Get to Know Listuguj’s Recreation Coordinator – Jesse Pictou

Jesse Pictou has been working at the Listuguj Youth & Family Centre since August 2022. He started off as the Recreation Monitor for three months and then took on the role of Recreation Coordinator. His educational background and training are a perfect fit for this type of work. For schooling, he took International Travel and Tourism and, Adventure Tourism and Business Operations. He has a lot of experience when it comes to working in recreation with a 90-hour Wilderness First Aid program, a rescue diver certification, and has been working for a decade in the kayak and rafting industry.

When it comes to being the Recreation Coordinator, Pictou said, “Basically my job is to create programs and support anything sports related.” The Youth Centre offers a variety of different programs and sports. There is the After School program, which Pictou runs on weekdays for two hours. These After School programs consist of four groups, allowing for 10 kids per group, and they fill up very quickly.  Some of the sports that are supported by the Youth Centre are girls’ volleyball which is led by Paige Isaac, basketball led by Erwin Molley, and hockey led by Michael Isaac. The Youth Centre is also very much involved in supporting local athletes who are taking part in the North American Indigenous Games (NAIG) this year.

Pictou mentioned that not only does he coordinate for the Youth Centre, but really for the community of Listuguj as a whole. They work with various directorates to bring events and programs to the community, such as Family Day, and the upcoming March Break activities. Listuguj’s rink has been very popular during these cold winter months. “One of the things we did recently, we were able to rent a Zamboni from the Civic Centre, so that was cool,” said Pictou.

During the winter, outdoor activities may be limited due to the cold climate, but Pictou is looking forward to the summer months and has exciting plans for Listuguj. He plans on reviving softball in the community, and not just for kids. “When I came in, I was excited to do adult softball that I saw growing up at the ball field, that hasn’t been done in years,” said Pictou. He’s also looking forward to planning camping trips with the Youth Centre students, kayaking, canoeing, fishing, and a lot of water and forest programs.

When it comes to working at the Youth Centre, he said his favorite thing about the job is just being able to be active and having the ability to go outside. “I’m able to go outside, I’m not built for office work,” laughed Pictou. The Recreation Coordinator position is still quite new to the community and was brought in roughly when the COVID-19 pandemic began. The coordinator works alongside the Recreation Monitor to ensure the kids are safe and able to take part in the vast activities and programs that Listuguj has to offer. New activities and programs are always being introduced and are typically advertised in the community via social media.

If you’re interested in getting more information about the programs and activities offered at the Listuguj Youth & Family Centre, contact: 418-788-3150.

By Ann Marie Jacques