WAYC was created in 2020 by Inuvialuit and Gwich’in youth, for youth with connections to the Beaufort Delta region of the Northwest Territories. The original idea for this platform was first discussed in October 2018, when youth shared the value of gathering in the Beaufort Delta region on an annual basis. The first collaborations took place in 2019: a youth gathering at Midway Lake in August, and a hide culture camp at Project Jewel’s campsite in Gwich’in Territorial campgrounds in September. In March 2020, the Western Arctic Youth Collective (WAYC) became an official project of MakeWay.