Kashechewan First Nation Youth Video Project Named Finalist for 2012 Great Grants Award

News provided by

Ontario Trillium Foundation

Feb 22, 2012, 19:01 ET

Ontario Trillium Foundation recognizes project's outstanding impact 

TORONTO, Feb. 22, 2012 /CNW/ -

NEWS

The Ontario Trillium Foundation today announced that Kashechewan First Nation Youth Video Project is a finalist for the prestigious 2012 Great Grants Awards. The awards recognize Ontario organizations that have demonstrated exceptional results, innovation and a lasting impact on the communities they serve.

Kashechewan First Nation Youth Video Project has been selected as a finalist in the arts and culture category. A total of eight 2012 Great Grants Awards recipients will be recognized in the presence of Hon. Michael Chan, Ontario Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport, at a ceremony in Toronto on March 23.

FINALIST PROFILE

Kashechewan First Nation Youth Video Project
Challenged youth reach out to tell their stories

In this remote community on the James Bay Coast, youth are challenged as many face a high school drop-out rate, drug and alcohol consumption and a high risk of suicide. The prospect of employment is low, so acquiring skills that can be used locally is potentially life changing. Thanks to training with a video expert, the young participants came together for a common purpose, engaging the whole community in the process on issues important to youth. They learned how to produce, shoot, edit and screen videos, and produced five videos - far exceeding expectations. This collaboration with the Kashechewan First Nation, the Nishnawbe-Aski Nation and with SkyWorks left in its wake youth empowered with revenue-generating skills, boosted confidence, pride in themselves and a stronger connection to their community.

Kashechewan First Nation Youth Video Project was awarded a Community grant of $27,000 in 2009.

QUOTES

"We are very proud of the Kashechewan First Nation Youth Video Project and are excited that, with this nomination, its work in the community will now be acknowledged across Ontario. Its efforts go to the heart of the Foundation's own work: to support good ideas and help foster community connections that improve people's quality of life." Keith Nymark, Chair of Northwestern Grant Review Team, OTF.

  • Keith Nymark, Chair of Northwestern Grant Review Team, OTF

"The Ontario Trillium Foundation grant that Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) received for the videography project for youth in Kashechewan First Nation went a long way in making this project a huge success. The purpose of this project was to support the youth of Kashechewan First Nation by helping them gain experience in writing scripts, producing and editing videos. It did that and more. It went a long way in boosting their confidence and empowered the youth to make change in the community."

  • Deputy Grand Chief Les Louttit, Nishnawbe Aski Nation

QUICK FACTS

  • Ontario Trillium Foundation Great Grants Award finalists were selected from among some 4,500 groups that received OTF support between April 2006 and December 2010
  • Eight Great Grants Awards will be presented on March 23 in Toronto:
    • One award for each of OTF's four funded sectors: arts and culture, sports and recreation, environment, and human and social services
    • The Minister's Award
    • The Chair's Award
    • The CEO's Award
    • The People's Choice Award
  • OTF grants funding to approximately 1,500 organizations each year.

MORE

Renée Ouellet
Ontario Trillium Foundation
1.800.263.2887 ext. 265
[email protected]

Corrine Fox or Shirley Salt
Nishnawbe Aski Nation
[email protected]
[email protected]

Organization Profile

Ontario Trillium Foundation