New money for Okanagan College

Support to Aboriginal students at the Okanagan College will be coming from Health Minister George Abbott with a $302, 000 in funding.
The funding will support two programs with $49,000 going towards increasing the number of nursing students of Aboriginal ancestry and improving the quality of nursing care in Aboriginal communities.
Approximately $235,00 will go to building a gathering place at Okanagan College's Salmon Arm campus for Aboriginal students. Okanagan College's nursing program project aims to raise awareness of the need for Aboriginal nurses in the Okanagan-Shuswap region. It will also increase awareness of Aboriginal nursing as a career choice.
The project will also examine the benefit of developing a culturally specific nursing preparation program aimed at easing the transition into existing registered nursing and licensed practical nursing programs.
The funding comes from a total of $500,00 that was available to Aboriginal groups, post-secondary institutions, nursing associations and other organizations.
The Okanagan College is a public, post-secondary education institution established in 2004 under the College and Institute Act.
The region served by the Okanagan College covers the areas from Osoyoos and Princeton in the south and west to Mica Creek and Revelstoke in the north and east.
The gathering place at Okanagan College's Salmon Arm campus will be added onto the cafeteria and lounge, with glass doors between the two areas.
This will create a space for Aboriginal students while allowing a larger area to be opened up for functions and events.
The centre will have access to new computers to help Aboriginal students expand their knowledge and skills.
Study tables with a work space for the students will be added along with an equipped kitchen.