Ankekuluk Initiative
Where Inuit youth are supported on the land before crisis and beyond the program
Most support reaches Inuit youth only when they’re already in crisis. Ankekuluk exists to change that through a land-based Inuit youth wellness program focused on prevention, stability, and continuing care.
We’re raising $275,000 by June 30, 2026, to LAUNCH our Inuit youth land-based wellness program.
We also have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to buy our permanent home, Bluewater Lodge.
Two ways to support. One urgent deadline.
About the initiative
From Anke, our founder:
“Elder Annie Ikkidluak gave me the name Ankekuluk while I was living and working in community. She used it as a term of endearment, and a gentle reminder that relationships come first.
“That teaching has stayed with me. Young people are best held through kindness, consistency, and presence. Ankekuluk was built as a land‑based Inuit youth wellness program focused on prevention, stability, and continuing care.”
We support youth before crisis through structured time on the land, guided by Elders, supported by mentors, and connected to education and community pathways that continue after they return home.
This work grows from decades of northern clinical and community experience. It is not a one‑time intervention, but a sustained commitment to youth, families, and communities.
Ankekuluk is a federally incorporated Canadian non-profit delivering land-based, culturally grounded wellness and education programming for Inuit youth from Nunavut, Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador, and the Northwest Territories.
Why this work matters
Inuit youth suicide rates are among the highest in the world, documented at up to 24 times the national average in some communities. (Source: StatsCan)
We approach suicide prevention not as crisis response, but as sustained investment in stability, belonging, and future pathways.
Explore our programPartnerships and support
Working together for long-term impact
Ankekuluk’s foundation rests upon shared leadership and coordinated partnership. We’re grateful to already have active relationships with Wiiche’iwaymagon Alliance, Wild Wolves of Canada, Rodney Evely Consulting, long-term Northern educators, and regional community partners.
Our work reflects reconciliation in practice: relationship-based, guided by Elders, community knowledge, youth voice, and collaborative governance.
A multidisciplinary leadership team with experience in healthcare, education, land-based programming, and youth support supports the initiative.
We work alongside Elders, Inuit organizations, educators, families, referring agencies, and funders to strengthen culturally grounded youth pathways.
Your support enables:
- Delivery of structured 10-week sessions
- Youth access to culturally grounded education and certifications
- Consistent mentorship and follow-up
- Reduced barriers created by geography, isolation, and systemic inequities
We’ve prepared our secure Bluewater Lodge program site near Lewisporte, NL for land-based delivery, with defined safeguarding, supervision, and governance frameworks in place.
Long-term ownership of the site will strengthen stability, reduce future operating risk, and protect sustained prevention-focused programming. Defined governance oversight and long-term sustainability guide our deliberate approach to capital planning.
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Get in touch
Whether you’re an Elder, family member, educator, community partner, referring agency, or funder, we welcome conversation.
Contact AnkekulukUpdates
Update 3
April 15, 2026
We’ve secured the Bluewater Lodge site and are working toward a June 30 deadline to establish a permanent home for Inuit youth land-based programming.