Wonder of science shared

Page 14

A new program has been launched to bring culturally-relevant science education programs to Aboriginal communities across the country.

Actua, a national, non-profit organization that offers science programs, has received $50,000 from Shell Canada to offer the Shell Aboriginal Outreach Program. With the funds, Actua will look at what is already up and running and working within the Aboriginal community in terms of science programs, and will also collect culturally-relevant science curriculum, activities and resources. Training for directors and instructors will also be provided through the funding.

According to Jennifer Flanagan, co-CEO of Actua, the Shell Aboriginal Outreach Program is a new initiative launched this year, although Actua has been coordinating local education programs for Aboriginal communities for the past 10 years.

What the new Aboriginal Outreach Program will mean is that Actua can now coordinate existing efforts at the national level, providing more resources, support and training, and allowing programs to be offered to even more Aboriginal communities Actua was not able to reach out to in the past.

The programs offered through Actua are aimed at children from Grade 1 to Grade 12, with efforts made to tailor the programs to the specific needs and interest of each community.

"It's similar to any program that we would design, because we're really focused on making sure everything is relevant to the group of kids we're presenting to," Flanagan said.

Although the programs are coordinated through Actua's national office, the programs themselves are run by the local members, she explained.

"This is very, very locally driven and very, very grassroots run, so that they can respond to their local needs and local resources," she said.

This year, through the Aboriginal Outreach Program, Actua coordinated satellite camps in a number of communities, including the Queen Charlotte Islands in B.C., Kuujjuaq in Quebec, Iqualuit in the Northwest Territories and Fort McMurray, Alta. In addition, a summer camp was also established in Whitehorse. More than 20 communities were reached through this year's program, benefiting 3,000 youth across the country.