Meet Brittany Mitchell from The Rooms!

 

Brittany Mitchell will be joining us from The Rooms as a mentor on Conservation at the Youth Heritage Forum! 

Brittany Mitchell (she/her) is an early-career preventive and generalist conservator. She has a BA in Archaeology and Heritage Studies from Wilfrid Laurier University and a Diploma in Cultural Heritage Conservation and Management from Fleming College. She currently works as a Conservator at The Rooms, provincial Museum, Art Gallery, and Archives of Newfoundland and Labrador.

In her free time, Brittany loves to take on many creative hobbies such as embroidery, traditional art, building miniatures, and papercraft. She plays video and board games with friends, and she also loves to explore and experience Newfoundland scenery and wildlife.

We look forward to seeing you all at the Youth Heritage Forum on March 21st, 2026, at the Emera Innovation Exchange and Conference Centre to learn more about entering the conservation field. 

Meet Crystal Braye from Octopus Consulting!

Crystal Braye will be a mentor on Exhibit Design at the Youth Heritage Forum on March 21st, 2026, at the Emera Innovation Exchange and Conference Centre.

Crystal Braye is a Public Folklorist and Interpretive Planner with over a decade of experience helping to preserve and share the heritage of Newfoundland and Labrador. She began her career at the Wooden Boat Museum in 2012, where she honed her skills in exhibit development, oral history documentation and interpretive writing. In 2020, she founded Octopus Consulting to collaborate with heritage organizations, municipalities, and tourism operators, offering services to help communities celebrate and share their unique cultural heritage.

Join us to connect with others in the field and discussed topics important to heritage. Registration is now open for the YHF, so make sure to check out the Eventbrite for more information:

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/youth-heritage-forum-tickets-1981724146268?aff=oddtdtcreator

 

Speaker Introduction- Conservation Corps

The Conservations Corps will be participating in our Ways to Get Involved panel at the Youth Heritage Forum on March 21st, 2026, at the Emera Innovation Exchange and Conference Centre.

 CCNL is a non-profit organization focusing on supporting local environmental and cultural priorities, enhancing climate resilience, delivering environmental education and creating meaningful employment and skill development opportunities for youth across Newfoundland and Labrador.

Join us to hear about volunteer and employment opportunities in the field and how to approach them. Registration is now open for the YHF, so make sure to check out the Eventbrite for more information:

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/youth-heritage-forum-tickets-1981724146268?aff=oddtdtcreator

Meet Kim Orren from Fishing for Success!

Kim Orren will be a speaker for our Ways to Get Involved panel at the Youth Heritage Forum on March 21st, 2026, at the Emera Innovation Exchange and Conference Centre.

Kimberly Orren is a former high school science teacher turned commercial fisherman and co-founder of Fishing for Success, a nonprofit social enterprise museum in Petty Harbour. Fishing for Success (F4S) works to transmit the intangible cultural heritage of Newfoundland & Labrador's family fishery while advocating for an inclusive, gender-equitable & sustainable small-scale fishery that can help combat climate change and contribute to food sovereignty through better local seafood access. Through collaborations with researchers and other ENGO’s, F4S is developing a Sea2School program to connect youth in coastal communities to fishing as a cornerstone of ocean literacy and food equity.

Join us to hear about volunteer and employment opportunities in the field and how to approach them. Registration is now open for the YHF, so make sure to check out the Eventbrite for more information:

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/youth-heritage-forum-tickets-1981724146268?aff=oddtdtcreator

Introducing Corey Weir from Community Sector Council NL.

 

Corey Weir will be a speaker for our Ways to Get Involved panel at the Youth Heritage Forum on March 21st, 2026, at the Emera Innovation Exchange and Conference Centre.

Corey is the Sector Workforce and Capacity director at Community Sector Council NL. 

Corey has been a member of the CSCNL team for almost two decades, leading initiatives like the Student Work and Service Program (SWASP), AMPLIFY and ASCEND – all programs dealing with connecting youth with non-profit organizations for employment opportunities and skills building. In his latest role, Corey works with all members of the community sector workforce, both paid and unpaid, to determine and bridge gaps on a wide variety of issues.

Join us to hear about volunteer and employment opportunities in the field and how to approach them. Registration is now open for the YHF, so make sure to check out the Eventbrite for more information:

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/youth-heritage-forum-tickets-1981724146268?aff=oddtdtcreator

Meet Rachel Head!

Rachel Head will be a speaker for our genealogy panel at the Youth Heritage Forum on March 21st, 2026, at the Emera Innovation Exchange and Conference Centre. 

 Today, we’re pleased to welcome Rachel Head, the Newfoundland and Labrador Collections and Services Librarian with Newfoundland and Labrador Public Libraries (NLPL). Rachel will be sharing how NLPL’s archival materials can support genealogy research, no matter where you are in your search.

Rachel grew up on the west coast of Newfoundland, an experience that shaped her deep appreciation for the province’s communities and history. She later completed her Master’s in Library and Information Science at the University of Western Ontario. Since joining NLPL in 2023, she has held several roles, including Literacy Services Librarian and Digital Literacy and Technology Librarian. In her current role, she works with NLPL’s Reference Team, helping patrons and researchers find answers to their questions—and discover their next great local read.

Join us to learn to hear about her work in the field and tips and tricks on doing genealogy yourself. Registration is now open for the YHF, so make sure to check out the Eventbrite for more information:

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/youth-heritage-forum-tickets-1981724146268?aff=oddtdtcreator 

Speaker Introduction- Kait Little

Kait Little will be a speaker for our genealogy panel at the Youth Heritage Forum on March 21st, 2026, at the Emera Innovation Exchange and Conference Centre. 

Kaitlyn Little (she/her) is a heritage professional passionate about archival work, research, and bilingual heritage interpretation. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (2019) specializing in French and history, a Master’s degree in history (2021), and a Bachelor of Education (Intermediate/Secondary, 2022) from Memorial University of Newfoundland. She currently works part-time at Memorial University’s Folklore and Language Archive (MUNFLA) as an assistant archivist and as a library assistant with Newfoundland and Labrador Public Libraries. Kaitlyn volunteers as a director-at-large for the Association of Newfoundland and Labrador Archives (ANLA) and as a citizen representative on the City of St. John’s Arts and Culture Advisory Committee.

Join us to learn to hear about her work in the field and tips and tricks on doing genealogy yourself. Registration is now open for the YHF, so make sure to check out the Eventbrite for more information:

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/youth-heritage-forum-tickets-1981724146268?aff=oddtdtcreator

Keynote Speaker- Melissa Blunden

Melissa Blunden will be our keynote speaker for the Youth Heritage Forum on March 21st, 2026, at the Emera Innovation Exchange and Conference Centre. 

Melissa Blunden is a museum professional and cultural leader who became an Executive Director at the age of 30. She holds a BA in Anthropology and Archaeology from Grant MacEwan University and an After Degree in Cultural Resource Management from the University of Victoria.

Over the past 15 years, Melissa has built a career in the culture and heritage sector that began as a Young Canada Works Heritage Interpreter summer student at a historic grain elevator park. After graduating with her BA, she worked both internationally and across the prairies as a field archaeologist, before returning to museum roles at various institutions in Alberta, including positions as an Outreach Coordinator, Visitor Services Manager, and Executive Director of the Lacombe Museums, a rural historical society operating 3 historical buildings. In February 2024, she moved east to lead Baile nan Gàidheal | Highland Village Museum, a leading Gaelic folklife centre in North America.

She is most passionate about working with intangible cultural heritage, understanding cultural landscapes, and building strong, community-centred partnerships.

Registration is now open for the YHF, so make sure to check out the Eventbrite for more information:

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/youth-heritage-forum-tickets-1981724146268?aff=oddtdtcreator 

Registration Open for Youth Heritage Forum

Heritage NL and our partners are excited to announce that the registration for the Youth Heritage Forum is now open. Interested participants can register on Eventbrite here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/youth-heritage-forum-tickets-1204966269549?aff=oddtdtcreator

The Youth Heritage Forum is a great opportunity for students and emerging professionals to network, attend professional development seminars and workshops, and share your thoughts on being a youth in heritage. Lunch is provided!

Youth Engagement and Employment in Heritage Survey

In preparation for the upcoming 4th Youth Heritage Forum on March 22, 2025 at The Lantern, St. John’s, Heritage NL is asking for your input on youth engagement and employment in heritage.

Are you an emerging professional, student, or recent grad? Are you a museum or heritage group interested in employing youth? We want to hear from you about barriers to engaging youth in the heritage sector and what Heritage NL can do to help.

The survey is available through this link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeP8kx7E5Q2jUC7MTBI3N_uA2937HIYs0uwZmEbyqzBwpwGbQ/viewform?usp=sf_link

Calling all youth - 3rd Annual Heritage Tomorrow Forum!

Heritage Tomorrow NL brings heritage skills, networking, and mentorship to this year’s forum.
Saturday March 25th
The Lantern, 35 Barnes Road. St John’s, NL

Following the success of the last two forums, the third annual Heritage Tomorrow Forum is again set to engage youth interested in the safeguarding and study of culture and heritage.

Heritage Tomorrow NL and the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador are holding the 3rd Annual Heritage Tomorrow Forum at the Lantern, 35 Barnes Road on Saturday March 25th from 10am-2pm.

“The main goal of this year’s forum is to bring together young people who are enthusiastic about heritage and culture, and help foster future professional networks,” said Heather Elliott, Heritage Tomorrow organizer.

Participants will again get to take part in a heritage skills competition, now with a whole new range of activities! New this year is the networking lunch, where participants can meet with young professionals in the heritage industry and create contacts with others interested in similar heritage fields. A social will take place in the evening after the forum for those interested.

Young people between the ages of 18-35 can register for $10.00 at: http://www.hfnl.ca/

Heritage Tomorrow NL is a group affiliated with the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador that works to a create a network for young people and heritage professionals within the province.

Youth Heritage Forum 2016

On Saturday March 19th, the second annual Youth Heritage Forum took place at The Lantern in St. John's. Our goal was to increase the activity and interest of youth in the heritage field and to bring like minded youth together.  We had fifty-four participants take part in an exciting day of mentorship, heritage skills, and networking.

The day started with Eastern Owl who did a smudging ceremony and played traditional and original music. We were lucky enough to have Stephanie Chipilski, Assistant Registrar at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights and member of the Youth Advisory Council under the Canadian Commission for UNESCO, flown in from Winnipeg to be a keynote speaker. She talked about networking, putting yourself out there, and how mentorship can help in all aspects of your career.

Right after Stephanie's speech, the Heritage Skills competition began. Participants got into teams of six and chose what skill they wanted to learn. There was the choice of darning with Christine LeGrow, rug hooking with Ruth Green, knot tying with Barry Darby, net knitting with Bernard Martin and Leo Hearn, Northern games with the St. John's Native Friendship Centre, and Morse code with Mark Sheppard. Each team member got an hour to learn a new skill. After a coffee break the competition was under way! It was exciting, fast paced, and a great time!

We had a speed dating luncheon with established people in the heritage field who mentored participants while they ate a delicious meal served by Multi-Ethnic Food Kitchen. We posed questions to the mentors and they discussed them with participants. We had Glenn Keough from Parks Canada, Colleen Quigley from MUN QE II Archives, Teresita McCarthy who is the Manager of the Bell Island Community Museum and the #2 Mine Tour, Scott Neilsen who is an assistant Archaeology professor, Julie Pomeroy who is the Heritage Programs and Services Coordinator for Portugal Cove-St. Philip's, Catharyn Andersen who is the Special Advisor to the President on Aboriginal Affairs at MUN, Jillian Gould who is a professor of Folklore, and Stephanie Chipilski.

After lunch, four breakout sessions were offered. We wanted them to be exciting, relevant, and fun. Based on the feedback, they were all of these things and more. Jason Sellars taught "Public Programming and Other Extreme Sports," Jane Severs taught "How NOT to start a Heritage Business," Meghan Mills ran a conversation cafe called "What Traditions Matter to You(th)?", and Josh Smee taught "Social Media for Nonprofits."




After the sessions, students from a Public Folklore class hosted the "Lives in Heritage" plenary where guests Chris Brookes, Jane Severs, Hilda Chaulk Murray, and Christine Hennebury answered questions about their time in the heritage field. Later, the panel was opened to participants to ask questions.

At the end of the day, prizes were handed out to six people who completed their heritage skill the best. There was a tie breaker for the best overall team between Team I and Team K. Team I took the prize and with that the forum came to a close! It couldn't have gone any better and we hope that everyone who participated had a great time. See you all next year!

We'd like to thank our sponsors for making the Youth Heritage Forum happen this year: the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Wooden Boat Museum of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Historic Sites Association of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Newfoundland Chocolate Company, St. John's Haunted Hike, Canadian Commission for UNESCO, the Association of Newfoundland and Labrador Archives,
We'd also like to thank Fishing For Success, all of our guests, and the volunteers who made it all happen!

Did you attend the forum? Would you like to give us some feedback? Please click here and fill out this short evaluation.

The Association of Heritage Industries and Youth Heritage NL are bringing you another awesome event! On April 21st, at the Crows Nest Officers' Club, is Drinking About Heritage: Bad, Better, and Brilliant! Register here for FREE today.

All photos courtesy of Jeremy Harnum

Living Heritage Podcast Ep034B Youth Heritage Forum with Alanna Wicks

Alanna Wicks holds a BA in Folklore and Cultural Anthropology, and a MA in Public Folklore, both from Memorial University. She has been working and volunteering in the field of culture and heritage since 2006 in both Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. She currently sits as Director on the Association of Newfoundland and Labrador Archives Executive Board and volunteers regularly with archives within the community.

In March 2015, she organized and moderated the province’s first Youth Heritage Forum. Alanna dropped by the Heritage Foundation of NL office to talk about the planning of the heritage forum, and offered suggestions for heritage organizations wanting to engage youth.

Folklore Photo: #YHF2016 3 Days Left to Register!!

Photo credit: Jeremy Harnum

Look at these young, inspiring youth from last year's forum! You may have seen this photo floating around as we promote the 2nd Annual Youth Heritage Forum! We had a great turn out last year and we know we'll have the same again this year. Time is running out! There is three days left to register.

If you are a youth passionate about heritage, or are a heritage organization or community group, you do not want to miss this year's Youth Heritage Forum!

Visit www.youthheritagenl.wordpress.com for more information or register right now!

Powered by Eventbrite

Intangible Cultural Heritage Update - Darning Eggs, Youth, and Traditions at Risk

In the March edition of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Update, we spin you a yarn about our darning workshop, introduce you to the 2016 Youth Heritage Forum, and talk about traditions at risk.

You can view and download the newsletter here.

Folklore Photo: Non-youth attend #YHF2016 this Year!

Photo credit: Jeremy Harnum

Today's photo is a great shot of participants listening to the youth heritage panel from last year's Youth Heritage Forum! This year's forum, on March 19th, is a little different. There will be a panel of mentors that the Public Folklore program at Memorial University are interviewing before the forum. At the forum, they will be having an open discussion with the mentors for participants to learn about what they do and how they started in the heritage field.

There will be the opportunity to ask questions and get involved with the mentors who are all established in different fields. Stay tuned for some sneak peeks of who the mentors are!

Visit www.youthheritagenl.wordpress.com for more information and updates or

Tuesday's Folklore Photo: Last Year's Youth Heritage Forum

Today's photo was taken at last year's Youth Heritage Forum by Jeremy Harnum. This is a member of the First Nations Eastern Owl Women's Drum Circle. The group was part of last year's opening ceremony and are back again this year!

Saturday March 19th is the 2nd Annual Youth Heritage Forum in St. John's. This year, the forum is focusing on heritage skills, networking, and mentorship. There will be mentors established in different fields such as archaeology, folklore, archives, and much more!

Youth will have the opportunity to ask the mentors questions, network with fellow youth in the heritage field, and take part in exciting events like the heritage skills competition.

Visit www.youthheritagenl.wordpress.com for more information and updates about the forum and register today!

Today in ICH - Grey Socks, Anna Templeton, Youth Heritage, and more!

In this edition of the ICH Update, we look at what's happening with www.greysockproject.ca, provide some historical background on Miss Anna Templeton - a pioneer in the craft sector in Newfoundland and Labrador, give you a tease of what is to come with the 2016 Youth Heritage Forum, and provide an update on our current intangible cultural programming.

Contributions from Stephanie Micikyan and Dale Jarvis.

Download the pdf here.

Photo: Miss Anna Templeton

Get Involved! Youth Heritage Forum 2016 #YHNL2016

Last March, youth from across Newfoundland and Labrador gathered at The Lantern in St. John’s. They came together from different professional backgrounds and different communities from across Newfoundland and Labrador to talk about one thing – the role of Youth in the heritage sector.

It’s time to start planning for our Forum this year! We are having a meeting for next Wednesday, January 20th, 2016, 7pm, at the office of the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador in St. John’s to start making plans for the Youth Heritage Forum 2016.

We want your ideas, your feedback, and to build a team to run the event.

If you want to be involved, please RSVP to youthheritagenl@gmail.com, or send us a message on our Facebook page:www.facebook.com/YouthHeritageNL.

Not in St. John’s? Don’t worry! We can arrange a Google Hangout or something similar to make you part of the conversation.

Looking forward to hearing from you all!

https://youthheritagenl.wordpress.com/…/get-involved-youth…/

Youth Heritage Forum 2015 - A Review

If you plan it, they will come... and so they did! Sixty enthusiastic youth participants joined us on March 7th, 2015 for the first ever Youth Heritage Forum, a fun and exciting day was had by all! Our mission was to give young people engaged in heritage a voice and our participants took that opportunity and ran with it. This is the first time youth from across the province have been provided the opportunity to come together and discuss their role in the heritage sector and they were not about to let that opportunity pass them by. Throughout the day participants discussed why young people are integral to the future of heritage what heritage organizations should do to become youth inclusive.

Participants were treated to an amazing drum and dance ceremony from First Nations Eastern Owl Women's Drum Group to get the day started on an inspiring and energetic note! We then had the pleasure of hearing from our guest panel consisting of six talented and inspiring young women who spoke about their work in the heritage sector, and then took questions from the crowd. You can read about about our guest panelists and listen to their discussion here!

The second part of the day consisted of a breakout session where our participants had the opportunity to get to know each other and discuss the questions at hand when it comes to youth involvement in heritage. One topic we focused on was recommendations for heritage organizations in becoming youth inclusive, it was an engaging conversation and some great ideas were brought to the table.

  

6 Ways to Make Your Heritage Organization Youth Inclusive:

• Create Meaningful Opportunities for Youth
• Focus on Funding for Youth Employment
• Use 'Youth Friendly' Channels of Communication
• Be Accessible
• Be Open to New Ideas and Practices
• Be Social

To download the full Youth Heritage Forum report, including a full list of recommendations click here!

As the forum wrapped up our participants were still full of energy and curious as to what the group could do next. They decided the first step was to create an outlet to stay connected, share advice, and discuss future opportunities. Interested youth can now join Youth Heritage Newfoundland and Labrador on Facebook to connect with like minded youth from across the province.

And just like that my time as Youth Heritage Forum Coordinator has come and gone! It was a pleasure to be part of the Heritage Foundation of NL team and I had a fantastic time putting together the forum, and an even better time meeting all of the participants! As a young person working in the heritage sector myself, I am incredibly inspired by the enthusiasm and dedication of my peers. I can wait to see what's next for Youth Heritage Newfoundland and Labrador!