In 2019, the IGA awarded a three year grant to the Labrador Institute in support of their International Indigenous Internship! This purpose of this program is to increase awareness of Indigenous and Northern issues and cultures.
This internship program aims to build the next generation of Indigenous leaders. The program prepares them to take on leadership roles in many different areas including politics, government, health, academics, and law. The interns also raise awareness of the Indigenous issues in Labrador and gain an immense amount of knowledge of the circumpolar region. This program is helping to shape the future of leadership in Labrador.
After their internship, the successful interns produce a report about what they’ve learned and the value this experience has brought to them. Labrador Institute also produces a report of its own on how effective the program is. The report allows the interns and partners from Norway and Finland to provide feedback on the program thus allowing the program to improve each year.
Photo taken by an intern watching “Reindeer Races in Downtown Tromsø during the National Saami Day celebrations!”
Ms. Stephanie Campbell, from Charlottetown, Labrador, was an intern in this program and she travelled to Norway where she was exposed to International Indigenous issues. Ms. Campbell attended numerous events such as the Arctic Frontier 2020 conference titled “The Power of Knowledge,” helping with the Arctic Council Booth, and two days of seminars.
A photo from the Arctic Frontiers Conference.
Some of the aims of the program have bee to increase capacity in Indigenous youth, to increase interest in higher education in Labrador students, and to increase awareness of Indigenous and northern issues and cultures.
Ms. Campbell also got to experience a lot of Norwegian past times such as skiing and also cooked Minke whale.
The IGA is extremely pleased with this project and is very proud to be a part of it!
