Whitehorse Daily Star

Image title

Photo by Whitehorse Star

Tosh Southwick and Karen Barnes

Learning partnership launched in Nanaimo, Carcross

Learning partnership launched in Nanaimo, Carcross

By Whitehorse Star on September 21, 2017

In what’s being called the spirit of reconciliation, a new learning partnership for Indigenous youth at Vancouver Island University (VIU) in Nanaimo and Yukon College was announced today.

Building from the guidance of elders and the aspirations of Indigenous youth, VIU will join Yukon College in a collaboration supported by the Rideau Hall Foundation and Mastercard Foundation. It’s designed to create opportunities for Indigenous learners to be full partners in their education.

VIU and Yukon College have been instrumental in the design and development of a $50-million learning partnership.

The participants include governments, the private sector, Indigenous communities, the two higher educational institutions and the two foundations.

The partnership was celebrated at VIU today with a meeting of educators, elders, community leaders, students, elected representatives and others. A similar celebration will be held Friday in Carcross.

At Yukon College, $4.6 million in new funding will enhance services for students and youth, the college said in a statement.

The plans include:

• case managers and tutors who assist students in navigating academic and non-academic barriers to success;

• dedicated staff for youth managing the transition from care homes, treatment facilities or the justice system; and

• new online credit courses to better engage rural students in postsecondary education.

As well, the new Yukon Youth University will engage youth who are disconnected from K-12 education.

These services will support current Yukon College students and will enable more than 300 additional Indigenous students to achieve their education and life goals.

The 14 Yukon First Nations, Our Voices Yukon and the territorial Departments of Justice and Education are playing key roles in the partnership.

“I believe in this learning partnership,” said Tosh Southwick, the college’s director of First Nations initiatives.

“The Mastercard Foundation and the Rideau Hall Foundation have listened deeply and humbly. They have heard what we need and how they can help support our students.”

“This new learning partnership is grounded in reconciliation, rooted in our northern identity and values of collaboration, inclusiveness and empowering students,” said Karen Barnes, the college’s president and vice-chancellor.

“It builds upon our strong partnerships with Yukon First Nations, Government of Yukon and community organizations. We are grateful to the Mastercard Foundation and Rideau Hall Foundation for sharing our vision of how people can be supported through education to reach their full potential.”

David Silas, a Bachelor of Science student at the college and Selkirk First Nation citizen, called education “the key to harnessing the opportunities that exist for Yukon First Nations.

“My instructors and counsellors at Yukon College heard my goal of creating a First Nations owned-and-operated environmental science company and helped me navigate post-secondary programs and courses to stay on track and reach it.

“I would not be where I am today without the kind of support this learning partnership aims to provide.”

Some $13.5 million in new funding will remove barriers for Indigenous learners.

Through a match approach, new financial support will double the number of students that partner First Nations are supporting to pursue postsecondary education.

That’s expected to result in 500 Indigenous students completing their programs of study.

Education navigators will work on campuses and in communities helping Indigenous youth access pathways to postsecondary education.

Enhanced services will support more than 1,800 Indigenous students with on-campus and community services and inspire youth from Qeq (toddler) through to high school, leading to improved retention and graduation rates, the two learning institutions said.

“For me, as an elder, this is an exciting partnership” said Xulsimalt – Gary Manson, an elder-in-residence at VIU and member of the Snuneymuxw First Nation.

“We have people that are doing well, but many are not. With this learning partnership, we are providing additional support to reach deeper into the communities to young people we don’t usually see, but who need someone to believe in them.

“The poverty we have had to deal with impacts urban communities, but more so in rural communities, where there are less resources and it is difficult to find employment,” Manson said.

“How do we tackle both? This opportunity will help. And, for me, it is about healing, which is a long time in coming. This is a start to creating more hope rather than hopelessness.”

Dr. Ralph Nilson, VIU’s president and vice-chancellor, said the learning partnership is life-changing work. Through this learning partnership, we will build on the existing relationships we have with First Nations in our regions and deepen our partnerships, working collaboratively with communities to ensure Indigenous students have access to relevant and positive post-secondary education; that they are supported throughout their experience; and that they have the skills and abilities to transition,” Nilson said.

“We look forward to continuing to engage in and support this critical life-changing work through this partnership.”

Over the next five years, VIU will expand and fine-tune its efforts to interact with the communities it serves and enhance educational opportunities for Indigenous youth.

Yukon College and VIU were selected to lead the learning partnership because of their success in addressing access to postsecondary education for Indigenous youth and their strong connections with local Indigenous communities.

“Education is a critical aspect of reconciliation,” said Scott Haldane, the president and CEO of the Rideau Hall Foundation.

“The Rideau Hall Foundation is thrilled to be the managing partner for this innovative and collaborative partnership to improve educational outcomes for Indigenous learners.”

“Reconciliation begins with listening and building trust,” said Reeta Roy, the president and CEO of the Mastercard Foundation.

“This collaboration is rooted in the education and cultural vision Indigenous youth, elders, educators and families hold for themselves, and creates an opportunity for communities to be at the forefront of trail breaking advancements in education and learning.”

Comments (6)

Up 14 Down 7

Nile on Sep 22, 2017 at 11:20 am

So $50,000,000 to help a hopeful 500FN get a degree. Education is always a good thing. If it actually helps 500 people get their degrees, that's a good thing. But the gravy train has to end some time.

Up 11 Down 5

ProScience Greenie on Sep 22, 2017 at 6:11 am

Too much bloat with this, with so many on the gravy train that very little will go to the kids that really need it. This way of doing things by having endless meetings, travel, consultants and more meetings has to end in the Yukon.

The real issue is the Education Dept. that continues to fail so many of our kids. Fix that first. A housecleaning at Yukon College is also in order. Too much ego up there.

Up 8 Down 3

ProScience Greenie on Sep 22, 2017 at 6:11 am

Too much bloat with this, with so many on the gravy train that very little will go to the kids that really need it. This way of doing things by having endless meetings, travel, consultants and more meetings has to end in the Yukon.

The real issue is the Education Dept. that continues to fail so many of our kids. Fix that first. A housecleaning at Yukon College is also in order. Too much ego up there.

Up 10 Down 5

Josey Wales on Sep 21, 2017 at 9:23 pm

Fantastic how a few cultural elite get even more opportunities given to them. I guess everyone else on the DNA or melanoma spectrum is juuuussst peachy, no adverse situations interrupting their future...just nothing but sunshine and lollipops.

More progressive nonsense, pandering extraordinary so, as red team does. Absolute cultural Marxist crap/tactics this identity politics under the guise of reconciliation and political correctness and it will destroy us...it already has.
Barriers? Hardly, more like a escalator of gold, that only the right DNA will get ya a ride on...till you feel like jumping on any one of a zillion different OTHER exclusive "just for you" opportunities!

Seems the front of the bus is just not enough, need a fleet only for they?
How absolutely defining of racist ideologies.

Up 12 Down 4

jc on Sep 21, 2017 at 6:11 pm

You can have all the education and reconciliation the planet can provide. But as long as the wells of alcohol are pumping, they'll be flogging a dead horse. This is the 21st century, why hasn't this problem been solved by now? "Alcohol and drugs"!

Up 14 Down 4

Just Say'in on Sep 21, 2017 at 5:53 pm

Are you kidding me? How many MILLIONS OF DOLLARS??? Have we completely lost our collective minds? How many people is this helping? How much is that per person? Trudeau and his army of SJW need to be reigned in.

Add your comments or reply via Twitter @whitehorsestar

In order to encourage thoughtful and responsible discussion, website comments will not be visible until a moderator approves them. Please add comments judiciously and refrain from maligning any individual or institution. Read about our user comment and privacy policies.

Your name and email address are required before your comment is posted. Otherwise, your comment will not be posted.