Our teams travels brought us up to Yellowknife several times this summer and fall as we conducted Breaking It Down: A Community Consultation, to examine the issue of youth gangs and the underlying issues that accompany them so often: violence, substance use, trafficking and exploitation of girls and women. With youth and adult allies we explored the roots of these issues, including racism, poverty, access to education and the inter-generational trauma caused by residential schools.
After a 
series of interviews and meetings with stakeholders, including sessions with youth currently in custody in the North Slave Correctional Centre , we held two daylong sessions; one geared to youth and one for adults. The input from youth and adults supported the research and review we had done to date, and we followed it up with a survey created by the youth participants. This online tool had more than 30 additional youth participate. From all we learned and heard we created seven recommendations, each with accompanying action items.
In our last trip we worked with a group of approximately 15 youth to turn the recommendations and action items into a video – and the youth, working alongside local DJ and artist Godson, produced a powerful soundtrack for the video.
We were humbled to be asked to take on this important work and are grateful for the support, energy and time of the amazing youth and adults; whether as part of a meeting, workshop or by attending the final community presentation. Youth and adults alike worked hard, shared lots and helped direct the final outcome of this assessment.
The young people in Yellowknife are more than ready to help tackle serious issues that face youth in their city; and clearly many organizations and adults are prepared to work alongside them. There is a great opportunity to help make the city, not simply safer but friendlier and open to its youngest residents.
You can download the Breaking It Down Final Report or watch below the Breaking It Down Video Report, highlighting the recommendations and action items.