Our History
BYTE was founded in 1998 by Nicole Edwards and a group of energetic Yukon youth who wanted an organization built around youth ideas, leadership, and creativity. Supported by the PAYY Coalition (Positive Action with Yukon Youth), the group organized the first Yukon Youth Conference: a major success that sparked ongoing momentum. BYTE soon began publishing Toxic Blend, a youth‑created zine, and continued to host conferences that celebrated Northern youth talent.
Recognizing that many rural youth couldn’t travel to Whitehorse for events, BYTE launched Community Tours in 2007. These tours remain at the heart of BYTE’s work today, bringing relevant, youth‑driven programming directly to communities across the Yukon, Northern B.C., and the Northwest Territories. BYTE regularly surveys youth to understand the issues they face and then develops workshops that reflect their needs and interests.
Over the years, BYTE has expanded its programming to include experiential workshops on topics such as safer partying, healthy relationships, leadership, advocacy, and mental wellness. BYTE also built an on‑call youth facilitation team to deliver workshops in schools and youth centres across the North.
In 2015, BYTE officially changed its name from Bringing Youth Towards Equality to BYTE – Empowering Youth Society. The new name reflects a core truth: youth don’t need to be “brought” anywhere. Youth already have the ideas, strengths, and leadership needed to shape their communities. BYTE’s role is to create space for those strengths to shine. BYTE as an organization celebrates the many passionate youth and staff who have shaped its direction. Each person has brought unique skills, new ideas, and innovative projects. BYTE continues to honour Nicole’s legacy by empowering youth, amplifying their voices, and creating spaces where they can lead, learn, and thrive.
Nicole Edwards, Founder
Nicole Edwards (September 14, 1970 – September 8, 2021) lived a life defined by open‑hearted positivity, deep empathy, and a belief in the power of youth. She had an extraordinary ability to make people of any age, background, or ability feel seen, heard, and valued. Raised in South River, Ontario, by a community of strong women, Nicole learned early that art and community thrive together. By her teenage years, she was already both a performer and an organizer, travelling widely through cultural exchanges and volunteer work, learning languages, and connecting with people wherever she went. After university, Nicole returned home and wrote her first successful grant, hiring ten youth to lead creative community development projects in local history and performing arts. From the beginning, she championed inclusivity and youth voice, bringing diverse groups together and creating space for young people to lead.
“Yukon youth unite to strengthen the youth voice, take action and break positive change for the well being of everyone.”
The Nicole Edwards Leadership Fund is available for youth who need support attending or participating in any opportunity they think will build their leadership skills and contribute tocommunity . The name was changed to commemorate the legacy of our founder.
Nicole moved to the Yukon in 1997, where she quickly became a passionate youth advocate. Seeing a need for youth‑driven programming, she founded BYTE. Her vision inspired a generation of Yukon youth to “Be the change,” and her work earned her a Meritorious Service Medal from the Governor General.
Alongside her youth work, Nicole was an accomplished musician and a founding member of Yukon Women in Music. The release of her first original album in 2001 coincided with her diagnosis of scleroderma, an autoimmune disease. By 2003, her symptoms forced her to step back from the youth work she loved, but she continued to mentor young people whenever possible— supporting them in performance, songwriting, and the music industry. Her music often highlighted youth voices and themes of wellbeing, relationships, and activism, celebrating the creativity of Northern youth dancers and vocalists.
With her husband Lee by her side, Nicole adapted to chronic fatigue and pain while continuing to serve her community through the arts. She became a strong advocate for empathetic, patient‑centred care. Her final album, Yukon Lullaby for Mental Health, offered musical mindfulness strategies to support emotional wellbeing for people of all ages.Nicole passed away on September 8, 2021. Her music, mentorship, and legacy continue to uplift the Yukon and the many youth whose lives she touched.
Those wishing to honour her can explore and share her music and mindfulness resources at:
www.nicoleedwardsmusic.com.
