Hi there, I’m Rhoda Nashalik from Pangnirtung, Nunavut. Currently, I’m soaking up the city life in Ottawa as a participant in the Northern Youth Abroad Next program. This unique experience is not only preparing me for college but also equipping me with valuable skills for my future. From bustling campus life to enriching volunteering experiences, let me take you on a journey through my transformative time here.

Experiencing life on Algonquin campus is like a sneak peek into college life. It’s a dynamic environment that fosters social connections and offers a variety of experiences, making the idea of college less intimidating and more approachable.

Adjusting to this program was a challenge, especially the early mornings. The alarm clock became my nemesis as I struggled to wake up for our morning construction classes. But as the days rolled on, I found myself adapting to the new routine. Now, I’m mostly punctual, ready to start the day with a hard hat and a blueprint.

Life in our residence has its own rhythm. Each day starts with breakfast and snacks offered by our leaders. We come together to prepare lunches for the next day, creating a sense of camaraderie. Evenings are spent sharing dinner and stories. But it’s not all about food and chores. We’ve embarked on cultural activities, like exploring local forests and letting loose in a game of tag on the soccer field. These shared experiences are turning us from participants into a close-knit community.

Besides our regular schedule, we’ve had swimming lessons and volunteered at Mooney’s beach, taking down volleyball nets after a busy day. This week, some of us also volunteered at a local homeless shelter called The Mission. We prepared meals and learned about the amazing work they do, feeding over a million people in a year. It’s been an eye-opening experience, reminding us of the power of community and the importance of giving back. We participated in a park clean-up initiative, and even did gardening at a retirement home, tho I must admit, the bugs were a bit much for me!

Weeks into this program, it’s hard to describe the bond we’ve formed – it’s like we’re family. I know I’ll miss this group; we’ve shared so many laughs and good times! This program has been an incredible experience, the best yet! The way we collaborate and learn together, fostering a real sense of community, is truly special.

Our hard work didn’t go unnoticed. As a reward for our dedication and effort, our leaders treated us to a day at Fun Haven, a local amusement center. It was a day filled with laughter, games, and a well-deserved break from our routine. We also got a chance to immerse ourselves in the local culture by attending a festival. These experiences were not just fun, they were a testament to our hard work paying off.

My name is Taniki Angutinguirk from kugaaruk Nunavut and I am placed in Edmonton Alberta along with my buddy Rosanna.

I volunteer at the Edmonton valley zoo, it is such a wonderful experience. I now know a lot about animals. A zebra actually born July 23 2023 and he is the absolute cutest little thing I’ve seen, he still has no name but they’re going to have a vote to figure out what his name is going to be!

My time in Edmonton has been the best so far. We went to farmer’s markets, drove an electric scooter for the first time, lots of shopping and on Canada Day we went to go see the fireworks and they were so pretty.

We went to Telus world of science and I honestly was living the dream cause of all the stuff I seen there, we even seen the first ever moon rock that was picked up off the moon. In fort Edmonton you can see a lot of old fashion buildings, cars etc.

We also went to taste of Edmonton and got to try different foods which was the bessstt!!. K-days which was the absolute best! we went on so many rides which was fun yet scary! I swear I Almost passed out of most of them lol. We got to see three days grace!

We went to Elk island yesterday saw bisons and went canoeing for the first time! If it wasn’t for my awesome host parents my buddy and I wouldn’t have done any of that, I am going to miss them once we leave for re-orientation in a few days. I am happy that I applied for NYA Canadian or else I wouldn’t have experienced these amazing things and meet some wonderful people.

My Name Logan Orlias, I’m 19 years old, and I’ve been spending my time volunteering at Habitat for Humanity this summer, it’s a store that sells donated items, ranging from furniture to home appliances. It’s also offers delivery’s for when buyers can’t carry their stuff to their houses.

Aside from my volunteer work, I have been doing a lot of different things like shopping or watching movies at the mall, there’s a cinema at the mall. My host parents even took me to see Niagara falls, we stayed at the Inn at lock 7. I even got a see a short movie in 3D, they called it 4D though, probably because they had seats that react to things that happened in the movie, and there was air being blown throughout the relatively small theatre. I did get a little headache while watching it, probably saw too much, eyes couldn’t handle 3 dimensions.

The other day we went to the Edge of Canada, the most southern point, so now I can tell people that I skipped rocks at the End of Canada. This trip to Windsor has provided a good opportunity to try different foods, I’ve had Greek Japanese and Filipino food. They weren’t bad they tasted different than anything I’ve had before, I’d eat the again just maybe once in a while.

Overall, my summer in Windsor has been fun there’s been a lot to do, weirdly the time has gone by fast and slow if that make sense. As much as I had fun here I am looking forward to going home, maybe this year I’ll finally go to Horton lake again. I haven’t been able to go to there for a few years, and they’re going to have a handgames tournament in tulita so looking forward to that.

Logan Orlias

I really enjoy this experience and making memories. Making new friends and experience new things I don’t do every day back home! I highly recommend people to apply!

My name is Mary parr, I’m from Kinngait Nunavut. I’m one of the participants from NYA Next. From all the hard work I put in, all through assignments, fundraising and meeting up with my mentor when we had to finish my assignments or fundraise together before coming up here coming here was so worth it. To having to experience living on college campus is so rewarding because we learn so many things like prepare ourselves to college or live in a city life and work on our assignments and getting them finished on time.

The most important things I’m learning so far is communication, being in a large group, time management, learning how to be more comfortable or confident speaking and writing in a large group. These past few weeks living here has been so much doing volunteering, activities, personal learning projects and touring. So far we were touring Algonquin college, museum and Nunavut Sivuniksavut.

The most exciting part of volunteering was going to the beach helping down the volleyball nets and going to the water to swim after we had time when we finished early. Also, one of the most fun part of personal learning project was taking cooking class also dance classes. I’m still getting used to being on time, also with my assignments and living on college campus, and knowing where to go and where bus stops are. Meeting with a group of participants from nwt and Nunavut was the most gratifying part so far and they are like family already living with them.

On July 21, 3pm, me and 4 other participants took a cooking class and it was my first time learning and cooking cod fish salad, we also made couple dish and burned our dessert to make them sweeter. One of the highlights of the day in cooking class was when a guy who worked there named Josh he’s also from baker lake Nunavut was there and helped us cook. The cooking class was at C’est Bon cooking.

Another personal learning project was dancing class in the evening in the same day at 7pm til 7:45, we had a good time with my 3 other participants including me. I guess the dancing class was quick because we really had a good time learning new dance moves and best part was when Kira was there and we were all good dancers. On July 22 at 2pm finishing at 7pm .We went to go volunteer at the park to pick up garbage and with nature walking around seeing ducks rabbits and dogs around the park was really nice.

For the first time living and experiencing city life in Ottawa has been really busy and rewarding because it’s all about balancing and preparing ourselves for what it’s like going to college! You really have to be prepared yourself before coming down here like mentally physically and would have to save tons of money when you go shopping or touring because sometimes you’d have to have your own money to get yourself a little something to bring back home. It’s not always easy to come down here from all the way back home and live in the city for few weeks but from the support from other participants and leaders are so helpful and lucky to have them on our side. I’m so grateful to make new friends make memories and experience this college life. And really recommend people to apply for Northern Youth Abroad!

I’m Shanelle Angutingunirk from Kugaaruk Nunavut and I’m 18 years old.
I was placed in York Ontario, basically Toronto. I was a NYA participant/alternate for a few years, I was finally able to travel in 2023, first trip was for Northern Youth in Service, I have met the awesome staff and also made such amazing connections with the other participants. The second trip is Northern Youth Abroad, got to see some similar faces and new friends.

Orientation was fantastic, despite the weather, it is very different from Nunavut. Throughout my time in orientation, I got to represent my community, play games, swimming and prepare for my time in Toronto.

It is such an amazing and interesting city, a lot of different places to go and a lot of different cultures. My work placement is at the Royal Ontario Museum, I could have not gone through it alone without my buddy Lydia Judas, my instructor Leslie McCue and the amazing staff. I am the first Inuk on the ROM team.

First of all, I want to thank my host parents Darcie and Alex for having me stay in their home with their two kids, River and Jasper. The moments we had together was incredible. They have been so welcoming and helpful.

Since the ROM is located more south of Toronto, I got to learn how to use the buses, subways and the maps, which is a very big accomplishment for me since I will be going for college in another city.

It takes approximately 40-50 minutes to get to work from my host parents house. I am working for the indigenous learning program and I talk a little bit about Inuit history and culture, more specifically, my hometown. I also have went to most of the exhibitions in the museum, the ROM have given me a gem to take home. The coolest thing I have done is held a piece of the moon, Mars, gold and different types of minerals and gems. There is a lot of things to explore in the Museum.

So far I’ve been to Canada’s wonderland, I went on the boat swing which was amazing, I got to watch a water diving show, chair climbing and a human cannonball.
My high school teacher Christopher Hladich, Lydia and I also have driven through 6 cities and 5 towns to get to Niagara Falls, such a beautiful place. During our trip, we have seen the American borders we also have went through the tunnel to see a closer look of the falls, and I went on the Ferris wheel. After an incredible day in Niagara, I formed a very weird tanned skin and sunburn. 

A first few days in Toronto, my host parents took us to an indigenous festival and the CN tower. The CN tower is an unforgettable experience, the sight from one of the tallest buildings in the world is flawless.

My instructor Leslie have been the most supportive and helpful person during our trip, she booked us a lot of activities at the native centre, i have met such amazing friends, I got to make a First Nations drum, resume making and trips outside of Toronto.

We are off to our new host family, job and community!
Located in New Hamburg Ontario, almost 2 hours out of Toronto, a very beautiful scenery.

Hamburg is a small town, it is very different from Toronto, a lot of trees, small buildings and not a lot of stores, just like kugaaruk.

My workplace is the Wilmot Family Recourse centre, I help the staff with handing out free clothing, food and accessories. Although it is very different from the ROM, I enjoy my time in the building with the staff.

During my time in New Hamburg I got to experience the African lion Safari where I see animals such as elephants, lions, giraffes, rhinos etc. I also went to a barn where they perform live country music and square dance. I am looking forward for horse riding and the plane ride around the community of New Hamburg!

I can’t thank Lydia enough for constantly being there for me, she became my best friend! Barb, Alan and Will have been so welcoming and supportive also the NYA staff and my family back in kugaaruk for the endless support. I cannot wait to tell my story to my family when I get home.

This trip is a huge accomplishment having a home away from home, I have learned so much about who I really want to become and how I will do it.

I am Lydia Judas 18 years old. I’m from Wekweeti Nt. I was at York, Ontario within the city of Toronto. I volunteered at the Royal Ontario Museum. Toronto is so busy and has so much tall buildings, I love it! But glad me and Shanelle gets along so well been together 24/7 when we were in Toronto. She’s like my bestie.

I loved working with the Indigenous education team, it made me feel more of home. Learning about other cultures, languages, and etc. My supervisor Leslie was so nice to have me and my buddy Shanelle working with her and the team. I learned a lot from the museum. Before I left Toronto I did a presentation about my culture and community! Was sad leaving because I love working with the Indigenous education team!

My time in Toronto was amazing. I went to CN tower, Canada wonderland, the stack, Niagara Falls and enjoyed walking/driving around the city. I’ve loved the city girl I was.

I’ve also moved to New Hamburg, Ontario 2 weeks before re-orientation, but I work at the thrift store now in the back receiving stuff. It’s a small town but we go to Kitchener, Ontario 20-30mins away from New Hamburg. So far we went to a farmer festival where they had 2 food trucks and singing. On our last weekend we are going to a farmer market, theatres to watch new Barbie, get out nails done and to go on a horse! It’s exciting.

I’m happy I applied to Northern Youth Aboard had all my family/friends support during this program! Yeah, I’ve did wanted to go home couple times but I’ve made it during this program and I’m happy about it was great experience and opportunity! Thanks to NYA staff for giving us youth the opportunity really appreciated!

 Hi, I’m Ace Autut, one of the NYA Next participants and I’m from Rankin Inlet Nunavut. What the NYA Next program is, it prepares you, yourself for post secondary education and teaches you how to take public transportation and get a sense of what to expect if you decide to go to university or college you’ll also learn to live on campus and register for classes.

  While in the program we have done some fun activities. Activities like working with HOPE volunteering at Mooney’s Bay Beach, going to the museum, shopping at Bayshore Mall, playing arcade games at Fun Haven and so much more in between. I’d highly recommend that you try and apply for NYA yourself.

Along with fun activities comes challenges that you’ll eventually face. Challenges like; feeling home sick, longing for friends and family to be nearby, not knowing the area and feeling overwhelmed. To overcome these feelings, I become friends with everyone in the program who now feel like family to me and try and made new hobbies for myself.

All in all, I highly recommend you take the program yourself even if you don’t plan on going to post-secondary education. You’ll learn more about yourself and find new things you would’ve never thought you’d be interested in just like I learnt so much more about myself since enrolling in the NYA Next program and hope you do to in the near future.  

Hey I’m O’Neil. I joined NYA next because I wanted to do something fun for my summer and I’m happy I got picked  because I got to meet a lot of really cool people and we all still have time to do more fun things. We got to do a lot of fun things. We went to the movies and the mall, also a museum and I loved the museum because it was my first time at one and I saw a lot of really cool stuff and dinosaurs. It was really fun to see it and also fossils.

SO that was nice and I knew they were big but I didn’t know how big they were.

We did laser tag as well and that was fun everyone was happy when that game was done we wanted to go again but we didn’t have the time but this group are really amazing hopefully we go out and do something like this again and I don’t think I will forget this summer.  I keep talking about random stuff but that’s just me.

I picked up new skill form NYA and i’m also still learning here and i can’t wait till I go to college because it seems really fun. The things we are doing here is a workshop where we build stools and we are building dog houses. I went on a train for the first time and I thought it would be scary but it was not and the view of the city is amazing. I’m still getting use to being away from my hometown but its fun doing this can’t wait to see what’s going happen these last 2 weeks.

Before applying to NYA Next I did the Northern Youth in Service program (NYiS) and while I was there the Staff talked about the NYA Next program. While others were intrigued and wanted to apply to the program, I was telling myself that I definitely wouldn’t be applying or even better yet coming all the way back to Ottawa for the summer, but here I am now in Ottawa enjoying and learning new things.

During that time I was convinced I would be going off to university to become a neuropsychologist this September but during that course, I learnt to stick to my strength and to revaluate my life to see where I’ll be in a few years. This is when I saw how my passions and dreams weren’t in line. So, in applying to the Next program, I hoped that they would help me to do that. I can successfully say they did with the winter assignments. They made me think about what I wanted to do with the rest of my life and where I see myself.

This is when I realized that my passion to fix and build things as well as leading people is rooted in the trades and Canadian Armed Forces in life structures. Now that I am here with the program, I am enjoying the activities and classes, especially the construction class. There’s something so satisfying about watching a project come together. The process of construction is always exciting to me. I love seeing the progress each day, and how everything works together to make a project a success. It’s amazing to witness the transformation from a dusty piece of wood in need of some TLC to a beautiful, functional stool. Being a part of the construction process is truly something special.