Educational institutes aim to meet community needs

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Nine Aboriginal training facilities in Ontario have joined forces to contribute to the revitalization of First Nations culture, language and economy.

The Aboriginal Institutes Consortium (AIC) has been working since 1994 to enhance the profile of community-based education centres.

According to Lu Ann Hill-MacDonald, the Brantford co-ordinator of the network, "The consortium provides members with a forum to address common issues. The issues that continue to be important are recognition and resources.

"Aboriginal institutes operate like public post-secondary institutions," she explained.

"Unfortunately, there is no government policy or legislation that recognizes the value and importance of Aboriginal institutes and therefore, there are no public funds to support them. Actually, there is no regular source of adequate funding for the institutes."

The institutes collaborate yet maintain autonomy, and work to create the courses that their communities require, she notes. They share the purpose of providing "culturally relevant programs and services."

The guiding principles adopted by the organizations include encouraging the mental, physical, emotional and spiritual development of First Nations people as well as responding to the political, cultural, social and ecomonic needs of member communities.

Although some institutes serve up to 43 First Nations and others work with smaller numbers, all offer a broad range of education and training. Depending on community requests, courses may be offered in business management, computer systems and media studies. Community service worker, family support worker, teacher education and governance are other popular offerings.

In addition, she said,, "All of the institutes stress the creation of culturally enriched learning environments for students and the hiring and training of Aboriginal instructors and staff." A major focus of the consortium is the retention of students and the reduction of drop-out rates.

Acquisition of accreditation and permanent funding remain top priorities for the AIC.

Hill-MacDonald indicates that lobbying and research activities will continue as the group strives to become a force to be reckoned with. "The provincial and federal governments can no longer think that we are going to just go away," she said.

Kenjgewin Teg Educational Institute, located in M'Chigeeng First Nation, on Manitoulin Island, joined the consortium in 1999. "Since we don't have a lot of financial resources, the consortium allows us to collaborate to find resources to meet our community needs," said spokeswoman Christine Migwans.

One of the primary benefits of membership in a province-wide network is the chance to share curriculum ideas and best practices, Migwans noted. Representatives of the institutes meet six times a year to exchange knowledge and monitor progress in relation to mainstream colleges and universities.

"We do a lot more with a lot less money than the public institutions," Migwans stated. "We are sharing our story because it is often not recognized how successful we are in our communities."

In her view, community input and flexibility are the keys to success. For example, if Kenjgewin Teg contemplates running a paramedic course or personal support worker training, the groundwork is laid first. "We want to make sure we are meeting employment needs in the community," Migwans emphasized. "Each program to be offered is thoroughly researched. There has to be a demonstrated need and we have to be sure there will be actual jobs in the home community when the program is completed."

A community advisory committee is an essential part of the planning process, Migwans points out. "Kenjgewin Teg just facilitates the process. The advisory committee reviews the curriculum and decides what culture-specific components should be included. They are the essential link in helping communities get what they need. Having community involvement in design and delivery of programsis very important," she said.

A holistic approach to education is crucial, Migwans adds. The institute recognizes the interdependence of all aspects of the system from pre-school to post-secondary. "We need to eliminate gaps in service and have a unified system," she said.

Although there have been many success stories over the past 10 years, the teacher education program continues to be a source of pride. Kenjgewin Teg has established a partnership with Queen's University to deliver the Bachelor of Education degree program. "Our students find 100 per cent employment," Migwans reports. "There is a great demand for First Nations teachers."

There is also ongoing consultation with local schools to identify teacher and board needs, she says. Professional development packages are delivered based on community input.

It is very rewarding to see students grow and blossom in the more intimate setting of the Aboriginal institute, Migwans confides.

"It is very grafifying to see adults, who may have dropped out of mainstream education at some time in their lives, come back to school and regain their confidence. Here they recover their sense of self and pride in their accomplishments. Many go on to higher levels of education.

"When we give them the tools to find success, those are the real rewards," she said. "Many students come back to Kenjgewin Teg and thank us. It is so great to go out into the community and see former students employed close to home.

It is very encouraging to know that we drew people back in and helped them with their educational path."

Despite the positive track record, Migwans acknowledges that institutes such as Kenjgewin Teg still face many challenges. Instability is a constant reality since there is no core funding in place to employ full-time permanent staff.

Instructors are hired on a contract basis. "We are constantly looking for resources to meet our goals," she said. "It would be nice to have a solid foundation."

As a member of the provinial consortium, she feels it is important to "keep our leaders informed about our contributions and to keep education a priority. We need to help our community to understand the value of education and to appreciate that education is a life-long endeavour. After all, education is a critical aspect of building the community," she concluded.