College reaches out to bands

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Adventure tourism is one of the fastest-growing segments of the lucrative tourism industry in B.C., and First Nations have a new opportunity to get in on the action.

North Island College has received a $75,000 provincial grant to develop and integrate Aboriginal content into its Coastal Adventure Tourism program.

The college is working with three Aboriginal advisory committees to determine what should be included. The advisory committees were formed several years ago to work under the guidelines of the provincial Aboriginal post-secondary education and training policy framework to increase participation and success rates of Aboriginal people in post-secondary education and to support capacity building toward self-government through education.

This adventure tourism project is intended to fulfill part of that mandate. It began in October, and it has a steering committee (still being formed) consisting of Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council, Kwagiulth District Council, and Coast Salish representatives.

Vivian Hermansen, North Island College's co-ordinator of Aboriginal education for the Central Region, said "advisory committee planning sessions were held in Nuu-chah-nulth territory on the west coast of Vancouver Island, in Kwakwaka'wakw territory on the east coast, and with the Coast Salish peoples who have territorial lands within the college region."

To improve the adventure tourism program, two First Nations students whose tuition will be paid will take the course and give input regarding appropriate Aboriginal content. Those two will be selected this month.

Susan Toresdahl, director of college relations and executive director of the North Island College Foundation, said the participant-advisor seats are funded by the Ministry of Advanced Education with Aboriginal special project money.

If there's enough interest from qualified Aboriginal applicants, and if additional support funds can be found, she said, the college may share this funding among more than two Aboriginal students.

Hermansen stressed the educational, social and cultural importance of adventure tourism to the First Nations.

"What this new program means to Aboriginal education at North Island College is that the voices of the communities have directed our planning from the beginning through the strategic planning process, and will continue to direct this program while under development.

"In the future, an Aboriginal student who enrolls in the program should expect that we will provide what we said we would provide, a program that allows the opportunity for academic upgrading while enrolled in the program, that will provide some advanced credit for future study, and that acknowledges in a meaningful way, local First Nations protocols as they relate both to culture and the treaty process toward self-government."

Three applicants to the program this year are Aboriginal students from outside the region.

When they decided to enhance the adventure tourism program, the college's Aboriginal advisory committees invited interested people to offer input to the curriculum. This was followed by a formal invitation for tribal council representation on the project steering committee. The Aboriginal education advisors suggested appropriate media notification on the north and west coasts of Vancouver Island and beyond.

More recently, a student recruitment and funding announcement was faxed to 36 band offices in the college's service region. Formal and informal networking, for instance at regional tourism workshops and conferences, has also been used for outreach, relationship building and input.

In addition to college staff and the committees, First Nations economic development and education workers, guides, tourism operators, students and Elders will be involved in establishing and implementing the expanded curriculum.

"There's always been some Aboriginal content in the program," said program instructor David Pinel, who was hired in September to redesign and edevelop the existing marine-based adventure tourism program.

"Everywhere you go on the coast there's Aboriginal history that can and should be learned, and students inevitably, whether they're Native or non-Native, are interested in topics like ethnobotany and understanding traditional and current uses and harvesting of plants. Some of that's already been there, but we're trying to reach out to our First Nations communities to get some further suggestions on what is relevant and acceptable."

He said they also want to find tourism operators or community members who have a particular knack for teaching or instructing around Aboriginal history or practices.

The $75,000 will pay staff wages for research, community consultation and outreach, curriculum development, travel expenses, program monitoring and evaluation, administration and honoraria.

The college is allocating an additional $16,000 of "in-kind" contributions towards this project, which will be completed in 11 months.

Pinel said that as more First Nations students come into the program, the college will have a better understanding of the variety of practices among First Nations and regions and enable people in the industry to interpret and deliver that knowledge. He stressed the college wants to do it in a way that respects all First Nations' cultural protocols.

The five-month certificate course, which runs from January to May, accepts 10 students now and hopes to increase to 16, Pinel said.

Toresdahl said there have been no Aboriginal students the past three years, but by the time the total reaches 16, she anticipates four or five will come from First Nations.

The course includes background and theory related to adventure tourism, coastal ecology and conservation, canoeing, sea kayak instruction, sailing, sport fishing, trip preparation and planning, risk management, wilderness guiding and wilderness first aid.

Pre-requisites include Grade 10 English and mathematics, as well as a suitable fitness levl for taking on kayaking expeditions.

"It doesn't require any super-human feats," said Pinel, "they just need to be able to sustain a moderate level of activity all day for several days in a row, and already have some experience living and travelling in the outdoors. This isn't designed to teach people how to camp or set up a tent for the first time. They've got to be beyond that, and that's in fairness to the other students for accomplishing the learning objectives and in fairness to the client in the end when they're guiding.

"As the students enter the program in January, there will be some things already underway integrating First Nations content, but . . . it will be an evolving process."

Some aspects could include a journey with a war canoe or a visit to a cultural centre or with local interpreters to learn more about local culture and history.

"Most students leave ready to be assistant guides and, after a bit of time in the industry, or depending on what background they've brought into the course, they get involved in managing an operation or becoming a lead guide or starting their own business."

The college is considering adding a second term, from September to December, possibly out of Tofino or Port Hardy.

Last year, placement for graduates was 100 per cent for those who really wanted to work in the industry, Pinel said.

According to Toresdahl, by the project completion date in August, there will be a summary report and probably some new program delivery models and methods to make the program more accessible and relevant for First Nations students. The college will also evaluate whether Aboriginal students in the program graduate and find or create work in the tourism industry, and whether more become interested in taking the program.