ᐃᓕᓴᖅᓯᕕᒃ Ilisaqsivik

Ilisaqsivik means a place to recognize oneself. The people of Clyde River saw deep and unanswered needs in our community. Needs for better health, for cultural connection, for skills development, for access to all of the things that allow a person to live a full life. Ilisaqsivik was created because we decided to start helping each other instead of waiting for help. Ilisaqsivik grew from the ground up. Whatever our community’s need, we would work to fulfil it, and we would build each program in a way that works for the people. This has led us to create everything from a library to a school breakfast program, from Inuktitut-language counselling to a Heritage and Research Centre. Ilisaqsivik is Inuit community-building, starting with each person. In helping each other, we are finding ourselves. We are reconciling the past with the present and with what’s ahead. Our communities will be places where Inuit can decide their path and travel it. Today, Ilisaqsivik’s wide-ranging services defy convention and reach beyond Clyde River. Because, of course, our community’s needs are shared by many other Inuit communities. We build partnerships, and programs that will increase access to wellbeing and personal potential. Ilisaqsivik has experienced tremendous growth and have expanded the impact of our services throughout our community and across Nunavut. With our reputation to create and deliver innovative solutions we have attracted the attention of partners and funders looking to replicate and scale what we have achieved. We are most proud of the local Inuit driven design and delivery of programs that has enhanced opportunities for community members to contribute to their local long-term wellbeing, while elevating their own professional knowledge and capability to pass along, educate others and create capacity within Clyde River and other communities.