QWF’s Writers in the Community program pairs small groups of young people with a professional writer or literary performance artist who can teach them and, more importantly, motivate them, to use language to express themselves in productive ways. In each project, a writer-facilitator works with a small group for 10 weeks, teaching them language tools, giving them writing prompts, and ultimately, boosting their self-confidence by showing them that they are capable of producing literary work of value.
Recent projects
Meet the writer-facilitators
Nadine Neema
Born in Montreal to Egyptian/Lebanese parents, Nadine Neema is an award-winning multi-disciplinary artist with 15+ years of experience. She has four albums of songs and spoken word poetry. She has toured internationally opening for artists such as Joe Cocker and Elton John and was mentored by Leonard Cohen, who co-produced her second album. She leads creativity, songwriting, creative writing, poetry, and storytelling workshops to empower people to find their own voice. She published the YA historical fiction novel Journal of a Travelling Girl set on the Tłįchǫ ancestral lands in the Northwest Territories. The book, which was shortlisted for three awards, was inspired by footage from her award-winning short film entitled Wekweètì et Ekwǫ̀. Nadine began working in Wekweètì, NWT in 1999 with the Tłįchǫ people, first as a community manager, then assisting with land claims negotiations. She maintains a strong bond with the community through workshops, photography projects, and canoe trips.
There is no organization more worthy of support than the QWF. You made a huge difference in my school … Keep up your worthy mission to help our youth find the means to express themselves. It makes all the difference.
Danny Olivenstein, former teacher at Mountainview School
Program sponsors
We would also like to express our gratitude to the following sponsors, without whom the Writers in the Community program would not be possible
