The Lac La Ronge Indian Band (LLRIB) is looking for their youth, Oskayak, Chief and Council, and are calling out for youth to apply for the newly formed council.
“It was the Chief and Council representing all their six communities; they had a desire to have a formal youth council, and they have had several meetings with good discussions, and then they came up with the Oskayak, meaning the youth, sort of formatted on the Chief and Council concept,” said Blake Charles, LLRIB Chief Operations Officer.
The LLRIB has been seeking input from schools, so the directors of education, principals, and teachers can recommend this opportunity to their own local youth.
“This Oskayak Youth Council represents all six communities of Lac La Ronge Indian Band and also the Off Reserve membership in La Ronge, Prince Albert, and Saskatoon,” explained Charles.
The council will be represented by nine individuals, and it’ll be a council of nine youth. There will be two seats from Stanley Mission; two seats from La Ronge; one seat from Grandmothers Bay; one seat from Sucker River; one seat from Hall Lake; one seat from Little Red River; and one seat from an off-reserve community.
“This would be the first formal process where they would have a youth council, and they would involve the youth council in many aspects of how the La Ronge Band decides on all sorts of community initiatives, community concerns, or things that impact La Ronge Band and the wider community as well,” said Charles.
Much of the work the youth are expected to do is out of their own communities; in terms of them coming together, there’ll be at least four formal quarterly meetings.
“Then as it (the youth council) establishes itself, then they’ll set their own (agenda), they’ll expand their terms of reference, and then they’ll be able to decide on how they want to function and how they will be coordinating with the LLRIB Chief and Council,” explained Charles.
This new Youth Council is an avenue for the youth to present their concerns and to be involved in decision-making in a formal process.
There’ll be at least four official meetings to start off with, and they’ll have the opportunity to attend different excursions, like youth conferences or their own initiatives that they feel are important to bring to the youth within the Lac La Ronge Indian Band.
Applications are open, and to be eligible for the LLRIB Oskayak/Youth Chief and Council, you must be between the ages of 14 and 24; a LLRIB band member living on-reserve or off-reserve; be passionate about community service and youth advocacy; be able to commit to quarterly meetings and occasional events.
To learn more visit: llrib.ca