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School & Community Programs by Health/Social/Learning Topic
This page lists resources (programs, policies, services and practices) that have been developed for aboriginal students, schools and communities. The items are listed by the many health and social topics that address the needs of the whole child, but many of these programs are focused on only one or two aspects of health or social development.
Related to Decolonization and Cultural Renaissance
(Related to Physical Health)
(Related to social behaviours/social development/social health)
Related to Personal/Moral/Spiritual Development
C Sub-Populations-Groups
Related to Learning, Literacy and School Effectiveness
Related to Decolonization and Cultural Renaissance
| 1. Truth & Healing | The Aboriginal Healing Foundation (AHF), is focused on abuse of Aboriginal people in the Residential School system, including intergenerational impacts, and on helping Aboriginal people heal themselves. The foundation provides funding to Aboriginal healing programs based on the Government of Canada’s Final Settlement Agreement. The Australian Centre for Health Promotion, out of the University of Sydney, is focused on Indigenous health and health promotion based on the principles of self-determination and reconciliation. With strong Indigenous leadership, and in partnership with community organisations, the Centre conducts research, provides education, and contributes to the professional development of Indigenous and non-Indigenous health promotion practitioners, and provides policy advice to managers, researchers and policy-makers. The Centre contributes to the design and teaching of the Graduate Diploma in Indigenous Health Promotion in the School of Public Health at the University of Sydney. |
| 2. Control and Representation | National Level Local Agency Level Kativik School Board oversees 14 schools in Nunavik (northern Quebec); its mission is to provide the people of Nunavik with educational services that will guide and enable learners to develop the qualities, skills and abilities that are necessary to achieve their well-being and self-actualization. Key principles are lifelong learning, Inuit control over Inuit education, the importance of languages and culturally responsive curriculum. Cree School Board oversees 3,600 students in 9 schools in Northwestern Quebec, near James bay. Under the philosophy that children have the right to be taught in their Mother tongue, the Cree language and culture are the root of the Cree education system in Cree schools. Schools have Cree curriculum in geography, history, and economics, and there is in-service training for Cree teachers. A land based Cree hunting and trapping vocational option is being developed. School/Neighbourhood Level There are 87 First Nation Schools in Ontario. The majority of these schools have curriculum content that includes Aboriginal values and world view, Grandfather teachings, Aboriginal history, spirituality, ceremonies, and language. However, due to a lack of funding, materials, and First Nations teachers, not all First Nations schools have Aboriginal curriculum. Partnerships with 7 Native Friendship Centres support delivery of Native Alternative School Programs The Eskasoni Elementary and Middle School is a band-owned school in the Eskasoni First Nation in Cape Breton, with students from Kindergarten to Grade 9. The school follows provincial curriculum, and offers a Mi’kmaq language immersion program from Kindergarten to Grade 3 that has been positively evaluated. The school has tailored the PATHS (Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies) program from the US, to work with its Aboriginal students. Called the EMPATHIC program at Eskasoni, it is based upon the medicine wheel and was developed to reflect Aboriginal culture and language. This comprehensive program promotes emotional and social competencies and reduces aggression and behaviour problems while simultaneously enhancing the educational process in the classroom. Piqqusilirivvik, Nunavut’s Cultural School, will be the first non-secondary cultural school in Canada. Rather than teaching a standard curriculum, the school will be focused on preserving Inuit culture and heritage amongst its students. The location of Clyde River has been selected by a government-led interagency committee; planning continues. It is focused on bringing First Nations, Inuit and Métis students back to school by offering cultural programs, counselling, and engaging Elders. Aboriginal Independent Community Schools in Western Australia is a group of 15 independent, community-led schools that reflect indigenous education practices and culturally appropriate education. Beginning in 1976 when the first community received government support to set up its own school at a rural farming station, the group has grown and is now receiving some recognition: The Nyikina Mangala Community School received the National Award for Excellence in Family School Partnerships in 2007. Kura Kaupapa Maori Schools in New Zealand, are total immersion Maori language schools that feature active participation by Māori in planning, development and delivery of education to ensure that services are appropriate and effective for Māori. Māori provider development is one key mechanism for participation. Other mechanisms include Māori representation on Boards of Trustees, and Māori workforce development. The number of kura kaupapa Māori Schools jumped from 13 in 1992, to 73 schools in 2007. Hawaiian Charter Schools were established to focus on native Hawaiian students in response to recognition that they were underachieving and being underserved by the public school system. The schools are culturally-driven, family-oriented, and community-based public charter schools aimed at delivering the highest level of education while preserving Hawaiian language, culture, and traditions. Fourteen of Hawaii’s 27 public charter schools have a native Hawaiian cultural focus. The motto for Chief Jimmy Bruneau Regional High School in Behchokö is “strong like 2 people”. The school is named after Chief Bruneau who began pressing the Government of Canada for a school in the community in 1938. The school uses Alberta’s core curriculum, with an additional focus on spirituality, and a program called Gonawok’e, which builds traditional land skills. The school has a high attendance record, which staff attribute to its cultural and trades programming. It also has the highest graduation rate in the territory. Inclusive schooling is mandated throughout the Northwest Territories and is a based on the philosophy that builds on strengths of individual students, supporting individual achievement through Program Support Teachers in addition to homeroom teachers. Professions To be added - Examples of Native Teacher Education Programs Aboriginal Nutrition Network – promotes careers in nutrition provide a forum for registered dieticians working in Aboriginal communities or those with a general interest in Aboriginal nutrition issues to: o Network and share resources with communities o Be informed and participate in continuing education opportunities o Further develop dietetic training opportunities with a focus on Aboriginal nutrition o Be identified as a resource group for governing bodies, communities and others o Raise awareness of Aboriginal nutrition needs o Promote nutrition as a career choice among Aboriginal students Also under FNIHB, the Community Action Resources for Inuit, Métis and First Nations: Toolbox and Introduction to Health Promotion Program Planning support Aboriginal communities to implement their own health promotion programs. Production and Transmission of Knowledge/Funding of Research As mentioned above, CIHR and the Institute for Aboriginal Peoples’ Health have created the CIHR Guidelines for Health Research Involving Aboriginal People. These comprehensive guidelines are to assist researchers and institutions in carrying out ethical and culturally competent research involving Aboriginal people. The intent is to promote health through research that is in keeping with Aboriginal values and traditions. The First Nations Centre at the National Aboriginal Health Organization recognized the need for Aboriginal people to protect all information concerning themselves, their traditional knowledge and culture, including information resulting from research. The Centre laid out the principles of Ownership Control Access and Possession (OCAP) to enable self-determination over all research concerning First Nations. It offers a way for First Nations to make decisions regarding what research will be done, for what purpose information or data will be used, where the information will be physically stored and who will have access. OCAP has been was sanctioned by the First Nations Information Governance Committee (FNIGC) and the First Nations Regional Longitudinal Health Survey (RHS) and is in wide use today. The Canadian Population Health Initiativeidentified several examples of successful knowledge translation, three of which were from aboriginal communities: See ABORIGINAL HEALTH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Developing a community health tool kit with Indigenous health organizations . .11 The Manitoba First Nations Centre for Aboriginal Health Research: Knowledge translation with Indigenous communities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Understanding knowledge translation in an urban Inuit community . . . . . . . . . .19 With the creation of Nunavut, the territorial government began redesigning curriculum to be based upon Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit or Inuit worldview. The new curriculum has been designed to be more relevant and culturally appropriate. o A key focus is the Inuktitut first language curriculum, Uqausiliriniq. o The Aulajaaqtut program of studies deals with wellness, traditional values, and leadership, is based upon traditional Inuit values and incorporates the knowledge of Elders. It provides an overview of social history over the past decades and celebrates the resiliency and persistence of the Inuit. o Student assessment requires the demonstration of attitudes and innovative thinking in collaborative and strategic solution-seeking. Assessment involves student portfolios, achievement rubrics and self and peer assessment activities The Manitoba Aboriginal Education Branch has developed the Manitoba Curriculum Framework of Outcomes for Kindergarten to Grade 12 Aboriginal Languages and Cultures. This document was developed in collaboration with elders and community advisors, and dedicated to the preservation, revitalization, and maintenance of Aboriginal languages and cultures. A companion document is the resource Helping Your Child Succeed in School: A Guide for Parents and Families of Aboriginal Students, which provides suggestions on how parents and families can support student learning. Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, Northwest Territories, Yukon, and Nunavut are partners in the Western and Northern Canadian Protocol (WNCP) and Aboriginal Languages Protocol that promotes a The Common Curriculum Framework for Aboriginal Language and Culture Programs: Kindergarten to Grade 12. The framework reflects the universal values and beliefs inherent in Aboriginal cultures, and is based on revitalization, preservation, and maintenance of these languages. The Saskatchewan First Nations and Métis Education Branch, in collaboration with education partners, is currently developing Cree curricula. |
| 3. Recognition & Pride | Rediscovery is a wilderness cultural heritage camp program that draws on the strengths of indigenous cultures and the wisdom of the elders. With a philosophy of respect and love for each other and the earth, Rediscovery aims to empower youth of all ages to discover the world within themselves, the world between cultures, and the natural world. It began with one camp in Haida Gwaii, BC in 1978. Today there are rediscovery camps across Canada, and other countries. Camps in Canada are independent, but connected through the central Rediscovery philosophy of building pride in identity, leadership, resiliency, and offering youth a rite of passage experience with local Elders. Some examples are: o Ghost River Rediscovery in Alberta offers outdoor and cultural education programs that promote cultural awareness, leadership, through summer and winter camps. Ghost River also partners with the Calgary Board of Education to offer a Cultural and Outdoor Education Program customized to work with school curriculum. o Uu-a-thluk Rediscovery on western Vancouver Island, and Swan Bay Rediscovery near Skidigate, Queen Charlotte Islands are two examples from BC. In the Yukon, a Rediscovery Wilderness Camp is run by the Skookum Jim Friendship Centre. Te Kohanga Reo or Maori language nets, is a total immersion Mäori whänau (family) programme for young children from birth to six years of age. The goal is to impart culture and language to children by raising them in an environment where the language of communication will be Mäori to ensure the survival of the language. Knud Rasmussen High School, in Sisimiut opened in 1962. Its students study Greenlandic, history, social sciences, literature, mathematics, Danish and English, but also take courses in tanning, handicraft, beadwork, and stone polishing. In the spring, students head out on the land, hunting and camping. During the summer and autumn, short-term courses on current social or cultural issues are offered. Pirurvik is a centre of excellence for Inuit language, culture and well-being. Founded in 2003, and based in Nunavut’s capital, Iqaluit, Pirurvik offers a range of specialized services grounded in the Inuktitut language and the Inuit way of life, including: o Inuktitut online courses, grammar, and conversations at http://www.tusaalanga.ca/, winner of 2007 Nunavut Literacy Award o CD of children’s songs and songbooks in Inuktitut o On the land programs, cultural programs with elders and youth The Inullariit Society of Elders in Igloolik hosts a regular spring and summer camp program for disadvantaged Inuit youth, to teach traditional gender roles, land skills, and provide mentoring and support Métis Jigging: Beverly Lambert’s program of Proud to be Métis jigging workshops in BC Schools, Recreation Centres, and Friendship Centres. Lau-Wel-New Tribal School in Saanich, is attended by children from 5 communities, and focuses on children reclaiming culture. School buildings include Little Raven Nursery School, gymnasium, Cultural Building, High School, Language Development Centre, Heritage Society building and Administration building which also houses adult education, a day care and infants’ and toddlers’ nursery. Core curriculum is offered as well as locally developed language and culture curriculum. Classes are offered from preschool to Grade 9. The school is supported by 4 First Nation bands. |
| 4. Reconciliation | The Australian Centre for Health Promotion, out of the University of Sydney, is focused on Indigenous health and health promotion based on the principles of self-determination and reconciliation. With strong Indigenous leadership, and in partnership with community organisations, the Centre conducts research, provides education, and contributes to the professional development of Indigenous and non-Indigenous health promotion practitioners, and provides policy advice to managers, researchers and policy-makers. The Centre contributes to the design and teaching of the Graduate Diploma in Indigenous Health Promotion in the School of Public Health at the University of Sydney. Ghost River Rediscovery – partnering with the Calgary School Board to deliver a school program of outdoor education and sharing of cultural traditions between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal school students. The Inclusive Schools and Valuing Diversity Workshop[d1] is sponsored by the First Nations Education Steering Committee and is made available to schools and organizations working with Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal youth. The overall intent of the workshop is to provide participants with the knowledge, tools and skills that can be used to prevent discrimination and create schools and communities that welcome and value diversity. |
(Related to Physical Health)
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| 1. General Health/Growth & Development/Child Development/ Puberty | |
| 2. Infectious Disease/ Personal Hygiene / Handwashing/ Pandemics/Epidemics | |
| 3. First Aid | |
| 4. Home Economics/Family Studies/Child Welfare/Family Welfare | The Centre of Excellence on Child Welfare has sponsored four publications on aboriginal children in foster care and child welfare programs. They are;
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| 5. Child Abuse-Child Neglect/Sexual Abuse of Children / Family Violence | Nuluaq Project, a National Inuit Strategy for Abuse Prevention produced by Pauktuutit applies Inuit cultural approaches to the prevention of violence and abuse. RespectEd, a Canadian Red Cross violence prevention program that promotes healthy relationships, alternatives to physical punishment of children, offers Aboriginal-specific programming called Walking the Prevention Circle, and hosts a national No Hitting Day on April 30. The Healthy Families model, which is based on the Healthy Families America program, was tested in five sites across Canada: three sites in Edmonton (Norwood Child and Family Resource Centre, Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society, and Terra Association), the Kwanlin Dun First Nation Healthy Families Program in Whitehorse, Yukon, and Best Start Healthy Families in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. The Kwanlin Dun First Nation Healthy Families Program (Yukon site) focused primarily on Aboriginal children. Each site targeted parents with children aged 0-6 who were considered at high risk for future criminal ehavior and victimization. The aim was to reduce the risk factors associated with anti-social ehavior, such as delinquency and criminal ehavior, child abuse and neglect, poor parenting skills, exposure to domestic violence and parental criminality. |
| 6. Vision, Hearing, Genetic Defects | |
| 7. Parasites See also worms, head lice, etc | |
| 8. Diabetes | The First Nations and Inuit Health Branch (FNIHB) of Health Canada announced the Aboriginal Diabetes Initiative and the Aboriginal Urban Diabetes Initiative in 1999. The program provides a range of diabetes care and treatment, diabetes prevention and health promotion, and lifestyle support services that are community-based, culturally appropriate, holistic in nature, and more accessible. The program is delivered in partnership with Aboriginal organizations and communities and is mandated to be inclusive of traditional practices and methods. The program is available across Canada. The Aboriginal Section of the Canadian Diabetes Association targets First Nations and Inuit with resources such as a Diabetes Bingo game, and recipes using traditional foods. The National Aboriginal Diabetes Association provides Aboriginal themed games that reinforce the importance of healthy eating and active living for school-aged children. The Kahnawake Schools Diabetes Prevention Project, is committed to prevent type 2 diabetes in Kahnawake by empowering community members to care for their personal and family health through a diabetes prevention model based on Kanien’keha values. The project has community training components, research activities, and a school-based intervention program. The goal is to decrease the onset of Type 2 diabetes among present and future generations. The approach is community-based, holistic, and focused on daily physical activity and healthy eating habits among Kahnawake children. The Southern Ontario Aboriginal Diabetes Initiative (SOADI) provides financial assistance for the development, and enhancement of programs and services focusing on the education, prevention, and management of diabetes in Aboriginal communities, both on and off-reserve. Health Canada’s Aboriginal Urban Diabetes Initiative (AUDI) is delivered by the Alberta Native Friendship Centres , through newsletters and activities promoting culturally-based positive messages to youth on diabetes risk factors, healthy lifestyles, and the importance of diabetes screening. The program is run in friendship centres and in partnership with schools. The Kahnawake Schools Diabetes Prevention Project, is committed to prevent type 2 diabetes in Kahnawake by empowering community members to care for their personal and family health through a diabetes prevention model based on Kanien’keha values. The project has community training components, research activities, and a school-based intervention program. The goal is to decrease the onset of Type 2 diabetes among present and future generations. The approach is community-based, holistic, and focused on daily physical activity and healthy eating habits among Kahnawake children. Cargo et al. (2003) studied the program and presented their results in the journal Health Promotion International, showing that the project was in keeping with Mohawk culture, and used a mode of governance based shared decision-making between all project partners. The Sandy Lake Health and Diabetes Project developed, implemented and evaluated several community-based intervention strategies focusing on the prevention of diabetes among First Nations in the Sandy Lake, Ontario community. One significant strategy is the School-Based Diabetes Prevention Program (SBDPP), a culturally sensitive school curriculum developed using Aboriginal North American learning styles for grades 3 and 4. The curriculum consists of information on diabetes, healthy eating and daily physical activity. Results from the original pilot and feasibility study reported a significant association with an increase in nutritional knowledge, specifically concerning foods low in fat, health food choices and daily recommendations of dietary fibre intake. |
| 9. Oral/Dental Health | The Children's Oral Health Initiative (COHI) was developed to address the disparity between the oral health of First Nations and Inuit and that of the general Canadian population. COHI was launched on a test basis in Fall 2004. The initiative focuses on the prevention of dental disease and promotion of good oral health practices. The goal is to shift the emphasis from a primarily treatment based approach to a more balanced prevention and treatment focus. The initial focus for oral health promotion will be directed at three target groups, including pregnant women and primary caregivers, pre-school children, 0-4 years of age, and school children, 5-7 years of age. |
| 10. Natural Disasters, Emergency Preparedness | |
| 11. Immunizations and vaccines | FNIHB has developed a Targeted Immunization Strategy to decrease the higher rates of vaccine-preventable diseases in Aboriginal people. The goal of the program is to provide a strategy that integrates with the Canadian national immunization strategy, resulting in the reduced incidence of vaccine-preventable diseases by March 2008. |
(Related to social behaviours/social development/social health)
| 1. Physical Activity/Sports/Active Living-Recreation | Kugluktuk Grizzlies – This is a successful community-based, high school athletics association, promoting physical activity, team sports, identity, pride, suicide prevention, school attendance, youth employment, and substance abuse prevention. To participate, students must maintain good attendance records and keep a log showing their effort in school (not their academic record), they must also maintain a healthy and respectable community life. All Native Tournaments - Since 1960s, across BC, promotes physical activity, team sports, youth exchange, staying in school - pay tribute to players who have gone on to post secondary education. This program is linked to the Native American Basketball Tournaments across Alaska, Hawaii, and the rest of the US. The tournaments promote positive values and teaching life skills, which players are practicing their basketball skills. The program is successful because of player dedication, parent involvement and our simple teaching philosophy: an athletic training program encourages our youth to acquire self discipline, develop strong self esteem, foster a positive attitude, promote teamwork and to plan for the future. Action Schools! BC is a model for promoting healthy living in BC elementary and middle schools. Action Schools! BC offers teaching resources and equipment, as well as professional development, to participating schools. It helps educators develop customized action plans to provide more opportunities for more children to make healthy choices more often. The Saskatchewan In Motion program promoting physical activity has an aboriginal component. Aboriginal Sport Circle, is Canada’s national voice for Aboriginal sport, which brings together the interests of First Nations, Inuit and Metis peoples. Established in 1995, the Aboriginal Sport Circle was created through a national consensus-building process, in response to the need for more accessible and equitable sport and recreation opportunities for Aboriginal peoples. Aboriginal Sport Circle offers coaching development, athlete support, youth programs, and partners on Aboriginal sport programs in all jurisdictions. The Ministry of Tourism, Sport and the Arts, Aboriginal Programs mandate to increase recreation and sport opportunities to Aboriginal people in BritishColumbia by providing support to Aboriginal organizations in sport performance, sport participation, and capacity. Arctic Winter Games, is a circumpolar sport competition for northern and arctic athletes. The Games provide an opportunity to strengthen amateur sport development in the participants’ jurisdictions, to promote the benefits of sport, to build partnerships, and to promote culture and values. The Games celebrate sport, social exchange and cultures.The Games provide an opportunity for the developing athlete to compete in friendly competition while sharing cultural values from northern regions around the world. The Arctic Winter Games provide a series of coaching resources for traditional games that promote health, culture, and participation. National Aboriginal Hockey Championships – Aboriginal Team BC North American Indigenous Games – are a multi-sport Aboriginal pan-North American Games, with sport and cultural participants. By encouraging Indigenous youth to participate in athletic competition, these Games have become a vehicle for promoting healthier lifestyles and strengthened relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples of North America. Cowichan Tribes, the Government of Canada, and the Government of BC are partnering to host the Games on Vancouver Island in August 2008. Team Spirit: Aboriginal Girls in Sport is a national, multi-year project to increase community sport opportunities for Aboriginal girls and young women (ages 9-18). Over the course of the Project (until March 2008), nine communities in eight provinces/territories across Canada will receive funding to develop and implement community sport programs for Aboriginal girls and young women, increase their capacity to address the needs and interests of this target group, and raise the profile of female Aboriginal leaders and role models. Aboriginal Girls on the Move, is a collaboration with communities to develop and implement On the Move physical activity programs for Aboriginal girls and young women. Programs provide a variety of physical activity and educational sessions (e.g. healthy eating, tobacco prevention and cessation, self-esteem, media awareness, healthy living-themed arts projects) with the goal of promoting the importance of healthy, active living. |
| 2. Healthy Eating/Nutrition/ Obesity/Eating Disorders/Food Security/Food Safety/ Body Image | Health Canada released Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide – First Nations, Inuit and Métis, a national food guide that has been tailored to reflect the values, traditions and food choices of First Nations, Inuit and Métis. The new guide includes both traditional foods and store-bought foods that are generally available, affordable and accessible across Canada and provides images and content that are culturally relevant to Aboriginal communities. Pathways is a school-based obesity prevention program targeted at American Indian children in Arizona, New Mexico, and South Dakota, that includes culturally-appropriate classroom curriculum focused on healthy eating and lifestyle, and a family involvement program. The program was reviewed by Caballero (2003) in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Drop the Pop, is a program in schools in all three territories: Nunavut, Northwest Territories, and Yukon, which helps students to make healthier drink choices by going pop-free for 5 days. In Nunavut, the program has broadened to include the wider community as well as students in schools. DIAND’s Food Mail Program pays part of the cost of shipping nutritious perishable food and other essential items by air to isolated northern communities that are not accessible year-round by road, rail or marine service. This subsidy makes it possible for retailers in these communities to sell fresh food at lower prices. Individuals may also order food directly from southern retailers, which is shipped north at subsidized prices. The program supports nutrition, food security and improved food quality in northern and remote communities. School Meal Pilot Program - the Assembly of First Nations is partnering with the One X One Foundation to conduct a national environmental scan of school nutrition programs for First Nations students. Aboriginal Nutrition Advisory Committee, raises awareness of Breakfast for Learning, to facilitate Aboriginal school and community applications to the program. Breakfast for Learning helps communities to start and sustain successful school nourishment programs. The program works on a model of public, private and volunteer sector partnerships, working to provide nutritious food in caring, family-centred programs. |
| 3. Injury Prevention/ | |
| 4. Substance Abuse/Addictions/ Alcohol/ Drugs/ Gambling/ Medications/ Inhalants/FASD Children, children of Add | The National Native Alcohol and Drug Abuse Program (NNADAP) is a program now largely controlled by First Nations communities and organizations. Since its origins in the 1970s, the program's goal has been to help First Nations and Inuit communities set up and operate programs aimed at reducing high levels of alcohol, drug, and solvent abuse among on-reserve populations. The program supports a national network of 52 residential treatment centres and provides over 550 prevention programs with over 700 workers - almost all employed by First Nations and Inuit communities. Program activities vary, based on the size and needs of each community for prevention, intervention, and aftercare activities. The National Youth Solvent Abuse Program (NYSAP) is a national residential in-patient treatment program that compliments community-level activities aimed at preventing youth solvent abuse. Run through a network of ten Youth Solvent Addictions Centres, the program provides culturally appropriate treatment, specialized treatment and recovery programs for First Nations and Inuit youth with chronic solvent abuse problems. FNIHB/Health Canada has announced an increase in funding to its National Anti-Drug Strategy to reach out to First Nations and Inuit communities The Building Healthy Communities program is designed to assist First Nations and Inuit communities to develop community-based approaches to youth solvent abuse and mental health crises, the two components of the program. First Nations and Inuit communities have the flexibility to determine which program component(s) to provide community-based programs, services and/or activities. Nechi Training, Research, and Health Promotions Institute – Integrated Tobacco Recovery for Urban Aboriginal Adults and Adolescents, a culturally appropriate self-help guide to smoking cessation; and Tobacco: Addiction & Recovery – a Spiritual Journey, a manual to support recovery from nicotine addiction. Canada Northwest FASD Partnership includes ministers from Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Northwest Territories, Nunavut and Yukon collaborating to provide information and support services and discuss the development of the Canada Northwest FASD Research Network. FNIHB provides information on FAE/FAS as it affects Aboriginal communities and links to programs with funding, including the Early Childhood Development Strategy, and other strategies, including the terms of reference for a National First Nations and Inuit Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program (CPNP) / Fetal Alcohol Syndrome/Effects (FAS/E) Steering Committee. It will be a partnership of the Assembly of First Nations, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and FNIHB to expand and enhance programs that can create conditions where best possible fetal and child development and health can flourish. Young Warriors Network – partners with schools and communities to deliver first-hand information about substance abuse, including workshops: Scared Straight and the Path with Honour to teach youth about options to drugs, and having pride in their identity. Street Tour is a five day program where Aboriginal youth come to Vancouver and tour the Vancouver Eastside, and learn about choices and consequences. After participating in workshops, youth are encouraged to become Young Warriors, join the group, and promote healthy living. |
| 5. Mental Health/ Mental Illness/ Suicide/ School Psychologists/ Role of MH workers working with schools | FNIHB provides resources related to general mental health, including the Aboriginal Youth Network and the Canadian Mental Health Association; on suicide prevention including the resources: Aboriginal Youth: A Manual of Promising Suicide Prevention Strategies, Acting on What We Know: Preventing Youth Suicide in First Nations, Assessment and Planning Tool Kit for Suicide Prevention in First Nations Communities, and the Centre for Suicide Prevention; on residential schools, including links to the Indian Residential Schools (IRS) Resolution Health Support Program, and the Aboriginal Healing Foundation. Acting On What We Know: Preventing Youth Suicide in First Nations (Health Canada) In 2001, the National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations, Matthew Coon Come, and former Minister of Health, Allan Rock, appointed a panel of eight Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal researchers and health practitioners to make recommendations regarding the prevention of suicide among First Nations youth. The Westerman Aboriginal Symptom Checklist for Youth (WASC-Y) is a psychological instrument developed specifically for Aboriginal Australians, developed by an Aboriginal Australian medical researcher. The WASC-Y is a self-report tool that provides a culturally validated measure for identifying young Aboriginal people at risk of depression, suicidal behaviours, drug and alcohol use, impulsivity, anxiety and cultural resilience. Canadian Association of Suicide Prevention (CASP) facilitates information sharing on intervention and suicide research and promotes the development of a national suicide prevention strategy. Handbook on Resilience The Inuit branch, Ajunnginiq Centre, of the National Aboriginal Health Organization (NAHO) produced a handbook called Resilience, overcoming challenges and moving on positively. Primarily in the voice of Inuit Elders from across Canada's Arctic, this handbook gives personal encouragement and is recommended as a suicide prevention resource. "You are going to live through hard times, difficulties... We were told never to give up..." (Elder from Kangiqsualujjuaq, quoted in the Introduction). The handbook can be dowloaded or ordered through NAHO. v Mcgill University work with the Dene and northern communities; which may include the Aboriginal Mental Health Research Team, working out of the Culture and Mental Health Research Unit, and the Centre for Indigenous Peoples’ Nutrition and Environment |
| 6. Sexual Health/ HIV-AIDS/ Sexually Transmitted Infections/ Reproductive Health/ Young Parents | Finding our way: a sexual and reproductive health sourcebook for Aboriginal communities Describes a tool for service providers and educators working on sexual and reproductive health in an Aboriginal cultural context. The sourcebook looks at traditional teachings, and covers sexuality education for children and youth, healthy pregnancies, teen pregnancies, menopause and sexual abuse. Includes ordering instructions. Source: Canadian Federation for Sexual Health Young Parents Stay Learning is a program offered by the Government of Nunavut Department of Education to provide childcare for parents under the age of 17 so that they can return to school. This program links to the Daycare Subsidy program, which is available to residents of Nunavut whose parents (age 18 and over) are either employed, or who are going to school. |
| 7. Tobacco Use | National Indian and Inuit Community Health Representatives Organization (NIICHRO) – Taking the Lead for Change, tobacco prevention and cessation community empowerment guide, training manual, and visual aids. The Aboriginal Cancer Care Unit of Ontario developed the Aboriginal Tobacco Strategy with input from youth and guidance from community Elder. The strategy is part of a movement to create tobacco wise media messages with and for Aboriginal youth. Part of the strategy is the Tobacco Wise website and information campaign: “Do you know the difference? Traditional tobacco is sacred. Commercial tobacco is a killer”. The website provides an extensive and regularly updated resource list of Aboriginal tobacco control programs in Canada and beyond, Honouring Our Health , Aboriginal tobacco strategy, recommends health promotion in schools, with elders visiting schools to educate youth about the traditional uses of tobacco, the strategy includes community programs to educate on tobacco and culture, misuses, and health consequences FNIHB provides a factsheet on tobacco use, smoking rates in Aboriginal populations, and effects. Most Aboriginal tobacco reduction strategies are focused on differentiating between traditional and non-traditional uses of tobacco. |
| 8. Bullying/ Violence/ Delinquency & Crime/ Students with Behaviour Disorders-ADHD/ Security/ Role of police working with schools | |
| 9. Social Development-Responsibility/Civics/ Service Learning/ Relationships/ Social-Emotional Learning/ | Aboriginal Youth Network, which provides information, quizzes, and resources geared to youth. Roots of Empathy, a classroom program that has shown dramatic effects in reducing levels of aggression and violence among school children, and increasing empathy. The program is available from Kindergarten to Grade 8. In 2006/2007, Roots of Empathy plans to expand into Aboriginal classrooms, both on and off reserve, and in both urban and rural locations. ROE will also form an Aboriginal Advisory Working Group who will provide program advice on implementing Roots of Empathy in Aboriginal communities. v Prince Albert Tribal Council and Bonnie Jeffery, working with Sylvia Abonyi at the Saskatchewan Population Health and Evaluation Research Unit. Bonnie Jeffery is currently working on a CIHR- multi-year funded Aboriginal health project Ocanku duta amani: Paths to living well for Aboriginal youth,led by Pammla Petrucka in the College of Nursing at the University of Saskatchewan Aboriginal Health. |
| 10. Gender Equity | |
| 11. Racism/Multicultural Awareness/Diversity/ Human Rights |
Related to Personal/Moral/Spiritual Development
| 1. Personal Development/ Ethics/Character/ Decision-making/ Critical Thinking Skills/ Spirituality/ Religious Beliefs | Ilisaqsivik Wellness Society is a leader in Nunavut for community health and well-being programming. Ilisaqsivik provides after school programs, prental programs, counselling, oral history, elders and youth programs, suicide prevention, wellness, crime prevention, peer counselling, parenting and more to all ages in the community of Clyde River. Ilisaqsivik partners with community schools to support attendance and school engagement. |
| 2. Self-Knowledge/ Self-esteem | |
| 3. Life Planning/ Career Planning/ Work-Life Balance | |
| (Related to natural and built environments, environmental sustainability) | |
| 1. Environmental Health/ Allergies/ Asthma/ Lung Health/ Air Quality | The ACADRE called Nasivvik - the Centre for Inuit Health and Changing Environments, based at the Public Health Research Unit of Laval University. |
| 2. Environmental Hazards &Health - Sun Safety/ Pesticides, Pollution | FNEHIN is a virtual network to link First Nations and Environmental Health researchers to build capacity within First Nations communities to participate in environmental health research and to make use of data and knowledge regarding environmental health issues and concerns for decision making that will lead to health improvements.It has a network of researchers and research projects, most of which tale a community-based approach. It is sponsored by the NCC on Aboriginal Health. |
| 3. Environmental Citizenship/Stewardship/ |
C Sub-Populations-Groups
| (Different types of students, see also different local community contexts) Note: Some specific sub-populations will be covered within specific health or social issues (eg FASD and children of addicts are covered within the section on substance abuse) | |
| 1. Students with severe physical or learning disabilities or intellectual disabilities/Inclusive Schools | |
| 2. Students with genetic problems | |
| 3. Females, including girls education | Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women and Sport and Physical Activity (CAAWS) has several programs that promote participation in sport to Aboriginal girls: Team Spirit: Aboriginal Girls in Sport is a national, multi-year project to increase community sport opportunities for Aboriginal girls and young women (ages 9-18). Over the course of the Project (until March 2008), nine communities in eight provinces/territories across Canada will receive funding to develop and implement community sport programs for Aboriginal girls and young women, increase their capacity to address the needs and interests of this target group, and raise the profile of female Aboriginal leaders and role models. Aboriginal Girls on the Move, is a collaboration with communities to develop and implement On the Move physical activity programs for Aboriginal girls and young women. Programs provide a variety of physical activity and educational sessions (e.g. healthy eating, tobacco prevention and cessation, self-esteem, media awareness, healthy living-themed arts projects) with the goal of promoting the importance of healthy, active living. The Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC) collective goal to enhance, promote, and foster the social, economic, cultural and political well-being of First Nations and Métis women within First Nation, Métis and Canadian societies. NWAC is an established aggregate of thirteen Native women's organizations from across Canada, to provide a national voice and conduct research and analysis of strategic policy issues. The Health Unit considers a holistic approach to Aboriginal women’s health, looking beyond illness. It provides information and perspective on national programs in early childhood development, maternal health, Aboriginal diabetes, cancer, and more. Pauktuutit is the national voice for Inuit women in Canada. It develops and provides resource materials such handbooks and information kits, conducts research and strategic planning in areas of interest to Inuit women, including: tobacco, teen pregnancy, sexual health, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, early childhood development, and abuse, among others. Pauktuutit partners with other national and regional Inuit and Aboriginal organizations, and federal government departments. Resources include Before I was Born, an information package on FAS and FAE available in Inuktitut, Inuinnaqtun, and Inuvialuktun, as well as English and French. |
| 4. Males, including programs to improve school retention rates among boys |
Related to Learning, Literacy and School Effectiveness
| 1. Transitions (Home to School, Elementary(Band) school to Public High School, From community to community, Residential Schools) | Aboriginal Children’s Circle of Early Learning (ACCEL) is a web-based clearinghouse and network about the early childhood development of First Nations, Inuit and Métis children. The site provides hands on resources such as handbooks and lesson plans on health and learning for child care workers, nutritionists, teachers, Elders and parents. The ACCEL website aims to provide opportunities for ECD service providers in Aboriginal communities to access information on best and promising practices and on current research and to identify and respond to the emerging needs of their children and families with timely, culturally-sensitive solutions. Brighter Futures and Building Health Communities Programs – assist First Nations and Inuit communities to develop community-based approaches to better health. Brighter Futures is a community-based health promotion program. The program is made up of five components: mental health, child development, parenting, healthy babies and injury prevention. Communities have the flexibility to determine which areas they want to focus on. The program funds projects that take a holistic approach, are inclusive of community members and coordinated with other community services, towards a comprehensive health program for health promotion. The Building Healthy Communities program complements Brighter Futures, but is designed to respond to crisis situations in youth solvent abuse and mental health, assisting communities to develop local approaches to handling crises. Aboriginal Head Start – established in 1995 to enhance school readiness of Aboriginal children on reserve and assist parents by supporting healthy child development. Funding is provided through this program for locally-run projects help meet the emotional, social, health, nutritional and psychological needs of school-aged Aboriginal children. This initiative encourages projects that have components of: culture and language, education, health promotion, nutrition, social support and parental involvement. The program funds locally controlled projects to instil a sense of pride and a desire to learn; provide parenting skills and improve family relationships; foster emotional and social development and increase confidence. Under their School Readiness to Learn project, the Offord Centre for Child Studies, linked to McMaster University and McMaster Children’s Hospital, developed the Early Development Instrument (EDI) as a group measurement tool for Kindergarten teachers to assess the school readiness level of Kindergarten students.It measures: o Physical health and well-being. o Social knowledge and competence o Emotional health and maturity. o Language and cognitive development. o Communication skills and general knowledge. EDI is a group measure to assess how ready the children in a school community are for formal schooling at the school entry (kindergarten) level. The data collected from the EDI is used by schools and partnering agencies in planning programs for children and families. Human Early Learning Partnership, Early Development Instrument (EDI) and mapping. HELP is an interdisciplinary network, based at UBC, which implements the Early Development Instrument (EDI) to measure a child’s readiness to learn in school. Data are reported at the provincial and neighborhood level, children’s privacy is protected and information is not reported at the individual level. HELP has an Aboriginal Steering Committee and Community Liaison to support delivery of the program in Aboriginal schools and communities. This annual study is conducted kindergarten teachers across BC and supports the development of maps to indicate where Aboriginal children are thriving and where the gaps are to help direct programs and services on the regional and community level. Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) addresses poverty, literacy, and children at risk through a home instruction program that recognizes the parent as their child's first and best teacher. The program empowers parents with a fun, flexible and easy-to-follow format that helps them teach their children and prepare them for the demands of primary school. Aboriginal HIPPY Programs are run through a partnership with the Chief Dan George Centre for Advanced Education that supports the implementation of HIPPY in Aboriginal and First Nations communities in a way that honours and respects Aboriginal cultures, languages, and unique circumstances. Aboriginal Community leaders work with the program to strengthen the nation and re-educate families as a whole. Aboriginal HIPPY programs are run in BC in Vancouver, Kitamaat, Bella Bella, and more are planned for Manitoba and Ontario. The Whole Child Program is a health promotion and prevention program that supports families by establishing links to services and programs such as parenting skills, recreation opportunities, and child development. Nunavut Sivuniksavut (“Our Land is Our Future”) – this transition program is based in Ottawa, giving Nunavut students their first experience living in southern Canada, and bridging the gap between high school and university. The program is centered on Inuit culture, language, history, politics, and the land claims agreement, courses are accredited by Algonquin College. For an evaluation see Thomas Berger’s The Nunavut Project, 2006. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2. Literacy, including instruction in aboriginal languages and cultures | Se't A'newey First Nations School has developed a Mi'kmaq studies program of Mi'kmaq Language, history, cultural values, legends, stories, and current events. The Mi’kmaq program is offered alongside core provincial curriculum. Mi’kmaq Services, within the Nova Scotia Department of Education, oversees 9 First Nation Schools in 7 communities. Located within the Public Schools Branch, the Mi'kmaq Services Division was established to develop language and culture curriculum and integrate it with public education. Mi’kmaq Services is responsible for providing leadership, direction and planning to ensure that Mi'kmaq Nova Scotians benefit from a fully supportive learning environment in public schools, with access to Aboriginal learning resources. With the creation of Nunavut, the territorial government began redesigning curriculum to be based upon Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit or Inuit worldview. The new curriculum has been designed to be more relevant and culturally appropriate. o A key focus is the Inuktitut first language curriculum, Uqausiliriniq. o The Aulajaaqtut program of studies deals with wellness, traditional values, and leadership, is based upon traditional Inuit values and incorporates the knowledge of Elders. It provides an overview of social history over the past decades and celebrates the resiliency and persistence of the Inuit. o Student assessment requires the demonstration of attitudes and innovative thinking in collaborative and strategic solution-seeking. Assessment involves student portfolios, achievement rubrics and self and peer assessment activities The Manitoba Aboriginal Education Branch has developed the Manitoba Curriculum Framework of Outcomes for Kindergarten to Grade 12 Aboriginal Languages and Cultures. This document was developed in collaboration with elders and community advisors, and dedicated to the preservation, revitalization, and maintenance of Aboriginal languages and cultures. A companion document is the resource Helping Your Child Succeed in School: A Guide for Parents and Families of Aboriginal Students, which provides suggestions on how parents and families can support student learning. Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, Northwest Territories, Yukon, and Nunavut are partners in the Western and Northern Canadian Protocol (WNCP) and Aboriginal Languages Protocol that promotes a The Common Curriculum Framework for Aboriginal Language and Culture Programs: Kindergarten to Grade 12. The framework reflects the universal values and beliefs inherent in Aboriginal cultures, and is based on revitalization, preservation, and maintenance of these languages. The Saskatchewan First Nations and Métis Education Branch, in collaboration with education partners, is currently developing Cree curricula. The Alberta Aboriginal Languages Programs are optional programs available in a wide variety of Aboriginal languages, including Blackfoot and Cree from elementary to high school level. Performance standards and assessment materials are provincially developed. Kura Kaupapa Maori Schools in New Zealand, are total immersion Maori language schools that feature active participation by Māori in planning, development and delivery of education to ensure that services are appropriate and effective for Māori. Māori provider development is one key mechanism for participation. Other mechanisms include Māori representation on Boards of Trustees, and Māori workforce development. The number of kura kaupapa Māori Schools jumped from 13 in 1992, to 73 schools in 2007. Kua O Ka La Hawaiian Culture School - is designed to educate and nurture native Hawaiian youth who are not adequately served by the educational system. Students who are academically and socially challenged are empowered through culturally congruent, community based, hands-on learning. Programs are designed to meet or exceed state standards. Students learn different approaches to solving complex problems, work collaboratively, take responsibility of their own actions, and evaluate their own performance. The Native American Community Academy, is a school for grade 6-12 in New Mexico, that blends core curriculum with Native American culture, language, and wellness philosophy. Curriculum is developed in collaboration with the University of New Mexico. Another charter school taking this approach is the Minneapolis Charter School / Heart of the Earth Centre for American Indian Education, created in 1992 to serve grates K-12, and is linked to the University of Minnesota. The Eskasoni Elementary and Middle School is a band-owned school in the Eskasoni First Nation in Cape Breton, with students from Kindergarten to Grade 9. The school follows provincial curriculum, and offers a Mi’kmaq language immersion program from Kindergarten to Grade 3 that has been positively evaluated. The school has tailored the PATHS (Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies) program from the US, to work with its Aboriginal students. Called the EMPATHIC program at Eskasoni, it is based upon the medicine wheel and was developed to reflect Aboriginal culture and language. This comprehensive program promotes emotional and social competencies and reduces aggression and behaviour problems while simultaneously enhancing the educational process in the classroom. The motto for Chief Jimmy Bruneau Regional High School in Behchokö is “strong like 2 people”. The school is named after Chief Bruneau who began pressing the Government of Canada for a school in the community in 1938. The school uses Alberta’s core curriculum, with an additional focus on spirituality, and a program called Gonawok’e, which builds traditional land skills. The school has a high attendance record, which staff attribute to its cultural and trades programming. It also has the highest graduation rate in the territory. Inclusive schooling is mandated throughout the Northwest Territories and is a based on the philosophy that builds on strengths of individual students, supporting individual achievement through Program Support Teachers in addition to homeroom teachers. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3. School Dropout | Inuksuk Pirurvik project (place to grow), a pilot project at the Iqaluit High School, is targeted at non-attenders and students at risk of non-attending. The objective is to engage youth in school again with a meaningful program offering welding and jewelry-making. There is a life skills component and a career-path component. The program received multi-year funding from the National Crime Prevention Center. Seventh Generation Club, sponsored by the First Nations Schools Association, and partly funded by INAC, the club’s mandate is to promote healthy living and staying in school. It offers attendance incentives in partnership with the Vancouver Canucks hockey team, regular newsletters with recipes and exercise suggestions, it hosts parent’s clubs, sports days, and science days. The Club helps youth with career planning, and promotes local First Nations Goal Models. There is a First Nations Parents Club and annual conference for parents, to support them in helping their children attend school. The Native Youth Centre in Vancouver, provides more than 19 programs including: partnership with Vancouver School Board to provide academic and social support, stay in school program, mentoring and tutoring, computer lab for homework Drop in centre, child minding, young parents support, community kitchen, drug and alcohol counselling, the Aries Project is a partnership with Child and Family Services and the Vancouver School Board to provide an alternative school for Aboriginal youth with lifeskills, cultural enrichment, and one on one education support. ABSTUDY, is a bursary program to support Australian Aborigines to stay in school and enrol in post-secondary studies. It consists of a fortnightly living allowance as well as additional components to help with the costs associated with attending school. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4. Alternative school/programs | Knud Rasmussen High School, in Sisimiut opened in 1962. Its students study Greenlandic, history, social sciences, literature, mathematics, Danish and English, but also take courses in tanning, handicraft, beadwork, and stone polishing. In the spring, students head out on the land, hunting and camping. During the summer and autumn, short-term courses on current social or cultural issues are offered. Kiwaytinook Internet High School (KiHS) provides online access to high school for students in Ontario’s northern communities, delivering grade 9 to 12 Ontario Ministry credit courses. KiHS offers a full grade 9 and 10 program as well as courses in grade 11 English and Math, and Grade 12 English. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5. Access to Post secondary education | The Aboriginal Health Human Resources Initiative (AHHRI) has three objectives o To increase the number of Aboriginal people working in health careers. o To improve the retention of health care workers in Aboriginal communities. o To adapt current health care educational curricula to improve cultural competence in Aboriginal health care. AHHRI is coordinated by the National Aboriginal Health Organization (NAHO), in partnership with the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) and the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch (FNIHB). The RBC Aboriginal Student Awards Program assists Aboriginal students to complete post secondary education. Selected students are awarded up to $4,000 each academic year for a maximum of four years to use towards tuition, textbooks, supplies and living expenses. There are five awards per year for students studying in the financial field, and three per year for other fields of study. Chief Dan George Centre for Advanced Education is a partnership between the Tsleil-Waututh Nation and Simon Fraser University in Vancouver. The centre was established in June 2001, to offer programs incorporating First Nations content and perspective and provide Aboriginal students with enhanced access to university level education, at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The Centre partners with the City of Vancouver to provide its building in downtown Vancouver. Programs include: Lifelong Learning - where students and parents can re-enter the education system together; Aborginal-e, high school program - starting from grade 8 – 12 and including adult learning, this is a distance learning program to support youth and adults to achieve grade 12 equivalency; University level - the Centre partners with Simon Fraser University to offer courses on Aboriginal Leadership Management and Communications, and business skills. The Aboriginal Multimedia Society provides information on scholarships and bursaries for Aboriginal students on its website, including: Dalhousie, St. Frances Xavier, University College of Cape Breton, University of Kings College, and awards from Hydro Quebec, KPMG, Canadian Space Agency, Department of National Defence, Toyota, the Weather Network, Imperial Oil. INAC’s Post Secondary Student Support Program provides tuition support, living and travel expenses for Inuit and First Nations students. National Aboriginal Achievement Awards program promotes self esteem by providing fourteen annual awards for outstanding career achievement, including a youth award, to First Nations, Métis, and Inuit recipients. Building Brighter Futures program: provides awards to over 600 First Nations, Inuit, and Métis student annually across a diverse range of disciplines. In the 2007-2008 fiscal year $3.2 million was awarded to907 recipients across Canada. In total, NAAF has disbursed over $27.5 million since its inception. NAAF offers financial assistance (scholarships and bursaries) throughfour major categories: Post-Secondary Education, Fine Arts, Health Careers, andOil & Gas Aboriginal Trades & Technology The National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation partners with government and corporate organizations and is the largest supporter of Aboriginal education outside of the Government of Canada. v The Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation and the University of Victoria have a new pilot project that will measure ways of improving the success rates of Aboriginal students in post-secondary education. The LE,NONET project is the first of its kind in Canada, and will provide financial, academic and cultural support to Aboriginal students at the university during each of the next four academic years. LE,NONET means “success after enduring hardships.” | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6. Adult basic education/ Return to formal schooling | Rivers to Success program: This initiative was created to inspire, motivate and facilitate the return to school of Aboriginal at-risk youth who have left school within a three year period prior to entering the program. Our primary target group is Aboriginal youth aged 15 to 19 but we recognize the needs of students under the age of 15 and those over age 19. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7. Vocational training | Blueprint for the Future program: This is a series of national career fairs and trade shows designed to attract First Nation, Métis and Inuit high school students to the wide array of potential careers available in all employment sectors. Industry in the Classroom program: is a series of 2.5 hour curriculum modules designed to increase awareness amongst Aboriginal youth about the various career opportunities in the Canadian workforce and open doors to employment. Through these curriculum modules students are recruited to careers in various industries and are motivated to stay in school. To date modules have been produced on the Railway, Transportation, Justice, and Health industries, including a separate module on Inuit Health. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8. School Improvement/Effectiveness | Aboriginal School Improvement Grants Program, run by the Society for the Advancement of Excellence in Education (SAEE) – accepts applications from schools which identify learning challenges they wish to address with a school-wide initiative. Grants are awarded to support school interventions to improve learning outcomes, and improve in literacy and math skills amongst students. Through two major research projects, the Society for Advancement in Education has identified 20 case studies of schools in Canada that are showing positive achievement for Aboriginal students. There are a number of key common characteristics shared by these schools, and a common focus on building a positive sense of Aboriginal cultural identity while delivering the highest possible level of education. Schools were nominated for the study by officials from each jurisdiction’s Department of Education, school districts, First Nations groups, universities, and the federal government. To be selected, schools also had to meet several criteria demonstrating significant progress for Aboriginal students, including strong attendance and student engagement. The research plan was approved by the University of Saskatchewan Research Ethics Committee, and was focused on bringing the Aboriginal voice and ways of knowing to the findings. Although schools differed in their governance structures, percentage of Aboriginal students, and approach to student assessment, the findings show that all schools share the following common characteristics: o Strong leadership and governance structures o High expectations for students o Focus on academic achievement and long-term success o Secure and welcoming climates for children and families o Respect for Aboriginal culture and traditions to make learning relevant o Quality staff development o Provision of a wide range of programs/supports for learning The studies selected the following schools from across Canada:
A sample of several of these schools follows to provide a deeper understanding of what is working and why: Tsi Snaihne School is on the Akwesasne First Nation, which straddles the border between Ontario, Quebec, and New York State. Band members have dual citizenship in Canada and the US, as well as citizenship in the Akwesasne Mohawk First Nation. Tsi Snaihne is one of three elementary schools under the responsibility of the Akwesasne Board of Education. Akwesasne schools focus on cultural identity through Mohawk language immersion as well as delivering core elementary curriculum. The school is linked to a recreation centre with programming for children (Aboriginal Head Start, and a preschool) through to elders, and is open year round. Tsi Snaihne has high student attendance. Tsi Snaihne School is on the Quebec portion of the reserve. On the US side, is the Akwesasne Freedom School, which was founded by Mohawk parents in 1979. The school is dedicated to the preservation of Mohawk Language and culture with Mohawk language immersion school until Grade 6, when English is introduced to help students make the transition to high school. The school focuses on instilling pride by protecting traditions, and was originally founded as a cultural survival school, which won recognition as a promising Aboriginal school by the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples (1995). Students can begin at the Akwesasne Freedom School at the age of 5, pre K through 8th grade. The school is administered by a parent advisory committee, the principal, and the Mohawk Nation Council of Chiefs. Also on the US side, the St. Regis Mohawk School (preschool, Kindergarten, Grades 1-6) is under the jurisdiction of New York State. The school has a 93% attendance rate, and a teacher/student ration of 1:11. These case studies from Akwesasne demonstrate that while school governance may differ, even within one community, a common approach that supports Aboriginal identity works to engage students and improve school attendance. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9. Teacher education and development | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10 Development of public health & allied professions | Aboriginal Nutrition Network – promotes careers in nutrition provide a forum for registered dieticians working in Aboriginal communities or those with a general interest in Aboriginal nutrition issues to: o Network and share resources with communities o Be informed and participate in continuing education opportunities o Further develop dietetic training opportunities with a focus on Aboriginal nutrition o Be identified as a resource group for governing bodies, communities and others o Raise awareness of Aboriginal nutrition needs o Promote nutrition as a career choice among Aboriginal students Also under FNIHB, the Community Action Resources for Inuit, Métis and First Nations: Toolbox and Introduction to Health Promotion Program Planning support Aboriginal communities to implement their own health promotion programs. Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada (IPAC), promotes the health and wellbeing of Indigenous nations, communities, families and individuals through advocacy to support indigenous medical professionals. IPAC works in collaboration with the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, and with the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada to raise awareness and bring about change in the recruitment and retention practices of the medical schools, including a National Aboriginal Health Curriculum Framework for the undergraduate medical education level. It is also working to support a learning environment that is more culturally safe for First Nations, Inuit and Métis medical learners and will increase the cultural competence of all physicians in Canada once implemented. IPAC receives financial support from the National Aboriginal Health Organization (NAHO). | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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