Metis youth identify their own role models

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Metis Youth have their own role model program, now in its second year.

Five role models for the 2002 National Metis Youth Role Model Program will be announced at a conference in Vancouver April 26 to 28.

The program is similar to the National Native Role Model Program for First Nations and Inuit.

"The Metis youth decided to have their own type of role model program . . . it's designed to get youth out there to live healthy, positive lifestyles. The youth that are selected get to attend different conferences, to facilitate workshops . . . it's kind of networking where they encourage other youth out there within the same field whether it's athletics or arts," said Pauline Huppie. Huppie is a director of Youth Initiatives with Urban Multipurpose Aboriginal Youth Centres (UMAYC).

"(Role models) encourage other youth to go out there and to explore their expertise, to get more involved, actually within the Metis Nation as well."

The program has seven categories: Metis cultural heritage, volunteer services, academic achievements, athletic excellence, personal achievements, career advancement, and the Gabriel Dumont Award for Valour, which goes to youth who display courage or who carry out a selfless act that benefits others.

One winner is selected in each category by a seven-member committee made up of Metis citizens from all walks of life, said Huppie.

There were no nominees in the athletic category and in the Gabriel Dumont Award category this year.

The selection committee uses a points system to rate the nominees. The top three or four names are selected for each category.

"The person who scores the highest within that category is not necessarily the winner."

The selection committee reaches a consensus on the most suitable person in each category, said Huppie.

People nominating a youth for an award have to write a two-page description about why they feel this youth would fit into a certain category. The nominated youth, aged between 16 and 29, has to fill out an application form, provide three letters of support from teachers or other authorities, and provide other supporting documentation like a video or a piece of artwork.

An aim of the fledgling program is to be able to give out scholarships to future winners.

The current program is an offshoot of a former provincial role model program that existed in Alberta.

Initially, the Metis Nation of Alberta had a Miss Metis Alberta pageant for females.

"What we wanted to do is get men involved too, so we had a role model program just within Alberta . . . for a couple of years (but) it kind of just died down," Huppie explained.

At a conference, Huppie brought up the story of the defunct Alberta role model program. She suggested finding resources to bring such a program back and to make it national. "The Metis National Youth Advisory Council had allocated dollars to create this program," she said.

It took a few years to find the money, get it developed, but it's here now," said Huppie.

"I hope that we have like a hundred applicants, and that . . . people know that these role models are out there and they are just everyday average people, they're not Michael Jordan, they're not superstars, but they are superstars in somebody else's eyes."

One of the judges for 2002 is Corinne Goulet-Auger, who works for the Gift Lake Metis Settlement.

In 1994, Goulet-Auger was a Metis Youth Role Model of Alberta. "Even though I'm only 29, I had over 10 years of experience in working with children and youth . . . I kind of thought I could help identify who were appropriate role models."

About her judging she said, "We all were able to share our opinions and have a discussion forum on each of the candidates, and the process was fair because it was a committee of seven.

"I really, really do believe in it (the program). . . people will recognize it as they do with the National Native Role Model Program."

Last year's winner in the cultural heritage category, Kim Mueller, said "In a way it was kind of flattering to be one of the first national role models for the Metis . . . I am actually working on the role model committee this year to try and improve it.

"I think there is a really strong need for this kinds of program because the kids at the grassroots don't have anyone to look up to."

"What I did in my community . . . I worked in the school system for four years in Grande Prairie and I saw a huge need for Aboriginal children to be proud of their cultural heritage and who they were and where they're from. So I did it through dance."

Mueller saw kids dropping out of junior high school where she worked.

"That was really worrying me, so that was my target group when I first started."

Mueller organized a dance group Muskosis Dancers (which means Little Bears in Cree). The group grew from four children to 20 between ages two and 16 within two years.

"It was a modern Aboriginal dance group, which I think is something really important to have because the kids of today need a way of expressing themselves as well as be proud of their heritage.

"We took parts from traditional dancing and combined moves from modern dancing, and it was quite an interesting blend. The kids enjoyed it, and we got to travel around, and the crowd enjoyed it. My favorite part was taking these kids out and making them role models and that they were performing for their community," Mueller remembers.

Muller was nominated for the award by Metis Nation of Alberta president Audrey Poitas. "That in itself was one of the biggest honors for me . . . having her recognize the things that I was doing for the youth of Alberta," said Mueller.