Hi, I'm Nina Slagter, I was born and raised on the land of the Yellowknives Dene First Nations. I'm a high school student and I'm here to tell you about my amazing experience attending a Northern Youth Leadership (NYL) camp!
Near the end of school in 2024, NYL started advertising their programs, and it turns out there was an opportunity to apply for a youth staff position on their Gana River Leadership Camp. While I didn’t get the position, NYL did open up an opportunity for me to join a trip down the Nahanni River as a camper. The Nahanni River? Um, yeah—of course I said yes!
A Little About Me
Growing up it was my parents' priority to bring me outside and to show me the beauty and the challenges of being on the land. One of my earliest memories at 3 years old was paddling the North Arm of Tu Nedhé. I spent my days playing with feathers and sticks, camping amongst the rock islands while my parents were cooking over fire after battling big waves on the water.
As I got older, my experience grew, through participating in paddle and sailing camps. These experiences created memories I will never forget, and although sometimes I dreaded portaging an unnecessary amount, I had discovered my new passion for being on the land.
I first heard about NYL when I was 7, through my mom, who was a volunteer on the steering committee. After one of the leadership camps she supported, my mom came home with amazing stories about the organization and its positive impacts.
A Summer of Connection
In the summer of 2023, I attended the Daring Lake Tundra Science Camp, where I spent a week getting to know kids from Yellowknife and Behchoko. We all started camp as strangers and by the end of the week, we were all squished (even though we definitely did not fit) into one table, laughing, sharing food and playing cards.
When the week came to an end, we had a sharing circle where we fed the fire and reflected on our experiences at camp - things got emotional as we were all so connected. Not until that moment did I realize how much that week had impacted everyone. Elders, kids, scientists, and even the summer students were crying as we all said it was an unforgettable experience.
After that summer, I realized the immense impact outdoor/land based camps had on youth. They bring together kids from all over the North, such as myself.
Finding My Way Back to NYL
At the start of 2024 I was looking for work and I wanted something in the outdoor field, something I knew I would enjoy, so I decided to get in touch with an old leader of mine. I first met David Brinston during one of my former paddle camps.
David stood out as an extremely funny and inspiring leader and he quickly became someone I looked up to. We kept in contact through my mom’s role in the organization, which was how I first got wind of upcoming NYL opportunities. I decided to get in contact with David about potential outdoor opportunities.
David encouraged me to keep an eye on upcoming NYL opportunities, which is how I learned about the Gana River Leadership Camp position. Although I wasn’t selected as youth staff, NYL didn’t leave me behind—they invited me on their Nahanni River trip instead.
Leading Up to the Nahanni
Leading up to the start of camp my thoughts were racing with nerves; rafting white water and the pressure of being in a leadership role stressed me out. The Nahanni was an amazing opportunity to show my leadership skills and i didn't want to let others or myself down.
The first day, when we arrived at the falls, we did some portaging down the falls, carrying rafts on wheel-barrows, then pulling them back up the mountain. We got to set up the rafts and prepare them for the morning! That night we had the most delicious tea I've ever had and some Bannock with jam, while we learned about the beautiful culture surrounding the Nahanni and played some fun traditional games, which got me so stoked for the upcoming weeks. When we left the falls the next morning the rapids were so fun; I was sitting secure in the middle, away from the splash zone.
By the 3rd day on the river everyone was getting settled and dynamics were forming. I began to form some unforgettable friendships and memories, during late night tent talks, raft days, survivor challenges, and sharing music. I began to realize that leadership skills were something that could always be improved and gained.
A Lesson in Leadership
As the trip went on I started to get the hang of things; the systems for setup, packing my "fat" drybag, and building connections with friends. Toward the end of the trip, we arrived at one of my favorite camp spots “5 star”, surrounded by a landscape that blended tall forests, beaches, rocky mountains, and forestry canyons.
Once we got to camp the leaders informed us we would be doing everything on our own the next morning - YOUTH TAKEOVER! We would be waking up everyone, making breakfast, packing rafts, planning out the stops for that day on the map. That evening we stayed up late planning out the morning - who will be on breakfast, water, fire, packing, tents, and organizing the boat groups for the following day. Me and my tent planned to wake at six, to then wake everyone up! The leaders thought we would be on the water by 10:30-11 AM. Once we got breakfast started, it was straight going from there we got everything packed up and we made it on the water for 9 AM, blowing the leaders expectations! I am the most proud of that day, how everyone worked together to speed up systems and get packed up; It was very impressive.
Lessons from Inspiring Leaders
Besides getting to know all the amazing youth, I also got to know the amazing Goliah and Steph! The one thing that really stood out about the leaders was their ability to be vulnerable. Before the trip, I thought that being in a leadership role meant keeping struggles to yourself. But seeing Steph and Goliah share their experiences taught me that openness is a strength. I began to know the true atmosphere of NYL as an organization; open and welcoming.
The sights of the river were magical; each day it seemed to become even more gorgeous than before. There was a day where I was with Goliah and Steph in the raft and I was asking Goliah all these questions. How many trips have you done? What was the hardest one? Which was the coolest one? How did you start guiding? Watching Goliah navigate the river that day was such a gift, especially with Steph's godly playlist in the back. The day I got off the river, my sights were set– I knew I wanted to pursue outdoor guiding work.
From Camper to Leader
Throughout the trip, I made it a priority to ask questions, help out wherever I could, work hard, and be kind. I wanted to learn and grow as a leader. By the end of the trip, my efforts hadn’t gone unnoticed: I was offered a youth staff position for NYL’s next program!!
I’m beyond excited to work alongside Goliah and Steph, not just as mentors but as coworkers and friends. This experience has set me on a path to continue growing as a leader, and I couldn’t be more grateful.
The Nahanni is a trip that will stay with you for the rest of your life and if I hadn't gone on that trip I would not have met so many incredible people and I wouldn't have embarked with Northern Youth Leadership!
I am sharing my experience not only to inspire others to get out there and take chances but to show that, just like me, you can go from a camper to a leader, if you get out there and show what you're made of. Opportunities are everywhere, and it's up to you to grab a hold of them.
– Nina