COVID-19 RESPONSE
During the COVID-19 pandemic, our staff have worked hard to ensure that they can continue to offer the quality of service to the community members they serve.
The Dze L K’ant Friendship Centre Board of Directors and staff would like to acknowledge Luke Guilbault our Youth Employement Coordinator and facilitator of the Culture is Alive Program here at the Friendship Centre in Smithers.
Prior to COVID-19 Luke’s program was focussed on bringing youth together in a wide range of ways to connect to each other and to their culture. Luke has enthusiastically embraced his new challenge by finding creative ways to engage his youth online.
On May 1st, May 8th, and May 13th, Luke hosted online Bentwood Box Workshops for with eight Indigenous youth aged 14-26 in attendance.
“At the workshops my participants had the opportunity to assemble and decorate their own bent wood box, to explore and engage in their culture, and connect with other youth online in a time where a lot of youth are quite isolated,” said Luke.
How it worked:
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Kits were picked up at the Friendship Centre: Luke prepared the bentwood box kits for youth and provided contactless pickup prior to the workshop.
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Youth signed in to Zoom: At the scheduled time, participants connected online with each other and Luke and work on their bentwood box.
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The bentwood box project was a three part-workshop.
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Part 1 Assembling the box
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Part 2 Sanding and Tracing the designs
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Part 3 Painting
The Youth enjoyed sharing their beautiful artwork with their extended family and friends on facebook.
“The Bentwood Box Workshop was an excellent event! These Laksiyu members from the Wetsuweten Nation had a great time! They loved it! They both finished there boxes on the weekend!” ~ Parent of one of the participants.
