In 2014, as a fresh graduate from Sydney Academy, I wanted nothing more than to leave Cape Breton. I was yearning for freedom and independence. I think that’s pretty typical for most 18 year-olds. A lot of people thought I wanted to leave to be in a bigger city, but that wasn’t the case. It’s funny because most of my friends headed to Halifax, some stayed here, and I moved to Sackville, New Brunswick, and spent four years at Mount Allison University. I always had a pretty strong sense of community- one that only got stronger after living in a VERY small town of 5,000 people. It’s such a cliché, but Mount A and the Town of Sackville really helped me find myself and grow into the person I really wanted to be. By 2018, when all my friends were deciding what was next for them, I was really struggling. There was one thing that was clear, I loved community. And there was no better community to learn from than my own. After four years away, I moved back to Cape Breton and began a very exciting new journey pursuing my MBA in Community Economic Development. Once you live away from home for a little bit, you truly appreciate everything about it. The reasons I wanted to leave so badly in high school very quickly became the things that made me fall in love with Cape Breton all over again. I moved back as a completely different person. One that wanted to make other people see the things that make my home such a special place. It helped that I surrounded myself with incredible people. I forced myself to get out and get connected. I’d be silly not to thank my Cape Breton Regional Hospital Foundation and Cape Breton Regional Chamber of Commerce families for helping me do this. Now, 2 years later, at 24, I’ve started my career dreams and advocating to make my community a better place every single day. I know we have a lot of work to do and I know there are so many of us in Cape Breton with the same goal. I’m a firm believer that in order to get things done, we need to work together and share our ideas. For me, becoming a board member of NextGen Unama’ki means I can do exactly that. I’ve been looking for opportunities to join a board that supported a cause I’m really passionate about and that’s why I am so excited to join the NextGen team as one of the newest board members! The work NextGen has done over the years has proven that they’re truly a catalyst for engagement and use their voice for empowering young leaders to be the change. Great things are happening in Cape Breton/ Unama’ki and I cannot wait to see how we can work together to reach our full potential. I hope that I can play a role in encouraging and inspiring more young Capers to get involved in their community, the same way that so many did for me!
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My name is Nina Kent, I am an Anishinaabe woman from a small First Nation community in Northern Ontario known as Washagamis Bay. I came to this beautiful Island to attend Cape Breton University and received my Master’s in Business Administration, specializing in Community Economic Development in the fall of 2017. During my stay in Unama’ki, I met my life partner in Eskasoni First Nation who is Mi’kmaq, we purchased our first home in Sydney, NS, and had our first child in 2018. Safe to say, I am a lifer in Cape Breton. Often when I share my story with local people in Cape Breton, they joke, ‘you did things backwards’ citing it’s the common experience that people move away from Cape Breton to get an education and set a foundation for their life. I believe it was suggested I apply for this role because of my position at In.Business: A Mentorship Program for Indigenous Youth, a program facilitated by Cape Breton University’s, Unama’ki College. I have been in this role for over 4 years; working with youth has always been a passion of mine and I strongly believe that investing in youth is the best possible way to make change for the future of communities. The In.Business program vision is to inspire Indigenous youth to a become business leaders in their communities, by completing a business education and understanding the synergies that exist between business and other disciplines. Historically, enrolment levels of Indigenous youth have been well below non-Indigenous levels and even more so in the area of business. We operate at the high school level, engaging, educating and mentoring Indigenous youth to make the transition to post-secondary studying business. I personally believe it’s important to show youth that there are sustainable, socially responsible ways to run a successful business and invest in a life in Unama’ki. Indigenous youth are the fastest growing demographic in Canada, setting them up with the confidence to become leaders in their community is so important and critical for the future of communities. Investing in Indigenous youth and providing the opportunity to pursue their educational dreams will change lives and the overall impact it will have is the economic growth and future sustainability of Indigenous communities in Unama’ki. I was first introduced by NextGen in 2017, and excitedly await the presentation of the Vital awards each year. I have seen young people receive these awards and thought, ‘what an amazing way to recognize the successes of youth’. It is so important to provide youth with diverse role models, who are finding success here in Unama’ki, and to recognize that there are young people working to make Cape Breton an amazing place to live AND that it doesn’t necessarily require moving away to another larger city center as often the narrative plays out. I look forward to my role on this board, and working with the team to promote the vision and mission of NextGen. This series is designed to introduce you to our current, future, and even some past board members. We have new members joining the board, and wanted you to have an opportunity to get to know them, as well as the folks who are currently serving. Meet Stephanie Dupuis, one of our new board members and find out why she was inspired to join NextGen. *** After working in the contemporary Canadian art scene for several years, I relocated from Montreal to Cape Breton/Unama’ki to pursue an opportunity as the Craft Business Development Coordinator at the Cape Breton Centre for Craft & Design in September 2019. Cape Breton held a special place in my heart since travelling to the island for a family trip in 2014. I was so excited to witness the growth of the island and the international community first hand, and grateful for the chance to connect with local relatives. What I have been most impressed by since my arrival is the sense of community, keen interest in entrepreneurship, and the thirst for new ideas to revitalize this beautiful island. It gave me a similar feeling to the first time I tried my hand at ceramics and was welcomed with open arms by the craft community! I became keenly interested in rural and remote arts development while working with Inuit, First Nations and Canadian craft artists in the non-profit sector. My personal mission was to act as a connector between rural/remote artists and opportunities in the national art market - something that I now do for a living on behalf of Cape Breton craft artists. I became involved with the Lumiere Arts Festival Association board of directors following a rewarding stint of cultural volunteering in Northeastern Ontario, where I am originally from. Having previously collaborated with the Cape Breton Partnership in various capacities, I was eager to see an opportunity to get involved with the NextGen team to give back (and get connected) to the community and to participate in proactive initiatives targeted at making Unama’ki a desirable place for people my own age. As a french native language speaker, I hope to connect with like-minded Cape Bretoners dedicated to meaningful representation and inclusion of the diverse cultural interests across the island. I am grateful for the opportunity to collectively inspire the next generation to move beyond their comfort zone and be a part of a team that encourages and stimulates innovative ideas. Drawing on my experience in community development, arts management, youth work and business development, I hope to contribute to the NextGen leadership by facilitating connections and opportunities that traverse sectoral boundaries and increase our competitiveness on the global stage. My hope is to encourage and engage with the emergence of creative community based projects that reflect the local diversity of the island as we collectively progress towards a more inclusive, socially conscious and sustainable future. This series is designed to introduce you to our current, future, and even some past board members. We have new members joining the board, and wanted you to have an opportunity to get to know them, as well as the folks who are currently serving. Meet Justine Williamson, one of our new board member and find out why she was inspired to join NextGen. *** I chose to join the NextGen Unama’Ki board because I think raising up our youth and celebrating amazing people within our community is crucial to our future sustainability. I chose to challenge the thinking that in order to find work, moving to another province was inevitable. In 2014, my comedic partner and I started the Cape Breton duo, Tracy and Martina. In 2017, we started producing content for CBC Comedy, went on to write for This Hour Has 22 Minutes, and are currently working with Swearnet to produce a Tracy and Martina Christmas Special, all while living in Cape Breton. I know this is not possible for everybody, however, we seem to be cultivating a vibrant community of artists, creators, and entrepreneurs. As a Vital Award winner, I know that empowering and recognizing people through such programs can make a huge difference. Cape Breton has given me so much, which is why I want to reinvest my time and energy into generating positive change. We’re living in a time where the mindset of many is shifting. People are realizing that complacency is no longer acceptable, and if you want change you’ve got to take action. I’m so grateful to have the opportunity to be a part of an organization that raises people up and inspires others. This series is designed to introduce you to our current, future, and even some past board members. We have new members joining the board soon, and wanted you to have an opportunity to get to know them, as well as the folks who are currently serving. Meet Liam Gillis, and find out why he was inspired to join NextGen. *** In 2015, I returned home from Halifax, after eight years away, to work as a lawyer with a local law firm. While I was excited to return to Cape Breton, I was also anxious to leave a young and vibrant Halifax. Those anxieties were misplaced. I quickly discovered that Cape Breton had a dynamic and passionate community of unheralded young professionals. I joined the board of NextGen that same year. I wanted to contribute to this determined network of community builders. My first year on the board was primarily concerned with the creation of the Young Talent Strategy for Cape Breton Island. The Strategy’s main aim is to clearly articulate a critical path for young talent to take their place as a key competitive advantage and major contributing factor to economic growth and future sustainability for Cape Breton. That Strategy was unveiled at the NextGen Forum in 2016. The response at that forum was tremendously encouraging. People of all ages attended, but it was particularly important that a significant number of young professionals attended to contribute to the discussion. It was clear that Cape Breton has a passionate base of young individuals who are devoted to making positive change on this Island. Since that time, NextGen has primarily focused on growing the annual Vital Awards. These awards, and that night, are focused on celebrating inspiring young individuals and highlighting their success stories. There are so many success stories! Cape Breton is filled with talented and committed young people contributing to a wide array of fields—culture, tourism, business, medicine, arts, and music—just to name a few. Cape Breton is a wonderful place to live. Part of NextGen’s mission is to change the narrative about Cape Breton. This is an Island filled with opportunities for people to lead a happy, successful, and engaging life. The stories we tell about ourselves are important. We want to make the world aware that this is a place where people can thrive. We not only want former residents to be aware that they can return home and find opportunity, but for individuals born in other provinces and countries to consider contributing their labour here. NextGen doesn’t want to help only stop outmigration, but wants to help build an image of Cape Breton that inspire migrants to consider moving here. NextGen has provided me with a tremendous opportunity to contribute in some small way to celebrating the success stories we see and hear on a daily basis. In doing so, it is my hope that other individuals will come to love this Island as much as I. Five years ago, I returned home uncertain as to what I would find. Now I am happily married with a young child and have recently become a Partner at a local law firm. Cape Breton has provided me with a quality of life I would be unable to find anywhere else. Hopefully, NextGen can help influence others to make the decision to build their lives here. This series is designed to introduce you to our current, future, and even some past board members. We have new members joining the board soon, and wanted you to have an opportunity to get to know them, as well as the folks who are currently serving. Meet Damian MacInnis, and find out why he was inspired to join NextGen. *** I joined the NextGen Unama’ki board in 2017 just after I left my position with the Cape Breton Regional Enterprise Network (CBREN) to pursue a business opportunity. During my time with the CBREN and as my time as Executive Director with the Strait Area Chamber, I saw a resurgence of young people that either wanted to stay in Cape Breton to work, move back to be with family or simply move here from outside of the Island because of the great things happening in our region. It was this reason that I decided to join the board to help get the message across the entire Island about Next Gen, represent the regions outside of CBRM, and to spread the message that Cape Breton is a special place to live, work and play. Every year, Next Gen highlights individuals and businesses across the Island that are doing exceptional things to allow young professionals make living here. NextGen is a catalyst in being the voice for professionals under 40 and showcasing these people/businesses at our annual Vital Awards. If you have not been able to attend this event, I highly suggest it. I leave that event invigorated and extremely happy because I know that “our Island” will continue to thrive with so many young professionals at the helm of development and opportunities. You hear from entrepreneurs, community leaders, special employees within companies, and businesses that are dedicated to build an youthful workforce because they understand that is what we need in order to sustain our population and the economy. I can honestly say that the best decision I have ever made was to move back to Cape Breton following a couple stints in Nunavut where I worked as a Recreation Director, Economic Development Officer and VP Business Development. I loved my time in Canada’s Arctic, made numerous friends that I consider family, and cherished my time learning the culture, language and everything that it had to offer. However, when the time came to move home, I knew it was the right move. As mentioned, I served as the Executive Director of the Chamber of Commerce, where I was able to meet all the movers and shakers in the region, became a major advocate in the buy-local movement, and really could see the opportunities that we have as a region. We are a blank slate on the global scale and youth in our region are at the cusp of a tech world that my generation did not grow up in. You can see the strides startups are making in the Sydney area and throughout the region. I am excited to see my children build on these opportunities and take advantage of them to build our region. Since my time at the Chamber, I also served as an Economic Development Officer with the CBREN, which was a valuable time spent understanding the inner workings of a government funded organization. However, the entrepreneur inside of me was more fixed to building my own business. I was the Founder of Celtic Air Services and asked a former colleague of mine to come on board to build up the Port Hawkesbury Airport. A worthwhile experience, but have since sold my shares in that company and am now building up my business consultancy firm Colindale Business Solutions, based out of Port Hood. Every day I work with businesses across Atlantic Canada, helping them with day to day operational issues and finding solutions for them to ensure their success. This is one of the most rewarding things I have ever done. Just recently, I have brought on other freelancers to offer more services within my firm with a focus on digital marketing, public relations, business development, property management, project management, and real estate development. Building a business in Cape Breton is not for the faint of heart. There are many challenges that we face including the lack of high speed Internet and cell phone service. I know my business would do much better in another area but the main reason I love living and being from Cape Breton is the feeling of home. My family is from here, people genuinely care about their neighbors, and the natural beauty across every corner of the Island is world renowned. That is what sticks with you when you leave here. Every time I would cross the Causeway heading back to Nunavut, I remember tearing up and I couldn’t understand why. Now I do, it was because I never knew if I would ever find my way back here. That feeling of home is entrenched in so many people that are not living here, and I am fortunate enough to be able to live here and bring my family up surrounded with family and the beauty that exists. To our group of volunteers that are currently on the NextGen Unama’ki board, thank you for your patience with me and understanding why I wanted to push for an Island-wide approach to this board. I know you all truly care about the entire Island and want to see it prosper along with everyone and every business that resides. Your passion and love for our region is evident and I look forward to working with you all in the future in some capacity. This will be my last year on the Board, as I crouch closer to 40, I want to give the younger generation an opportunity to lead. To the next group of NextGen Board members coming in, carry the torch, be leaders, don’t be shy to ruffle some feathers to get your voice heard. You are representing the next generation of leaders, be the ones that will guide them along. This series is designed to introduce you to our current, future, and even some past board members. We have new members joining the board soon, and wanted you to have an opportunity to get to know them, as well as the folks who are currently serving. Meet Patti McDonald, and find out why she was inspired to join NextGen. *** When I was making the decision to move back home to Cape Breton/ Unama’ki after about a decade living in Halifax I was fervently scouring the internet learning about all of the exciting things that were happening on the Island. Some of the places that highlighted the growth I was seeing and hearing about were goCapeBreton and the Cape Breton Partnership. Knowing that there was a vibrant entrepreneurial sector growing on the Island and that more young people were choosing to move home to raise their families or start their business made the decision easy. I packed my bags, bought a (really reasonably priced!) house, and moved home. Once I was firmly planted back on CB ground, I was looking for a way to reconnect with my community and support the growth I had been excited about when moving home. So when I saw the open call for NextGen board members, it seemed like a perfect fit. I’ve spent my entire career supporting youth, people with disabilities, and other marginalized communities in recreational settings, so supporting the youth of Cape Breton/ Unama’ki as a part of NextGen seemed like a natural extension of that. Since being home I’ve also had the incredible opportunity to participate in the CEPI Youth Conference, CB Voices events, the Atlantic Women Entrepreneur Summit, Social Enterprise Sector round table conversations, and of course the Vital Awards, and I find it difficult to describe how inspiring all of those moments were. Interacting with passionate, hopeful, and driven young people who are working tirelessly to improve our community and find their version of success on our amazing little Island will never cease to impress and encourage me. Being involved in NextGen has allowed me to play a small part in improving our community and I am so proud to be able to contribute in even a small way, because the tide is shifting and Cape Breton/ Unama’ki is on a path to a very bright future. One of the new projects of NextGen is to highlight young entrepreneurs in a blog series, and I am SO excited about the responses we’ve received from some amazing community members and business owners. Keep an eye on this space for that series to begin very soon. This series is designed to introduce you to our current, future, and even some past board members. We have new members joining the board soon, and wanted you to have an opportunity to get to know them, as well as the folks who are currently serving. Meet Chris Robertson, and find out why he was inspired to join NextGen. *** Similar to many young Capers, I left the island for work and to explore new opportunities. I wasn’t forced to leave to find work, I was employed in our family’s insurance brokerage. Leaving a family business was a tough decision to make. I decided that I wanted to try something different and escape the tangles that can find their way into family business. Off I went to the big city of Halifax. I guess looking back at it, I could be accused of chasing a girl. At the time my girlfriend (now wife) Susan was enrolled in the pharmacy program at Dal. Halifax would be home base for 10 years. We had a lot of fun in Halifax and made a lot of good decisions. The best decision resulted in us getting married. We were loving life. Next came our son and our priorities began to change. After a health scare with my mom, my wife and I realized home was calling. There was no pressure to come home, it was something we both wanted but never really discussed. We wanted to be closer to our parents now and be there for them when they really needed us. We also wanted our son Luke (2 at the time we moved) to see his Grandparents more often than holidays. We were fortunate in that Susan’s employer created a position for her on the island. We were left to figure out what I would do for work. Continuing in a sales gig based from the island was not something I wanted to do. Time on the road had grown old and I don’t like being away from family for too long. This seemed like a great time to open a business. The decision to move back to be there for our parents had us thinking…..how will others support their parents as they age? After all, we had more close friends living out West than we did in Cape Breton. We realized an opportunity and decided to open Home Instead Senior Care Cape Breton. We have been back in the Cape for 5 years. We added to the island’s population by welcoming our little girl (Anna) into the family. We have faced additional family health challenges and were happy we were in Cape Breton to help. Anna and Luke have a great relationship with Nana, Papa, Granddad and Nannie. Home Instead Senior Care continues to grow month over month. A lot has transpired over the past 5 years and we wouldn’t change a thing. We have a lot of work to do to keep more young people in Cape Breton. It is important to me that we be here to encourage youth and support the decisions they make. Whether someone decides to leave to gain experience or stay in Cape Breton to work, we need to support their growth. The business community in Cape Breton is very supportive of young entrepreneurs. Youth should be given the opportunity to meet and network with these supporting individuals. I am excited to be a part of NextGen because I want to support and encourage others to try new ventures and take risks. I also want to highlight the importance of volunteering in the community and supporting programming aimed at children. Successful children’s programs like Hockey, Soccer, and Basketball will ensure that young families have options to keep their kids busy. I believe that youth are our future and being a part of NextGen will allow me to foster a supportive environment where youth can thrive in all aspects of life and community. This series is designed to introduce you to our current, future, and even some past board members. We have new members joining the board soon, and wanted you to have an opportunity to get to know them, as well as the folks who are currently serving. Meet Erin Gallagher, a long serving board member and co-chair of the board. Find out why she was inspired to join NextGen. *** I joined the NextGen Unama’ki board in 2014 because I believe in investing in Cape Breton youth and young professionals by providing them with a platform for community engagement. I was first introduced to NextGen in 2011, when I worked on a profile project, during a six-month term position with the Partnership. I found it so refreshing to meet and interview young professionals, in communities, all across Cape Breton Island, who were experiencing success in their career paths and made the decision to build their lives here. I think it’s important to continue to highlight and create dialogue around young professionals who experience real success here. NextGen Unama’ki and the Partnership host the Vital Awards every November and we continue to be pleasantly surprised by the number of stellar nominations we receive year after year. I look forward to celebrating young professionals, community leaders and organizations that are providing meaningful employment opportunities for youth, every year. I believe in exploring ways to engage young professionals and youth and providing them with the opportunity to have an active voice in helping to shape strong Cape Breton communities. Like many Cape Breton youth and young professionals, I lived away from Cape Breton for a bit. A few years after I returned home, I chose to apply for a position with United Way Cape Breton to allow myself the opportunity to help youth on a broader scale. United Way Cape Breton strives to improve lives and build community by engaging and mobilizing local community members and groups to work together on challenging community issues. We have prioritized helping local youth succeed in all aspects of their lives, from birth through the school years to the transition into adulthood. One of the reasons I love living here and being from Cape Breton is the pride we take in helping to make our local communities be the best they can be. I have the opportunity through my job, as well as, my role with NextGen Unama’ki to work with people who care so much about Cape Breton and strive to make our local communities vibrant. I’m not naïve to the challenges Cape Breton faces, but I work at United Way Cape Breton and volunteer with groups like NextGen Unama’ki because I want to be part of the conversations and actions that lead to fixing the issues and obstacles that face our local communities. There are many dedicated people working to make Cape Breton communities stronger, healthier and more vibrant. I feel fortunate I get to spend my life here, close to my family, my husband Craig and a small network of close friends and workmates who have become some of my closest friends and make going to work a pleasure; all the while, living on one of the most beautiful islands in the world. That said, sometimes, you need to go away and come back to realize what you have in your own backyard. The group of individuals I have the pleasure of sitting on the NextGen Unama’ki board with also care deeply about creating strong, vibrant communities in Cape Breton and want to make certain younger people are part of that process. With the support of the Partnership, and so many like-minded individuals who have a vested interest in engaging with young people, I believe we will be successful in creating strong, healthy, vibrant, local communities, where we can live happily, surrounded by family, friends and caring, passionate community members. *I’d like to take this opportunity to mention, I only have one year left with the NextGen Unama’ki board, as I will be turning 40 in July 2021. We will welcome new board members in September and help them transition into their roles as part of our succession plan. We are confident the new members will amplify our mission of engaging in youth and young professionals as they explore new and creative ways to do so. Keep an eye out for their blog posts come the Fall. This new series is designed to introduce you to our current, future, and even some past board members. We have new members joining the board soon, and wanted you to have an opportunity to get to know them, as well as the folks who are currently serving. Meet Allison MacDonald, a long serving board member and co-chair of the board. Find out why she was inspired to join NextGen. *** When my husband and I decided to attend a NextGen focus group for the Creating an Island of Choice: Young Talent Attraction Strategy project back in 2015, it was a decision pretty much made on a whim. Things were busy at our respective workplaces (in fact, I was only a month and a half into my new job in marketing at Protocase), and we had a young 18-month old at home who was keeping us plenty busy. I was vaguely familiar with NextGen Cape Breton, having done a brief, yet wonderful, stint working at the Cape Breton Partnership fresh off of my maternity leave, before landing at Protocase permanently. But the premise of NextGen's mission -- to engage, connect and inform young people in Cape Breton -- and the idea that these focus groups would gather feedback and opinions in order to develop clear, concrete strategies for making Cape Breton an island of choice for young professionals, were too intriguing to pass up, busy schedule be damned. NextGen Cape Breton seemed to be perfectly tailored to my interests and personal experiences. After all, I was one of the many young professionals flocking home after years away. Both born and raised in Cape Breton, my husband and I had attended university in Halifax, then spent four years in Calgary before making our way back to Halifax in 2011. Once our daughter was born in 2013, we made the decision to pursue employment in Cape Breton, seeing it as the perfect chance to put down roots and be close to our families. So the idea of being able to weigh in on my personal experience of being born and raised in Cape Breton, leaving for several years, and then moving back home, quite simply, was too good to pass up. Although the focus group was over five years ago, I remember there being several lively discussions around a series of topics. What did it mean to be successful in Cape Breton? What was Cape Breton missing for young people? Where did Cape Breton already excel for young professionals? Leaving the focus group, I felt satisfied that I had at least had my say on what I felt were the challenges and the opportunities for young people to thrive in Cape Breton. But it left me wanting more. More involvement, more chances to weigh in, more opportunities to meet young people in Cape Breton across a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences. So when a staff member from the Cape Breton Partnership mentioned to me a year later that the NextGen board had a few openings, I took literally no time to consider applying for one of the spots. (I had just given birth to my second daughter the month prior, so I suspect I was still in the newborn haze period, and perhaps not thinking clearly!). It just seemed like an extension of a journey I had already started. The NextGen Cape Breton team was putting the finishing touches on its final report, Creating a Prosperous Future: Young Talent Strategy for Cape Breton Island. I was excited to find out what strategies and opportunities the report would determine would be best for Cape Breton's youth to move forward in a positive way. At the heart of it, I joined NextGen because I truly believe Cape Breton is stronger because of the young people who choose to remain here -- or return here after years away. Cape Breton's only way forward to prosperity is to have a healthy, active population of young people who are encouraged to pursue high-quality post-secondary education, try new business ventures, have leadership roles in the community and be able to express themselves. I'm not saying I have all of the answers on how we can move forward. Far from it, actually. But I do know the people who make up the NextGen board are dedicated individuals with passion, ideas and respect for one another. We are committed to trying new things, growing our current initiatives and reaching out beyond our own personal circles, with the ultimate goal of making Cape Breton stronger. With a year left in my tenure as co-chair with Erin Gallagher-Lynk, I’m excited to see what more we can do to engage and connect youth in Cape Breton Unama’ki --all over the island. |
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