Many of you already know about Nurrait – but did you know that this program recently celebrated 10 years of providing activities for Nunavimmiut youth?

Kativik Ilisarniliriniq is proud to collaborate with many colleagues and partner organizations that share our common goal: we believe that student success begins with a strong identity, heritage, and connection to the people and the land of Nunavik.

One of the unique qualities that distinguish our friends at Nurrait | Jeunes Karibus(NJK) is their land-based learning approach. Through the programs Nurrait, Tuttuit and Ikaartuit, which serve youth aged 10 up to 25 years old, NJK promotes personal and social development among Nunavimmiut through outdoor intervention programs.

Having recently celebrated 10 years of activities, Kativik Ilisarniliriniq sat down with Assistant General Manager Jérémie Bélair to learn out more about this fantastic initiative.

That’s at the heart of all NJK activities: the participants. There is a strong connection between Kativik Ilisarniliriniq and Nurrait | Jeunes Karibus, which currently offers activities in all 14 communities. The Nurrait and Tuttuit programs begin at the start of the school year, and are led by school teachers, who volunteer as Team Leaders. To prepare, they must complete a three-day training in Kuujjuaq, where Nurrait | Jeunes Karibus staff covers the basics of intervention through nature and adventure, winter camping and cross-country skiing techniques. This training sets the foundation for teachers to conduct the activities throughout the school year: one activity per week, two camping trips, and one 5-day regional expedition.

Over the past 10 years, Nurrait | Jeunes Karibus has remained flexible and attuned to participants’ needs. “This program has always been open  to anyone that wanted to participate. We’ve found that, by not placing restrictions on our participants, we’ve been able to achieve complementary objectives” shared Jérémie. “Participants often become more motivated to attend school. Through the on-the-land activities, they build stronger bonds with their Team Leaders (teachers), which in turn makes them more receptive to learning in class. It’s a win-win situation” he concluded.

In the 2024-2025 session, Nurrait | Jeunes Karibus has 17 cohorts across Nunavik, comprised of 11 secondary student groups and 6 beginner groups, which includes students as young as 10 years old.. Other initiatives include a new project within the Ikaartuit program, which will involve participants and a member of their extended family in the activities–an initiative aimed at promoting the consolidation of family ties!

This is the first segment of a three-part series of articles highlighting the amazing work done by our friends at Nurrait | Jeunes Karibus. To learn  more about the program, please visit their website or Facebook page.

And make sure to stay tuned for part 2!