New crash course focused on getting Sask. youth excited about journalism

Fifteen youth from a variety of backgrounds are taking on the monumental task of creating and performing a live radio broadcast with on seven days to prepare.

The week long project is currently happening at the First Nations University of Canada (FNUniv) through their Indigenous Communication Arts program (INCA).

It’s a crash course to get youth involved in the world of journalism.

For long time FNUniv instructor, Shannon Avison, it’s always a great experience seeing youth pull together and face adversity as a collective group.

“It shows you, if you pay attention to young people and give them an opportunity, and you give them a safe place at the end of it all, you have these people that are going to be something,” Avison said.

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The crash course was the idea of two former INCA students who were brainstorming a fun new way for youth to experience the program in a shorter, impactful way.

“It’s kind of unbelievable to see it and hear the youth come back laughing and saying they’re enjoying their time. They’re getting so much out of it, they’re learning things they can take back to their community,” Jaida Beaudin-Herney a former INCA student.

William Yuzicapi, the operations manager of the CFNU radio station said the students were at first worrisome of their timeframe but it quickly became confident once they got to work.

“The look in their eyes was like a deer in the headlights. I think they are all now looking forward to Saturday when we start doing live,” said Yuzicapi.

The 45th annual FNUniv Pow-Wow will be taking place over the weekend at the Brandt Centre.

The broadcast will be streamed live Saturday afternoon on the CFNU Radio website between 12:00 and 6:00.

It will also be broadcasted on MBC Radio across Saskatchewan.