Building resilience is about more than just immediate solutions; it’s about capacity building for the future. Climate change is increasingly posing a unique challenge, as it affects everything from growing seasons to infrastructure and transportation routes.
This summer, the Youth, Arts, and Media Team is continuing its explorations into the challenges of food security and climate change—important issues for Manitoba.
Food security has always been a significant issue in remote and northern areas. Factors like distance, limited access to fresh and affordable food, and the impacts of climate change are now making it even harder. That’s one of the reasons our program works to address these challenges through sustainable food systems and food sector entrepreneurship. This summer, the youth are particularly focused on exploring digital literacy and tools for organizational capacity building. They’ve been growing beans, connecting with other local and regional organizations, and learning how technology can enhance their efforts.
As with all their projects, the arts continues to play a significant role in this journey. Applying arts-based and participatory approaches to learning and skills development, the entire team is able to creatively explore solutions and communicate their activities and outcomes more effectively. These methods also help integrate community voices with traditional knowledge, ensuring co-developed solutions remain both innovative and culturally relevant.
Connecting with local organizations is another key strategy. Strengthening partnerships will provide valuable resources and expertise, enriching the program’s efforts and ensuring its sustainability. In working together, and from the ground up, youth and community members can pool knowledge and resources to create more effective and innovative solutions.
Entrepreneurship is a vital component at the heart of this program. Encouraging food sector entrepreneurship, youth are creating economic opportunities for themselves and their communities. They are learning how to turn their agricultural efforts, like growing beans, into viable business ventures. This entrepreneurial spirit is absolutely key to realizing self-sufficiency, self-determination and resilience.
This summer, the Youth, Arts, and Media Team is hard at work, exploring the intersection of food security and climate change. And one thing’s for sure: It’s these young leaders who are showing that with creativity, knowledge, and collaboration. Working together, we can bridge the gaps between food security and climate change adaptation, supporting sustainable futures for northern communities.
About this year’s summer programming
Youth, Arts and Media Team summer activities are supported by Global Dignity Canada, and with funding from Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada. Manitoba Agriculture, the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, and the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, the OpenAI Researcher Access Program, Agri-Food and Agriculture Canada and the Government of Canada’s Youth Employment Skills Program. We thank them for supporting our youth and programs.
