices and visions of Indigenous young people visit our website EleV: Taking Flight Together and sign up for our newsletter. 

You can also follow us on our socials:

Instagram

Facebook

Twitter

Linked In

A transcription of Episode 2 is available here.

What role does identity and culture play in the lives of Indigenous youth? How is one’s sense of identity impacted when representing the voices of Indigenous youth to a larger institution? What is required for youth to fully engage?

Our host Sam Bird explores these questions through conversations with:

• Brian Pottle (Former President of the National Inuit Youth Council)
• Christine Tootoo (National Inuit Youth Council Representative for Kivalliq)
• Tutchone Dunfield (former member of the Provisional Youth Council for the Metis Nation of Alberta.

Young People Know is a co-production between Indigenous 150+ and the Mastercard Foundation EleV program. 

Our theme music is from Minou-Pimatiswen by Nigel Irwin and the Chippewa Travellers. Supplemental music provided by Nagamo Publishing and Andrea Menard. Other featured artists include GR Gritt, Chris Derksen & Silla, Justin Delorme, Bryden Gwiss Kiwenzie, Mimi O'Bonsawin.

If you enjoyed this episode, we’d love for you to share it with others and give it a five-star rating. 

To learn more about the Mastercard Foundation EleV Program, and the voices and visions of Indigenous young people visit our website EleV: Taking Flight Together and sign up for our newsletter. 

You can also follow us on our socials:

Instagram

Facebook

Twitter

Linked In

A transcription of Episode 1 is available here.

Miigwech!

Young People Know, a special five-part podcast seriest hosted by Sam Bird, explores best practices in becoming youth-led through conversations with nine Indigenous changemakers from across the country.

Subscribe now for this important series featuring young Indigenous leaders launching on June 20, 2023!

Young People Know is produced by the Mastercard Foundation EleV Program and Good Influence Films in partnership with Indigenous 150+. 

To learn more about the Mastercard Foundation EleV Program please visit our website and sign-up for our newsletter.

Join our community of changemakers @EleVIndigenous on socials and get behind Indigenous innovation:

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Let us know what you think!