An after-school program at Mildred Hall school funded by the Arctic Rose Foundation is helping a group of studentsSA国际影视传媒� artistic creativity flourish and develop through mentorships and access to various Indigenous artists and role models.

And whether they dance, sing or paint, the process of consistent learning in a safe environment is providing the students with the foundation of learning expression through various forms of art, said Inuk singer Susan Aglukark, who has been instrumental in bringing what is known as the Messy Book project to Northern youth.

SA国际影视传媒淭heySA国际影视传媒檙e learning ways to engage healthy emotion. These are basic tools that we all have that we just need guidance around. And thatSA国际影视传媒檚 really the end goal - which is the healthier we are, the healthier we will be in pursuing our dreams and our goals,SA国际影视传媒� Aglukark, the founder and program developer of the Arctic Rose Foundation, said.

Andrea Harding, regional Indigenous languages and education coordinator for the Yellowknife Education District No. 1, said having the program at Mildred Hall - the first time it has been implemented in the Northwest Territories - is a SA国际影视传媒渇antastic opportunitySA国际影视传媒� for the students.

SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e allowing the students that freedom of expression, to build that competence and that carries over into other parts of their lives. That carries over, inside and outside of school,SA国际影视传媒� Harding said.

While the program is arts-based, Harding said it is not solely limited to art.

SA国际影视传媒淪o theySA国际影视传媒檙e creating art, music, and anything else that they have. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 a space for youth to express themselves through art, but any child can be an artist, and I think it just provides a safe space for them to express themselves through different mediums.SA国际影视传媒�

Guiding approach

Aglukark said the program itself is guided in that it provides consistency in its approach.

SA国际影视传媒淪o it isnSA国际影视传媒檛 a SA国际影视传媒榗reate as you wishSA国际影视传媒� situation. It is a process. We are process versus product.SA国际影视传媒�

Aglukark said the process involves hiring and training high school students to help run the program as well as including a roster of Indigenous guest artists for one week per month to mentor the participants.

The high school students are trained to become Community Artist Liaison and Mentor (CALM) workers and CALM Worker Mentees, who provide on-call support.

The guest artists also must undergo specific training and have certain criteria before applying to the program, she added.

While the program is not clinical therapy, Aglukark said it incorporates how to use expression and emotion as a basic mental health tool and it connects the youth with their culture, thereby promoting their mental wellbeing.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 never therapy, but if they know they are safe there emotionally, they will participate safely. It is helping us access and learn to sit with emotion and to guide it through expression through art.SA国际影视传媒�

Sharing creativity

At the Mildred Hall program, where close to 15 students participate, sisters Leela Gilday and Carla Taylor have recently been the guest artists.

Gilday is a singer/songwriter while Taylor is a visual artist/illustrator.

Gilday said she was pleased to be part of the project.

SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檝e always admired SusanSA国际影视传媒檚 dedication to bringing healing to youth through art

and so when she asked me if ISA国际影视传媒檇 like to become one of the artists in their artists roster, for the Arctic Rose Foundation, I said yes, ISA国际影视传媒檇 be delighted to take the training and see where it goes,SA国际影视传媒� Gilday said of the program which had its beginnings in several Nunavut schools.

An important part of the program is having the awareness surrounding mental health and trauma-informed mental health, she noted.

SA国际影视传媒淢any of the kids who come into the room are, like us, Indigenous people who have a legacy of colonial trauma.

SA国际影视传媒淭he whole idea behind it is just to give kids a chance to express themselves and have a safe space to do that. The healing powers of art and personal expression through art are really well documented. So itSA国际影视传媒檚 a really great program.SA国际影视传媒�

During her participation, Gilday said she is writing a song with the students and sharing with them her experience about how powerful art has been in her life, while her sister Carla is doing a project of creating a self-portrait and a vision board.

SA国际影视传媒淪o itSA国际影视传媒檚 really about embracing the strength and value of their own voices and taking my skills and showing them how beautiful and powerful that can be.SA国际影视传媒�

Possible expansion

Aglukark said an overall goal of the Foundation is to expand the program to schools throughout the North.

SA国际影视传媒淚 feel very strongly that itSA国际影视传媒檚 been my experience in my career that art and music have played a large role in my own healing journey. And so I feel very strongly that we should have arts and drama and music and all forms of expression in every school.

SA国际影视传媒淎nd so thatSA国际影视传媒檚 my goal. The funding we received has us targeting more locations in the Northwest Territories. The more money we raise, the more places we can expand to.SA国际影视传媒�

More information on the Arctic Rose Foundation can be found on their website: www.arcticrose.org.