Northern Youth Abroad: Exploring the Effects of a Cross-cultural Exchange Program from the Perspectives of Nunavut Inuit Youths

Nunavut Inuit youths exhibit cultural resilience and leadership. However, researchers frequently neglect such assets and instead emphasize these youths’ challenges or perceived inadequacies. I conducted an intrinsic case study regarding Nunavut Inuit youths’ experiences with an experiential learning...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Aylward, Erin
Other Authors: Abu-Zahra, Nadia, Giles, Audry
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: Université d'Ottawa / University of Ottawa 2012
Subjects:
volunteer tourism
Nunavut
global citizenship
Inuit youths
cross-cultural awareness
career goals
third space
inuit
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/10393/23257
https://doi.org/10.20381/ruor-5996
Description
Summary:Nunavut Inuit youths exhibit cultural resilience and leadership. However, researchers frequently neglect such assets and instead emphasize these youths’ challenges or perceived inadequacies. I conducted an intrinsic case study regarding Nunavut Inuit youths’ experiences with an experiential learning program, Northern Youth Abroad (NYA), in order to investigate participants’ growth in cross-cultural awareness, individual career goals, leadership, and global citizenship. Drawing on post-colonial theory, semi-structured interviews, archival research, and participant observation, I argue that NYA’s Nunavut Inuit participants reported significant personal growth in these four objectives. I also provide an in-depth analysis of how NYA’s Nunavut Inuit participants described and developed distinct and rich leadership styles that draw on Inuit and Euro-Canadian influences.

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