Posted on March 27, 2019 by Mary Ellen Simon
Ashley Buch speaks about the importance of identity, space, and fostering relationships with Niagara College staff to support Indigenous students.
Ashley Buck works to create a culturally sensitive space and to provide services to Indigenous students that are important to their success within both of the Niagara College campuses. This program acknowledges that students are the experts (TRC Calls to Action), and uses their input and knowledge to shape the services provided. Utilizing Indigenous student voices taps into knowledge that they have been given by their ancestors which empowers students while promoting leadership to shape education and campus culture.
Living in two worlds can be a challenge to an Indigenous student, especially for those living in an urban centre for the first time. The Indigenous lounge is a physical space where peer support and community is fostered. Buck explains that mirroring the support of an Indigenous community is a goal of the program. Such support enables students to make the transition to a college atmosphere easier and increases their ability to achieve success in their studies. Taking the lead from students, this mirroring has involved smudging, talking circles, meetings with Elders, and soup luncheons. The program seeks to advocate for Indigenous awareness within the college by hosting their 2nd annual Indigenous Awareness Month.
Posted on by Dene Basil
The Indigenous Land Guardians program is designed to train local Dene people to become knowledgeable in their local culture and traditions as well as current conservation and monitoring practices.
Josh Barichello shares about the Indigenous Land Guardians program in Ross River. The program is still in the development stage and Barichello is a part of the development team for the program. The program is designed to train local Dene people to become knowledgeable in their local culture and traditions as well as current conservation and monitoring practices. The program will utilize traditional and ecological knowledge with scientific knowledge to build a bridge between both worlds so that their land, wildlife, and water is being well managed.
Posted on March 26, 2019 by Jiah Dzentu
All grade 7 and 8 students attend this fall culture camp in Wood Buffalo National Park. Here they learn land-based skills, canoe safety, traditional medicines and much more. This camp is supported by the local school board and community.
All grade 7 and 8 students attend this fall culture camp in Wood Buffalo National Park. Here they learn land-based skills, canoe safety, traditional medicines and much more. This camp is supported by the local school board and community.
Posted on March 25, 2019 by Jiah Dzentu
PWK Highschool in Fort Smith holds an annual winter expedition where students learn traditional trapping, fishing, and hunting in a safe, continuous manner. The facilitators are local Elders and knowledge keepers.
PWK Highschool in Fort Smith holds an annual winter expedition where students learn traditional trapping, fishing, and hunting in a safe, continuous manner. The facilitators are local Elders and knowledge keepers.
Posted on by Sarah Delaronde
The Yukon Indigenous Community Climate Change Champions is a workshop/initiative for Indigenous youth all over the Yukon
The Yukon Indigenous Community Climate Change Champions is a workshop/initiative for Indigenous youth all over the Yukon. The aim is to arm youth with the ability to see how climate change affects their community and how they can help. This program uses not uses a scientific lens to climate change, but also combines Indigenous worldview, teachings and stories. More information can be found here: www.aicbr.ca.
Posted on by Sarah Delaronde
Reconnecting high risk youth through carving and traditional knowledge to find balance.
The Beginners Carving Program is for high risk youth but also for anybody who’s interested, “from the cradle to the grave”. The overall goal of this program is to reconnect youth to traditional ways of knowledge, art, the land, language and elders, in order to be productive in the future. This program is also a wellness program with hopes that they can become substance free and find balance in their life. This program is offered in studio as well as on the land, throughout the year. More information can be found at: https://northernculture.org/about-us-2/.
Posted on by Sarah Delaronde
This transformational program allows First Nations mentors/Master Carvers to go into Yukon schools and educate all students about traditional art forms and more.
The Art Education Program is for school aged children from Kindergarten to Grade 12. This transformational program allows First Nations mentors/Master Carvers to go into Yukon schools and engage with all students (First Nations and Non), in order to educate them about traditional art forms. Along with this, students also learn more about the traditions, the history and stories behind carving. More information can be found here: https://northernculture.org/art-education-program-overview/.
Posted on March 22, 2019 by Jiah Dzentu
PWK Secondary School Chipewyan classroom.
This Chipewyan language classroom for grades 7-12 teaches more than just the language. Paul Boucher passes on cultural values and laws, teaches traditional crafts, and hopes to instill a sense of cultural pride in his students.
Posted on March 18, 2019 by Laura Forsythe
The program bridges students from high school through to becoming an educator.
The Build From Within teacher development program brings together Winnipeg School Division, the Faculty of Education at the University of Winnipeg, and Indspire Canada and other service providers to develop a path for Indigenous High School Students to become teachers. The primary goal of Build From Within is to recognize and build on Indigenous students’ unique strengths and experiences to create competent and motivated teachers who are passionate about their work and want to contribute back as teachers. Starting in Grade 11, Indigenous students spend six years on a journey to become a teacher with the Winnipeg School Division. A total of 60 students will participate in two cohorts. Each cohort of 30 students engages in an academically rigorous program featuring classroom internships, as well as cultural, familial, mentorship, employment, and financial support.
The first step is graduation from high school and completion of a 300-hour Education Assistant Diploma Program. In addition, students are required to take a minimum of 48 hours of workshops (delivered by WSD staff) and participate in a practicum placement within the school division. Students will continue as Education Assistants while completing their Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Education Degrees at the University of Winnipeg.
