CANADIANCCPA CENTRE FOR POLICY ALTERNATIVES MANITOBA

Fisher River Cree Nation Innovative solutions toward improved postsecondary education experiences and outcomes By Shauna MacKinnon

MAY 2016 Fisher River Cree Nation: Innovative solutions About the Author: toward improved postsecondary education experiences and outcomes Shauna MacKinnon is Associate Professor at the Urban and Inner City Program, University !"#$ %&'-(-&&()*-)'+-& of Winnipeg. She is a member of the Manitoba Research Alliance, heading the Education, Training ,-. )/(+ and Capacity Building stream.

This report is available free of charge from the CCPA Acknowledgements website at www.policyalternatives.ca. Printed copies may be ordered through the Manitoba Office Many thanks to Fisher River Cree Nation and in for a $"# fee. particular Davin Dumas, Kelly Selkirk for assistance and feedback provided throughout the research process. Also thanks to University of Winnipeg Help us continue to offer our publications free student Geraldine Mcmanus for her assistance online. gathering stories through interviews with students, We make most of our publications available free parents, graduates and other Fisher River members. on our website. Making a donation or taking out a And last but not least, thanks to the individuals who membership will help us continue to provide people openly shared their stories with us. The wisdom with access to our ideas and research free of charge. drawn from your experiences are essential to You can make a donation or become a member improving programs moving forward. on-line at www.policyalternatives.ca. Or you can contact the Manitoba office at %#&-'%(-)%## for more information. Suggested donation for this publication: $"# or what you can afford.

Unit %#* – (+* Main St., Winnipeg, MB R%W )N* ,-. %#&-'%(-)%## /01 %#&-'%(-)%#" -203. [email protected] Executive Summary

Fisher River Cree Nation () is located two of transitional year programming for high school hundred kilometers north of the city of Win- graduates wishing to obtain postsecondary edu- nipeg, Manitoba, Canada. As is the case with cation,  continues to seek innovative ways many First Nations, its membership is young and to improve education and employment outcomes growing and this leads to many opportunities for its members. and challenges. In an age where postsecondary %rough assessment of program data and education and training is a basic requirement qualitative inquiry, this study describes what has for meaningful employment, one challenge is worked well for , and the continued chal- ensuring that students have the tools they need lenges and possible program responses moving to succeed in whatever they choose to do.  forward. We conclude that a lack of funding to has turned this challenge into an opportunity, do what is necessary remains the fundamental testing new holistic approaches that support challenge. We also note that the type of model students in both locally delivered primary edu- used makes a difference. Small postsecondary cation and postsecondary education that takes learning environments where supportive rela- students away from their community. %rough tionships are nurtured have better results. %ere recent initiatives including the integration of in- also needs to be greater openness to exploring digenous content and languages into curriculum alternative methods and paths toward improved at Charles Sinclair School and the introduction education experiences and outcomes.

!"#$%& &"'%& (&%% )*+",) 1 Introduction

Fisher River Cree Nation () is located two has among the highest graduation rates in all of hundred kilometers north of Winnipeg, Manitoba Manitoba. As a result of this success, there has Canada. It is a small First Nation of  mem- been an increase in the number of Fisher River bers with  of its members living on-reserve members interested in pursuing postsecond- and the other  members living elsewhere. It ary education. For the most part, this requires is also a young and growing community with a high school graduates to leave the community total of  births registered between  and to attend postsecondary education institutions . Fisher River has developed a reputation in outside of the First Nation.  knows that Manitoba as a First Nation that is innovative, col- the transition can be extremely challenging for laborative and continuously seeking new ways to students. It is far too common for students to improve the social and economic conditions of leave school and return home within the first its members. It does so through multiple means six months of living away from home. including economic development to increase lo- In an effort to reduce postsecondary recidivism, cal employment opportunities for members, de- Fisher River established a -year pilot program veloping partnerships with other governments, called the “Enhancement Year Program ()”. educators and industries outside of the commu- %e program ran from  to . It was built nity, and through promoting excellence in edu- around the teachings of the medicine wheel, rec- cation and training to ensure its members have ognizing the need for holistic programming fo- the skills they need to succeed regardless of what cused on meeting not only the intellectual needs they choose to do and where they choose to live. of students, but also their spiritual, mental and Fisher River Cree Nation recognizes that physical needs. %e program was designed to its future and that of its members is integrally include partnerships with postsecondary insti- tied to education, from early years through the tutions in Winnipeg, so students could connect completion of high school and beyond. As such, with these institutions prior to their formal en-  has focused a great deal of attention on im- rollment to ensure a more successful transition. proving school curriculum and increasing high %e  was initially designed as a pilot school graduation rates. At  percent,  project, with the longer-term goal of integrat-

2 !"#"$%"# !&#'(& )*( +*,%!- ",'&(#"'%.&/ — 0"#%'*1" ing the most promising features into regular has integrated what is believed to be the most high school curriculum. Built into the  was important features of the  into high school a process to measure effectiveness so as to bet- curriculum, thereby eliminating the extra year ter understand how best to refine the  and that was central to the . “back track” it into the secondary curriculum. %e research described in this study builds on In , the University of Brandon conducted a the earlier University of Brandon report, explor- mixed methods study, integrating quantitative ing outstanding research questions, and seeking and qualitative methods to assess the . %is to better understand factors contributing to the study highlighted successes and ongoing chal- successful education outcomes that Fisher Riv- lenges, and provided recommendations for fu- er Cree Nation has become known for, as well ture planning. as continued challenges. Drawing on the expe- %e  ran from  to  and has since riences and perspectives of those interviewed, been replaced with the Enhanced Grade  (EG) this report also provides some ideas for Fisher program. Aligned with the original plan, the EG River Cree Nation to consider moving forward.

!"#$%& &"'%& (&%% )*+",) 3 Methods

%is report begins with an overview of the his- spoke with six teachers/administrators, four who torical and contemporary context of Aboriginal had been involved in the  program and two people as it relates to education participation and currently involved in the EG. In addition to outcomes. It draws on the University of Bran- being the parent of a student who went through don study, describing some key lessons learned the , one person interviewed was involved in and how they were used to reformulate the  the early development of the . into the EG program. It also examines recent By conducting this research, our aim is to  enrollment and completion data to better better understand: understand the interests and trajectories of stu- • If  education attainment has improved dents. However the main focus of the paper is and whether the  contributed to qualitative in nature, examining interview and increased attendance and completion. focus group data and extrapolating potential pol- • Parent, student, educators and icy and program ideas for future development. administrators perspectives about the end %is study was conducted in partnership with of the  and and EG program. Fisher River Cree Nation and ethics approval • Factors that have contributed to  was obtained through the University of Winni- successful high school completion and peg Research Ethics Board. Qualitative data was postsecondary participation collected through interviews with parents, staff, graduates and other Fisher River Cree Nation • Continued challenges and potential new members. Interview questions were developed strategies in collaboration with Fisher River Cree Nation. • Implications for future  enrollment, We also conducted a focus group with past and completion and transition to employment present educators. In total we spoke to eight- Interview and focus group data was analyzed een people including nine individuals who went line-by-line, leading to the emergence of key through the  as students and three parents themes that were later refined to those discussed of students who participated in the . We also in section .

4 !"#"$%"# !&#'(& )*( +*,%!- ",'&(#"'%.&/ — 0"#%'*1" Why this Research is Needed: Aboriginal People and Education in Historical and Contemporary Context

We believe this research can contribute to a %e proportion of Aboriginal adults below the base of knowledge aimed at improving social poverty line, regardless of age and gender, is and economic outcomes for Indigenous peo- much higher than that of non-Aboriginal adults, ple. %e recently released Truth and Reconcili- with differences ranging from . for adult ation Commission of Canada summary report, men aged sixty-five or older, to . for adult Honouring the Truth, Reconciling for the Future women aged sixty five or older. %e depth of () outlines the continued overrepresentation poverty is also much greater, with Aboriginal of Indigenous people among those unemployed, people having an average income that falls underemployed and living in poverty, in part due further below the poverty line on average than to the legacy of residential schools. %e  de- that of non-Aboriginal adults, and their poverty scribes the reality of Aboriginal people as follows: is more likely to have persisted for a significant period of time. ( : ) Aboriginal people also have incomes well below their non-Aboriginal counter-parts. %e Among the  calls to action put forward in the median income for Aboriginal people in  report is a call to address inequities in education was  lower than the median income for and employment outcomes. non-Aboriginal workers (, versus ,, For example, call to action number  states: respectively). %e gap narrows when Aboriginal We call upon the federal government to draft people obtain a university degree, which they new Aboriginal education legislation with the do at a far lower rate. Not surprisingly, the child full participation and informed consent of poverty rate for Aboriginal children is also very Aboriginal peoples. %e new legislation would high — , compared with  for all children include a commitment to sufficient funding and in Canada. %e income gap is pervasive: would incorporate the following principles: non-Aboriginal Canadians earn more than Aboriginal workers no matter whether they i. Providing sufficient funding to close identified work on reserves, or in urban, rural, or remote educational achievement gaps within one locations. generation.

!"#$%& &"'%& (&%% )*+",) 5 ii. Improving education attainment levels and more adequate representation of Aboriginal peo- success rates. ple in all sectors. Aboriginal students are also more likely to iii. Developing culturally appropriate curricula. drop out of . Depending on the age group, iv. Protecting the right to Aboriginal languages, the dropout rate has been reported to be thirty including the teaching of Aboriginal to over fifty percent higher than that of non-Ab- languages as credit courses. original participants (Parkin and Baldwin ). Aboriginal students in  also tend to be older v. Enabling parental and community than non-Aboriginal students and women out responsibility, control, and accountability, number men by a : ratio (Statistics Canada ). similar to what parents enjoy in public school %e differences described above are not sur- systems. prising given the numerous barriers and chal- vi. Enabling parents to fully participate in the lenges that Aboriginal students encounter. Poor education of their children. socio-economic conditions, inequitable edu- cation funding, difficulties transitioning from vii. Respecting and honouring Treaty First Nations environments to urban settings, relationships. and negative schooling experiences can pose While Aboriginal high school completion and many challenges that all too often lead students education graduation rates have improved in to withdraw. Fisher River Cree Nation knows all recent times — most recent data available from too well that participation in education can be  shows that the gap between Aboriginal and particularly challenging for students who must non-Aboriginal Canadians is shrinking — the dis- leave their home communities to study in urban crepancy remains considerable. Fully  percent centres. For these students, adapting to city life of Aboriginal people surveyed between the ages and attending large universities with relatively of  and  years completed , compared to few indigenous role models and students can be . percent of the non-Aboriginal population. overwhelming and isolating. %eir challenges Also notable are the types of  complet- are further exacerbated by the racism they reg- ed. %e percentage of Aboriginal and non-Abo- ularly encounter. riginal respondents with trades certificates was In a recent study of racial discrimination in comparable with . percent of Aboriginal re- Canadian universities, researchers found that spondents holding a trades certificate compared Aboriginal students experienced high levels with  percent of non-Aboriginal respondents. of racism (Currie, Wild, Schopflocher, Laing, %ose holding a college diploma were also com- Veugelers, ). Huffman () examined parable, with . percent of Aboriginal respond- the university experience of Native Americans ents reporting completion of a college diploma in the US and noted assimilationist policies as compared with . percent of non-Aboriginal a central problem resulting in ambivalent atti- respondents. %ere remains a significant gap tudes toward education among Aboriginal peo- between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people ple. He notes that years of “paternalistic and with a university degree — . percent of Abo- condescending educational philosophies and riginal people reported completion of a univer- approaches” (p. ) have contributed toward sity degree compared with . percent of non- ambivalence, distrust, poor academic perfor- Aboriginal respondents (Statistics Canada ). mance and early withdrawal. %is response was Increasing the number of Aboriginal people with reflected in a Manitoba based study of Aborigi- university degrees is essential if we are to ensure nal post-secondary learners that found students

6 !"#"$%"# !&#'(& )*( +*,%!- ",'&(#"'%.&/ — 0"#%'*1" to be struggling with “dispositional, situational, %ese conditions were compounded for and systemic obstacles in their pursuit of post- many students by the challenges of trying to secondary education” (Sloane-Seale, Wallace, & learn in environments rendered traumatic Levin, ). Study participants reported fac- by homesickness, hunger, fear, abuse, and tors including lack of self-esteem; racism and institutionalized helplessness. %e Commission sexism; lack of role models; dislocation; poorly has heard many examples of students who educated parents; lower incomes; difficult fam- attended residential school for eight or more ily circumstances; lack of academic preparation; years, but left with nothing more than Grade childcare and other social support challenges as %ree achievement, and sometimes without contributing toward a very daunting experience even the ability to read. According to Indian (p. –). Huffman’s study of Native American Affairs annual reports, in the s, only half of students across the US found similar issues. He each year’s enrolment got to Grade Six. emphasizes a complex combination of financial, Poor educational achievement has led to the social, psychological and academic barriers for chronic unemployment or under-employment, “American Indian” learners. Conversations with poverty, poor housing, substance abuse, family representatives of trainers and educators in Win- violence, and ill health that many former students nipeg’s inner city reveal similar obstacles. %ey of the schools have suffered as adults. Although note that their Aboriginal students generally educational success rates are slowly improving, come to them with very low literacy levels and Aboriginal Canadians still have dramatically a host of family challenges and responsibilities lower educational and economic achievements that seriously complicate their ability to com- than other Canadians (, , ). plete their programs and move out of poverty. %e experiences described above are consistent A  report by Malatest and Associates ex- with the literature on colonization that describes amined the barriers to education for Aboriginal a long process of destruction that has “affected learners. %ey categorize barriers to education un- people physically, emotionally, linguistically and der four overarching themes that align with  culturally” (Smith, , p, ). findings. %ese include historical barriers, social %e very damaging effects of colonization ex- barriers, cultural barriers and individual barriers. posed through the Truth and Reconciliation Com- %e  experience for many Aboriginal stu- mission of Canada provide further insight into the dents is also affected by an absence of Aborigi- intergenerational impact of residential schools: nal role models. %is extends beyond academic institutions to include role models within fami- In addition to the emotional and psychological lies and communities. Research shows that stu- damage they inflicted, one of the most far- dents are more likely to ‘succeed’ if their parents reaching and devastating legacies of residential see value in education and encourage them in schools has been their impact on the their studies (Patrikakou, ). But even when educational and economic success of Aboriginal Indigenous students do well in high school, the people. %e lack of role models and mentors, transition to  can be overwhelming. Students insufficient funds for the schools, inadequate often struggle to adapt to large urban environ- teachers, and unsuitable curricula generally ments and very large educational institutions taught in a foreign language — and sometimes where they can be “invisible” if they so choose. by teachers who were also not proficient in the Racism, discrimination and cultural insensitiv- language of instruction — have all contributed ity are realities that Indigenous students deal to dismal success rates for Aboriginal education. with daily, adding further to the challenge. All of

!"#$%& &"'%& (&%% )*+",) 7 these factors can lead students to perceive post- the funding shortfall is that First Nations are secondary education institutions as unwelcom- unable to provide funding to all members who ing, sometimes hostile environments. want to pursue postsecondary education. %is Financial barriers often deter students from often means that students who delay postsec- participating in postsecondary education. For ondary education after high school, and those students relocating from First Nation com- who did not ‘succeed’ in an initial attempt for munities, costs include tuition fees, books and all the reasons described above, are less likely supplies, but also the cost of housing and other to receive support when they are ready to try living costs. Financial support for First Nations again. First Nations must make a difficult choice: students exists in the form of the Post-Second- do they reward students for doing well in high ary Student Support Program () however school by prioritizing them for postsecondary the annual two percent cap on  funding, in funding, even if they may not be emotionally place since , has meant that fewer students and psychologically ready, or do they prioritize can receive support at a time when the need for older students who may be ‘ready’ but who have and interest in  grows. more responsibilities that will create additional %e inadequacy of funding to First Nations challenges? And regardless of ‘who’ they decide for education, including early years through to to support, how do they ensure that students postsecondary, is highlighted in the  sum- not only have their financial needs taken care mary report. For example, call to action num- of, but other needs as well? %ese are the diffi- ber  calls upon the Government of Canada to cult questions Fisher River Cree Nation strug- “…provide adequate funding to end the backlog gles with as it shapes and refines policies and of First Nations students seeking a post-sec- programs within the context of limited finan- ondary education” ( , ). %e result of cial capacity.

8 !"#"$%"# !&#'(& )*( +*,%!- ",'&(#"'%.&/ — 0"#%'*1" Proactively Seeking Solutions: Establishing the Enhancement Year Program

Fisher River Cree Nation continues to revise •  students did not complete the initial policies and programs in an effort to improve program they enrolled in but were enrolled education outcomes. %eir efforts have resulted in a different  program in improved high school graduation rates with •  students began a  program but did current levels between  and  percent. For not complete certain, this is to be celebrated, but it has also •  students did not enroll in any  created new challenges. %e success has led to program after graduation an increasing number of students wishing to enroll in postsecondary education at a younger %e above data, as well as student grades and age, and this comes with a host of challenges. attendance data showed  that many of its With a higher number of members proceeding students were struggling in institutions and ad- to post secondary education directly from high justing to life outside of the community. Fisher school,  turned its attention to assessing River Cree Nation was concerned with these out-  student progress and outcomes. After re- comes for the individuals involved as well as the viewing education statistics between  and health and wellbeing of the broader community. , Fisher River Cree Nation was concerned As a community committed to continued im- that a high number of students were not com- provement, the findings inspired  to develop pleting their  studies. %e review ( ) the Enhanced Year Program () pilot project. showed that out of  graduates from the Charles  concluded that it needed to take a more Sinclair School: holistic approach, focusing attention beyond ac- •  students had graduated from a program, ademics to prepare students socially, mentally  of whom were continuing in another  and spiritually. %is, they believed, would help program make the transition to large impersonal institu- tions, and especially those in Winnipeg, much •  students continued in the same program. easier as it would provide students with the new tools needed to survive and thrive.

!"#$%& &"'%& (&%% )*+",) 9 As noted by one individual involved in the %e Medicine Wheel is often based on the four development of the : cardinal directions with each direction repre- senting a different philosophy within the con- …. a lot of times we had kids back here by text of the circle of life. Individuals are seen in Christmas and just feeling their self esteem was the broader context of the environment and affected… their parents didn’t feel good about the community. %e Medicine Wheel has been it and it affected the whole community…that’s used in various ways to incorporate traditional why we really thought we needed some way to Indigenous knowledge and methodologies into enhance and build them up…getting them to the learning process (Hill, ; McKenzie and feel that they could do it.” Morrisette ; Brendtro, Brokenleg and Van To better understand how they could improve Bockern ). Pedagogical approaches that in- supports for students,  education admin- tegrate the teachings of the Medicine Wheel are istrators met with formerly funded students, consistent with Batiste’s () approach to de- education institutions and others to determine colonizing education. Decolonizing pedagogical what was standing in students’ way and how they approaches built from Indigenous ways of know- might be better supported. Consistent with re- ing are important because they begin from an search on the experience of Indigenous students understanding of the damaging effects of colo- described earlier in this report,  found stu- nization and the need to “unlearn and learn — to dents to be struggling with a number of social, unlearn racism and superiority in all its mani- financial, emotional and spiritual issues ( festations...” (). Decolonizing pedagogies can ). A team of educators and other  mem- help Aboriginal learners situate their journey, bers tasked with developing a program response including both that which has been positive and agreed that students would be best served by re- that which has been negative, within this con- maining in the community, participating in an text. %ey provide an opportunity to challenge intensive ‘extra’ year beyond high school before some of the most damaging aspects of coloni- enrolling in . %e team believed that a transi- zation, namely the rewriting of history through tional year program would better equip students the eyes of the colonizer and the “internalization to adapt to education environments and urban and the acceptance of the dominant discourse life. An  team was established to further re- that marginalizes the culture of the colonized view the existing literature on barriers and best and exalts the colonizers cultural values as uni- practices; develop  content; negotiate part- versal” (Adyanga Akena , ). nerships with  institutions; and develop a set Fisher River First Nation designed the  of guidelines and supports. program around the Medicine Wheel with the aim to “find a balance between supporting stu- dents (hand-holding) and student independence Overview and Assessment of the (letting go), with the broader goal to “increase Enhancement Year Program self-reliance (, ). Aligned with the Medi- %e Enhancement Year Program was developed to cine Wheel, the  integrates spiritual, social/ align with the teachings of the Medicine Wheel. emotional, intellectual, and physical elements %e Medicine Wheel is a symbol commonly used of development throughout the course of the in North American Indigenous cultures to teach program. Courses included an orientation and Indigenous values and beliefs. While it may be interpersonal communications through what uniquely interpreted across different tribes, the they refer to as a “Life Skills” program. Other core values of its teachings remain consistent. courses included Computers, Career Studies,

10 !"#"$%"# !&#'(& )*( +*,%!- ",'&(#"'%.&/ — 0"#%'*1" and Introduction to College, Math and Aca- a significant number of students had fallen be- demic Writing. It also included two courses to hind by the time they reached this level. Some be taken at Red River College (Aboriginal His- would drop out and others would proceed more tory  and Aboriginal World Issues ) during a slowly through, graduating at an older age than two-month period where students relocated to is the norm. Because Charles Sinclair School be- Winnipeg under the supervision of the  co- gan to focus attention on those students stuck ordinator. %is was an important element of the in the ‘bottle neck’ at grade nine, students be- program, providing students with a taste of what gan to move through more quickly, graduating life in Winnipeg would be like. at a younger age. %is meant that students going %e  was initially established as a pilot through the Enhancement Year Program were project with the long-term objective of ‘back- younger ( and , as opposed to the previous tracking’ the program into the regular K- average age of ). While this was a positive and curriculum. It operated on an annual budget of intentional outcome of ’s education efforts, . thousand with the majority of funding it also had implications for the  and student through various  budgets. %e then pro- transition. For example, students may have been vincial government Council on Post Secondary academically ready at a younger age, however in Education () and federal government Indi- some cases they were less psychologically and an and Northern Affairs Canada provided  year spiritually ready to be away from their families. funding in the amount of , () and , (). Other partners provided various Learned Helplessness and Dependence: supports throughout the project ( , ). As a result of the younger age of students moving A review of the  was conducted for Fisher into postsecondary education,  staff found River Cree Nation in  through the Univer- it common for students to have a difficult time sity of Brandon. %e review showed progress on making decisions for themselves, having become a number of indicators while also noting some accustomed to relying on family and others in continued challenges. %e report highlights the the community to ‘take care of them’ and solve following findings: their problems for them.  staff found it com- mon for students to lack initiative in pursuit of “Buying In”:  opportunities aligned with their interests. %e review describes some initial challenges in Some students seemed reluctant to advocate for student and broader community support for the themselves and had expectations that others . Some students didn’t like that they were would do this for them. As a result of this find- required to take an additional year of program- ing, the  further developed programming to ming before attending . %ey believed that focus on building independence. they should be able to proceed directly through to  just as students had done in the past. Addictions: However after the initial year students, parents At time of the  evaluation, addictions issues and the broader community began to accept the continued to be an issue for students. Poor at- benefits of the . tendance and withdrawal from the program have been associated with drug and alcohol use. Gam- !e Effects of Fixing “Bottle Necking”: bling, and in particular  addiction, has also Fisher River First Nation has experienced the been identified as an issue. Addiction issues are phenomenon they describe as ”bottle necking” a symptom of deeper issues, and in the case of at the grade  level. Assessments showed that Indigenous people, associated with intergenera-

!"#$%& &"'%& (&%% )*+",) 11 tional effects of colonial policies and programs review showed that the  made a significant ( ). %e , and now the EG program difference for students, limited resources dedi- continue to focus on decolonizing pedagogies cated to the program means that  would and practices aimed as exposing the root caus- need to proceed with its original plan to take es of addictions and working with participants what they learned from the  and integrate to resolve them. the best features of that program into regular curriculum. While an argument could have been Attendance and Retention: made to continue with the ,  had insuf- Related to the above, student attendance and re- ficient resources to sustain the model. tention continued to be a challenge at the time of In   introduced the Enhanced Grade evaluation. %is is a common challenge among  (EG) program to replace the . %e EG  students in general. Adjusting to the real- is mandatory for all students graduating from ity that there is nobody monitoring your attend- Charles Sinclair School wishing to obtain post- ance, as is the case in high school, and that you secondary education funding from . Stu- are responsible for the choice to attend or not dents in the EG take two dual-credit courses attend, can take some getting used to. %e EG in  (Life Skills and Career Development) program emphasizes to students that class at- and two dual-credit courses in Winnipeg. During tendance is critical to getting good grades and the months of May and June, EG students live completing programs. in Winnipeg under the supervision of the EG coordinator. %ey are enrolled in two first year Quantitative Assessment of Impact on courses at the University of Winnipeg (Academ- Student Success: ic Writing and Intro to Studies). Also while in  statistics suggest the program had an impact Winnipeg students are provided with an orien- on student ‘success’. Between year  and year tation to living in the city and are introduced to ,  students graduated from high school the various services available there. %e purpose with  completing the  program. Of the is to give students a head start and to eliminate  students who completed the ,  gradu- some of the anxiety and practical challenges that ated from  and are now employed. Another students experience when transitioning from  continue to be attending . Although the their small First Nation to a large urban centre.

12 !"#"$%"# !&#'(& )*( +*,%!- ",'&(#"'%.&/ — 0"#%'*1" Looking Back, Moving Forward

In  Fisher River Cree Nation partnered with  to have children and other responsibilities the Manitoba Research Alliance to assess pro- beyond those that are the norm for  students. gress since the  review. %ey were particu- In part as a result of having more complicated larly interested in the perspective of students, lives than their non-Aboriginal student peers, In- parents and teachers related to the EG com- digenous students often take longer to complete pared with the .  believed additional their programs. For example, between  and research could strengthen their understand-   provided funding for a total of  ing of the factors contributing to student suc- students. %e average age of these students was cess, continued challenges and improvements . years and the average number of years be- in programming moving forward. It can help tween grade  graduation and completion of a them to make better-informed decisions when  program was .. It is also notable that the assessing student readiness and making difficult number of female  students was more than decisions on which students to ‘fund’. %is is in- double that of male students — during  and creasingly important as the number of students   supported  female students com- seeking financial support exceeds the amount of pared with  male students. %is is consistent funds available. with experiences elsewhere that show a higher Assessing readiness involves much more than number of Aboriginal women obtaining uni- looking at a student’s grades and school attend- versity degrees compared with Aboriginal men. ance. It is complicated by the fact that First Na- It is also more common for Indigenous stu- tion student realities are often more complicated. dents compared with non-Indigenous students Although  has had an increase in younger attending  to have children and/or other de- students proceeding through to  after high pendents. Of the nine students interviewed for school, it remains the case that Aboriginal  this project, eight were female and six had young students in general tend to be older than non- children at home. One parent noted this as par- Aboriginal students, often returning to school as ticularly challenging for those who do not have adults and often after having started their fami- access to childcare. “…What I’ve seen from my lies. It is not uncommon for students attending own daughter’s classmates is that some couldn’t

!"#$%& &"'%& (&%% )*+",) 13 come to school because they didn’t have a ba- students in part-time studies over longer periods. bysitter, they didn’t have a consistent babysitter.” However if they do so, they will need to consider %e context described above has implications the implications for younger students. %rough for  policy and program development. For interviews and focus groups we hoped to better example, if data show that older students are understand some of the student realities described more likely to succeed, but take a longer time to above, their implications for  readiness, the complete,  might consider prioritizing older EG and other potential programs and supports.

14 !"#"$%"# !&#'(& )*( +*,%!- ",'&(#"'%.&/ — 0"#%'*1" What Fisher River Cree Nation Members Told Us: Key Themes

Beyond Academics — Building Confidence it cause they don’t want to appear that “oh I’m Through the “Life Skills” Program dumb.” Educators, administrators and parents interviewed %is experience is not unique to  students. talked about self-confidence as a factor they be- Many Indigenous students studying in settings lieved to be as important, if not more important, dominated by middle-class, non-indigenous than academic readiness. %ey found that even students who tend to be more vocal and con- students who excel academically can quickly fident have described issues of self-esteem and fall behind in larger urban located postsecond- confidence. One reason for this is the insidious, ary institutional settings if they don’t have the internalized impact of racism. One indigenous confidence needed to adapt to an environment university student described it like this: very different from what they have known. %e “Life Skills” program and its emphasis on decol- When I saw all of the white students I thought onization and cultural reclamation has played [they] would think I was just a dumb Indian…so an important role in helping students to develop I was afraid to speak up. a strong sense of identity and pride. %ose in- In response to this concern, one focus group terviewed told us this about the importance of participant said: self-confidence: I think that Life Skills was the most important Yeah, self confidence issues…it wasn’t academic, piece in that regard…we tried to address that… they had the skills, they could do it if they looking at themselves, who they are, what could function within a different society than they’re capable of and all the things that they what they were used to… that was our biggest seemed to be lacking… challenge- trying to figure out how to help them [build confidence]. While there was a sense that the Life Skills pro- gram is essential for students before they begin …It’s how they’re feeling inadequate if to focus on choosing a career, educators also somebody else is very vocal in class and they thought that exposing students to different ca- have things to say but they don’t want to voice

!"#$%& &"'%& (&%% )*+",) 15 reers and the skills required for those careers But educators and administrators also point to was important to begin in earlier years. Grades the issue that parents see education as solely the  and  were suggested as a good time to start responsibility of educators. so that students would think about the kinds of …for some, it is the opposite of distrust. %ey courses they would need to take to reach their hand their children over to the school, trusting career goals. Knowing that students would like- that they will do what they need to do to get ly change their focus, exploring careers can be their children through. %ey don’t see a role for revisited again after students develop further themselves and often don’t have the skills, or through the Life Skills program. don’t believe they have the skills, to help them All but one of the students interviewed spoke and encourage them through school because positively of the Life Skills component. Even those they didn’t not have this from their own parents. who did not continue on to  after comple- tion felt that the Life Skills program had helped Another factor noted by educators was the issue them to believe in themselves and take pride in of parents over protecting their children – fear- their identity as Indigenous people. ing for them when they leave the safety of the community to attend  in the city.

Parental Involvement and Support %ey see their role as protector, so if their child is struggling some parents say, “okay come Another key theme emerging from the interviews home”, because — it’s not rescuing — it’s more was the issue of parent involvement, encourage- that this is how they define what parenting is. If ment and support. Educators, students as well it’s hard, then you come back to the cocoon of as parents raised this as extremely important. the family and we will take care of you... Parental engagement is also consistently identi- fied as an indicator of ‘’success’ throughout the For a large number of families, parental support is research on education attainment. Research particularly difficult due to financial circumstance. consistently shows that students who have par- Many families are on social assistance and don’t ents committed to education are more likely to have the financial means to visit their children complete high school and continue through a in the city and/or to provide them with finan- postsecondary program (Patriakakou ). But cial assistance. First Nation students learn very for parents who have had negative experiences quickly when they move to the city that they are with school, engagement does not come easy. As not playing on a level field. One parent, whose son noted by one educator: completed a college degree and is now employed in a well-paying stable job said his son told him: How do I get parents involved? How do I get them “We’re not even close to being on the same playing to the point where they feel comfortable having field as the non-native community.” He noted that certain conversations that maybe other non- urban non-aboriginal students “come to class in indigenous successful post-secondary students’ their own vehicles, have paid parking outside, live parents have [with their children and teachers]? with their mom and dad, have cell phones…they Educators believe that the lack of parental en- all have cell phones and I have nothing”. gagement can be attributed to a variety of fac- %is parent said he was fortunate to have tors. For many, it is the distrust in education as been able to support his son financially as well the promised ticket out of poverty. %e legacy as emotionally. He was able to go to the city of residential schools and other negative school when his son called because he was lonely. And experiences have left many parents distrustful. he was able to provide him with additional fi-

16 !"#"$%"# !&#'(& )*( +*,%!- ",'&(#"'%.&/ — 0"#%'*1" nancial support so that he could afford a decent of parental engagement and valuing education. apartment. %is is not the situation for most First She noted that for her family, education was al- Nation students. He said that some parents fear ways a priority. She and her siblings graduated so much for their children that they discourage from high school “education was always the first them from attending school: thing on our plates, our parents always encour- aged us, so I continued that with our own chil- Especially the ones that are on welfare that dren, we never let our children give up”. never got an education themselves…it’s really hard for them to support it…their self-esteem is so low, they have no knowledge of what to Perspective on the Enhancement Year do and then thinking that their children are Versus Enhanced Grade Twelve programs better off to never ever leave the reserve….they When asked about the  compared with the sometimes sabotage… new EG model, the majority of interview par- He emphasized the role of residential schools ticipants expressed a preference for the . Par- in this process: ents in particular felt that the  was important because it provided students with an extra year It’s hard to get support from people who’ve to mature before leaving home. One parent also been through residential schools or children felt the  was helpful to parents. She noted of people that have been through residential the stress that parents are under as they worry schools, to have faith [in education]…parental about their children when they move to the city involvement is absolutely essential. Community, to attend school. %is she noted is something community support and involvement is that parents in the city don’t have to go through. absolutely essential. Young adult children in the city don’t have In his final comments about what is important, to worry about getting an apartment, unless he emphasized “culture”. When asked to expand they want to…they can stay at home with their he described how he believed that fully integrat- parents, they still have their network of people, ing indigenous culture into the school curricu- family, friends, they’ve grown up their…our lum…immersing children from an early age is students don’t have that….[they have] isolation, the foundation necessary for everything else. separation, loneliness… Another parent believed strongly that her engagement made a significant impact on her She also emphasized that students are protect- children, giving them a “strong foundation”. She ed from many social realities at home: “Here we noted that in the case of her eldest daughter, it are sheltered. We’re sheltered from racism, we’re also helped that she attended school at the same sheltered from discrimination.” time and could help her daughter. She too noted She went on to describe her daughter’s friend’s that it makes a big difference if parents are able experience with racism in the classroom at to financially support their children when they university: relocate to the city for . However she empha- “yeah, I’m sure it has a big impact …I know it sized that this is not the reality for many families: has because I remember reading my daughter’s “Some parents just don’t have the resources…we friend’s [Facebook] statuses sometimes about have big families out here…” things that would be said in classrooms to her, One parent who had  children who complet- sometimes not directly to her, but to one of her ed the  and were on track to graduate from friends who really looks native.” Red River College spoke about the importance

!"#$%& &"'%& (&%% )*+",) 17 One mom expressed concern about students was the issue of ‘success’. In relation to educa- leaving home at such a young age: “cause some tion, the term ‘success’ is most often equated to of the kids they graduate when they’re like , completion of an education trajectory based on they’re just babies still, to me” said one mom. western values and a linear view of education and One parent described the  as “my buddy to employment. Administrators interviewed noted help me help my kids be successful in school that they have come to redefine the meaning of and get them ready for moving out of the com- success to better reflect their values as a com- munity.” Another parent was adamant that the munity. Success begins with students “knowing  model built around an extra year is essential themselves”. So as noted by one  adminis- given what they know about the many challenges trator “students self-identifying that they’re not their children face as they move from youth to ready at this time to pursue post-secondary, to adulthood. He believes the only reason that the us is a success.” All too often students enter  community has moved to the EG model is fi- because they believe that is what they are sup- nancial — it simply does not have the resources posed to do. But if they aren’t ready and focused required for the  model. He agreed that the on a goal, this and the additional challenges for EG is the next best option, but added: students relocating from their small-safe com- munity to a large urban centre often results in It won’t be the same. You know, it just hurts me students not doing well and or dropping out that they have stopped it, they [youth] want it. completely. So one element of success for edu- Everyone wants it, but the money’s not there cators is to ensure that students are able to de- for it…[with the ] they’re given another year cide what is right for them and to respect their to mature, they get a year to grow up, they a decision to not attend  and/or to delay the year to become more self-sufficient… and now decision. As described by one administrator, re- we’re shipping them off at – years of age to defining the meaning of success means that stu- Winnipeg, at least they had one more year to grow dents “knowing this about themselves is [now up…it’s absolutely required, absolutely required… viewed as] a success.” it’s so sad that we have to, it’s at the expense of our %e ‘indicators’ of success beyond completion post-secondary success. Because many times you of  in a prescribed number of years were not- know these kids and I seen it with my son, if they ed as important. Participants in one of the focus get beaten up once you’re not going to get them off groups stated that qualitative indicators are also that reserve again…off at  years of age, they take important: “ part of the success, beyond meas- a lickin out there, a bad lickin… uring numbers and percentages, are things like When asked to respond to these comments, one self-esteem, feeling better…qualitative things.” staff agreed that it basically gets down to finan- %ey too emphasized that ‘success’ for some stu- cial capacity, stating that while it would be ideal dents is knowing enough about themselves to to maintain the  model, finances make it im- know when they are not yet ready to attend . possible. She also noted: “we were aware of this %is is not to say that participants com- when we designed the  and that is why we pletely ignore completion rates and other statis- had a long term plan to build the  curricu- tics — they recognize their value. But they have lum back into the main curriculum.” come to view them in the context of a broader assessment of success while also being cogni- Redefining ‘Success’ zant that more broadly defining success must An important theme noted by  adminis- not result in lowering of expectations. %ey also trators and inferred by parents and students, believe that the desire to maintain high gradu-

18 !"#"$%"# !&#'(& )*( +*,%!- ",'&(#"'%.&/ — 0"#%'*1" ation rates and move students immediately to parent said that she was not disappointed when postsecondary must not come at the expense of her daughter withdrew from her program. She student health and wellbeing. If programs that lost a friend to suicide and was not focused on lead students to assess their own readiness have her education. “...so I’m glad she’s taking this the effect of delaying postsecondary education, year off, then she can reground herself, refo- research participants believed this to be com- cus and hopefully she’ll benefit from the year pletely acceptable. off.” Another parent said she believes it is okay to “start off small and work your way up.” %is parent believes that it is good to have a goal and The Path Through Education “big dreams” but it is okay to work toward them is Not Always Linear slowly. “I’m not saying don’t dream big, I’m just As important as it is to include courses like ca- saying, be realistic.” reer planning in curriculum, the reality is that many students will likely change their career paths as they become more mature and devel- Trusting Relationships op confidence in their abilities. It should be said Relationships, while not always defined as such, that this is not unique to First Nation students, was a consistent theme that has implications for but rather consistent with the experience of programming at the  level. %e  Post- non-Indigenous students as well. Gone are the secondary Education Coordinator emphasized days when students graduated from high school that developing trust with students is an impor- or  and remained in the same career for the tant priority for her because “[students] will not duration of their work lives. For First Nation come to you if they don’t trust you.” She went on students, who have often been exposed to fewer to note that she was once asked by a well-mean- opportunities, and as noted by one education ad- ing worker at a postsecondary education insti- ministrator “have far fewer professional mentors tution, “what do your students need?” she said and networks” it is not surprising that students she thought about that for a bit and responded often change paths along the way. For example, “%ey need relationships.” %e challenge with one student said she would like to take a com- existing resources available to students at post- puter course to help her in her current job, but secondary institutions is that while they take she also said she has a bigger dream. She said a great effort to ensure that students know about trip to Red River College made her think that a the services, they are less proactive than they career as a dental hygienist would be of interest. might be in establishing relationships with stu- But she thought that she might want to begin as dents. %is can be a challenge in large institu- a dental assistant to ensure that the choice was tions, yet critically important and especially so right for her. So while this single parent has im- early on to ensure that students are provided mediate plans practical for her situation, she has with every opportunity to get the help that they bigger plans for the future, to attend school in need before falling behind. Winnipeg to become a dental hygienist and to return to practice in her community. But she learned through her participation in the  Fisher River First Nation — that she wasn’t ready for that yet. Education Moving Forward It is interesting to note that parents inter- Central to Fisher River First Nations success is viewed were open to their children taking their the openness to change and adapt policies and time to explore different education options. One programs as needed. %is was something that

!"#$%& &"'%& (&%% )*+",) 19 both past and present employees emphasized to work through work placement practicums and in our interviews. %ey said that this requires a financial incentives for employers. %ey also spoke ‘team’ approach among administrators, teachers of the need to address racism in the workplace. and others committed to improving education One parent illustrated this continued concern outcomes and they see themselves as a commu- by describing his sons response to racism in his nity constantly seeking new and improved poli- work environment — he “learned to survive in cies and practices. One example provided was his job by pretending to be white”. recent reflections on how to deal with students who have been approved for funding but deter- Leadership and Commitment — mine they are not ready to attend . If they are It Takes a Village to celebrate this self-awareness as success, then Educators noted the importance of having po- policies need to be changed to align with this litical leadership that supports their work, estab- thinking. Current policy is such that students lishes clear policies, and is committed to hiring who decide not to attend are placed at the bot- the best people and trusting in them to do what tom of the list, therefore there is little incentive is needed. %ey also said that teachers must be to delay education if that is what a student de- committed to a more holistic approach. Focus termines they need to do. Focus group partici- group participants attributed much of Fisher pants suggested that changes might be made so River’s success to consistent, strong and sup- that students who choose not to attend remain portive leadership and a willingness to work to- at the top of the lists for the following year. %is gether toward a shared goal: policy change would better align with their phi- losophy that students should not be pushed to I think it’s the people working together. And attend  if they are not ready because this all like the school board, the Chief and Council do too often sets them up to fail. However, they need not interfere, but they certainly support…we’re to be provided with an incentive to delay their working together an have the support of chief schooling when it makes sense to do so, includ- and counsel [and more generally] the committed ing opportunities to explore their interests and dedicated compassion of teachers, good financial options. %ese are issues and potential solutions management as well as an openness to new  will need to explore as it moves forward. ideas, good planning and evaluation…it’s the Another issue that  is grappling with ac- ability to work together for the better of the cording to those interviewed, and described by community…there’s no magic, it’s just people one person as “the next big issue” is the transition working together for a common purpose. from education, training to employment. Focus Feeling valued in this process was also seen to be group participants said that many graduates have important. Being part of a monthly team meet- difficulty finding jobs and when they do, many ing was seen to be an instrumental part of the find it difficult to adapt. %is is consistent with process of continuously evaluating and working other research describing challenges pertaining to make improvements. One parent, who also to employment attainment and retention ( works in the  Employment and Training , MacKinnon , Howard, Edge and Watt, program, noted the importance of collabora- ). Employment and income inequity between tion across programs when developing the : Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in Cana- da continues to be significant. Focus group par- We all had to work together and that’s what ticipants felt that more needs to be done to help we do in Fisher River, Fisher River Authority both employer and employee with the transition couldn’t have done the  on their own, it

20 !"#"$%"# !&#'(& )*( +*,%!- ",'&(#"'%.&/ — 0"#%'*1" took everybody, the Employment and Training sential areas. %is parent was skeptical about Program, the Social assistance Program, you the plan to ‘backtrack” the  into regularly know our high school, our resources, our health curriculum, stating: “I just don’t see how they centre with the , their drug and alcohol can jam all that, all that extra knowledge into people, their mental health people, you know them.” He was extremely supportive of the  the healing centre, Women Healing Centre… and in particular the Life Skills course, noting we brought a lot of people together and that was the importance of traditional teachings. He said: what it took. Hopefully some traditional knowledge to Another parent, who is also an assistant in the help them bring up their self-esteem, some school, spoke about the role of education beyond knowledge about how we lost all this stuff… the school and the school term. As an example self esteem is big…we got to be proud of being she described the community literacy camps op- Indian, but we don’t know how to be Indian erating during the summer months. (chuckle) we don’t know what it means to be an Indian because we had it all taken away by Academic Standards — Falling Behind residential schools and all this other stuff that happened to us…. Some students and parents expressed concern that Fisher River graduates are not adequately academically prepared for postsecondary educa- Traditional Knowledge and Indigenous Pride tion. A concern that “grade  graduates are not Traditional teachings were central to the  and at a ‘grade ’ level” compared with urban stu- from the perspective of one parent, the compo- dents was raised. Another parent said she liked nent that is most important to give students the that Charles Sinclair School considered attend- confidence and strength to succeed. He said, “Kids ance in addition to academic performance, “so if give up too easily because they don’t believe in you’re not going to be attending, well, you’re not themselves…. they’re so easily beaten, they give going to get your credit, so students are beginning up, they just… cause they’re not proud enough.” to realize that, like there’s no ‘social’ passing.” %is parent believes strongly that the key to suc- Another parent, who was very supportive of the cess for youth is to have a strong sense of pride , expressed concern that students were being in themselves as Indigenous people as the ba- “pushed through” high school with the knowledge sis of building their self esteem and confidence. that the  program would “pick up the slack”. Although pleased to know that  has among the highest graduation rates, this parent raised Other Challenges concerns that students do not have the academic Several additional issues were raised that dem- skills necessary to excel in . He said that  onstrate the complexity of challenges facing testing showed some grade  graduates to have students. %e difficulty finding safe, affordable a reading level of grade . He attributed this to housing for students when they leave the com- underfunding for First Nation schools that leads munity to study was raised often. %is was said to “pushing them through school”. %is parent to create much stress for students as well as par- shared his experience with his own children who ents. Addiction issues were raised as a concern were behind their peers when they transferred with one parenting emphasizing “there is still a to a school in Winnipeg. He believed the  high, high rate of drug use in our community…. was helpful in this regard because it provided people don’t want to talk about it but it’s there.” students with an opportunity to upgrade in es-

!"#$%& &"'%& (&%% )*+",) 21 She believes that the community is doing all it ent attributed the issue to a ‘lack of parenting’ can to provide recreational and other activities and ‘fellowship’ through positive means includ- for youth as a preventive measure, yet drug and ing either “traditional” teachings or belonging alcohol abuse continue to be a problem. %is par- to a “church” community.

22 !"#"$%"# !&#'(& )*( +*,%!- ",'&(#"'%.&/ — 0"#%'*1" Moving Forward

A review of various literature on Indigenous to integrate the  into regular programming experiences with postsecondary education, as- through the EG program were made not be- sessment of  data, and interviews and fo- cause the  wasn’t working, but because the cus groups with  members led to the fol-  was not financially sustainable. %e major- lowing ideas that are believed to merit further ity of those we spoke with said that their prefer- discussion and consideration. ence would have been to continue with the  It should be noted that a limited number of as a transition year program. While the EG  members participated in this study and program is a good compromise, the issue of stu- each self-selected to participate. %ose who dents continuing to have difficulty transition- participated bring a perspective based on their ing to  and the reality that the average age personal experience and values, and most who of students enrolled in  is far older suggests participated in interviews and focus groups place that in general, younger students might not be high value on education and are engaged parents, ready for the transition. %is is likely a function teachers or students. However it is also notable of many factors but it should not be perceived as that even though we spoke with engaged par- a failing on anyone’s part. Rather than focusing ents and students interested in , there was on this as a “negative”, a more positive approach an awareness of the challenges yet to overcome. might be to accept the reality that the  tra- It remains the case, for example, that while In- jectory for First Nations students is often differ- digenous enrollment in universities is higher ent from that of their non-indigenous and urban than ever before, many students don’t make it peers. Looking at in this way presents room for through their first year. creating alternatives. Fisher River Cree Nation’s success in terms of high school graduation rates is in great part a result of its concerted effort to learn from past Funding challenges and build on success. %e  is an Ideally First Nations should be provided with example of how the challenge of transition to more funding from the federal government to  was identified and addressed. Changes made allow them to implement and sustain programs

!"#$%& &"'%& (&%% )*+",) 23 like the . One parent spoke of what he be- duce students to university through a small off- lieved to have been critical to his success in ob- campus program as an entry point from which taining a university degree, arguing this to be they can broaden their options. central to moving forward. He said that “ sup- port, support” was what got him through. He attended university through one of Manitoba’s Small is Preferred, but Big is the Reality   programs. %is program provided Many Aboriginal students, and especially those comprehensive supports, but also had signifi- coming from First Nations, do better in envi- cant expectations of students at the time that he ronments that are small, safe and supportive — attended. When asked about the factors he be- where professors and staff know their names and lieved to have contributed to his success at uni- are familiar with their lives. %e importance of versity he specified “adequate funding, adequate ‘relationships’ was identified in this and other supports and handholding.” He had high praise studies as particularly important (MacKinnon for Fisher River Cree Nation’s postsecondary , Silver ) however building-trusting re- education coordinator, but also recognized that lationship can be difficult in large impersonal there are limits to what she can do: “You know, I institutions. For example, a student might find love her and she’s the hardest working person I the courage to ask for help, but by the time they could ever wish for our community, but we need walk down the long hall to their professors’ or three or four of her.” He went on to describe the advisors’ offices, they often lose that courage  program at the University of Manitoba and take the first exit out of the building. Many as it was twenty-five years ago when he attended: students quickly learn that they can be invisible if they choose to be in large institutions where …you know like, I had to meet in my first half a they know very few people, and where teachers year, with a personal counselor every two weeks don’t know them and so rarely miss them if they for the first six months, I had to go sit down don’t attend class. and I had to put it in my timetable and I had to Small  programs can help. %ey provide show up cause I wasn’t funded by the band, I limited options however they can provide a gate- was funded by [], so they held that over way for students — an opportunity to become more you to force you to come, but it was the greatest familiar with postsecondary education cultures, benefit. expectations, and the various options available He also said that he had to meet regularly with to them. Examples of such programs are located an academic advisor and this helped keep him on in Winnipeg’s North End (See MacKinnon and track with his studies. He noted that the educa- Silver, in review). Urban Circle Training Centre tion coordinator simply does not have the time to and the University of Winnipeg Urban and Inner meet with every  student as often as needed. City Studies () program, the University of %e , , and other such programs Manitoba Inner City Social Work program are can be effective for those students needing ex- examples of small programs offering different tra support to successfully transition to post- postsecondary education opportunities in small secondary education, especially when it takes interactive settings. In the case of , a depart- them to large impersonal institutions in large ment in the University of Winnipeg Faculty of urban centres. In the absence of and in addi- Arts, it is common for students to use  as tion to funding increases, there may be other a gateway into university. %e program exposes solutions. One such solution for those students students to university studies and expectations, wishing to attend university might be to intro- while also introducing students to critical urban

24 !"#"$%"# !&#'(& )*( +*,%!- ",'&(#"'%.&/ — 0"#%'*1" issues such as poverty, exclusion, racism and the participate in a structured community service effects of colonization. %e classes are small and program provide students an opportunity to diverse with a much higher percentage of Indig- further develop, mature and better prepare for enous students than is the norm. Students are ? Understanding the issues, challenges and encouraged to share their diverse experiences realities of students provides an opportunity to and get to know their classmates. It is common explore these and other ideas. for students to develop friendships and support As described in section six, one suggestion systems that they take with them to the main raised in the interviews was the need for options campus. Many develop relationships with ad- other than  to accommodate those not ready visors and professors, who continue to support for postsecondary education as well as those not them as they expand their horizons beyond the academically inclined. Suggestions included com- safety of the Selkirk Ave. campus. Many stu- munity-based education and vocational opportu- dents choose  as a major toward a Bachelor nities and other programs that could be seen as of Arts degree, while others choose  cours- “stepping-stones” to work or education for those es as electives offered in a small, safe and sup- uncertain of what they want to do. One person portive environment where they establish sup- described this as “short-term programs that may portive relationships with other  students, not be the end goal, but could help students work faculty and advisors that they maintain when toward longer-term goals when they are ready.” the move on to the main campus. %ree Fisher One individual put forward the idea of ex- River students are currently majoring in  ploring the potential merit of a “gap year” pro- and one recently completed the  two-year gram. A gap year is often described as an inten- certificate program and has since found employ- tional break in an educational career, usually ment. For students new to Winnipeg, the Intro- taken after completion of high school. Past re- duction to Urban and Inner City Studies class is search showed that students who delay  after a good way to better understand life in cities in- leaving high school are less likely to enroll later. cluding the many divisions and challenges that Bozick and DeLuca  (as cited in Wells and continue to exist. It is also a good way to build Lynch, ) found that students who delay at networks. Transitioning into university through least one year are  percent less likely to com- a program like  could potentially provide plete than those who enroll immediately after some of what the  program offered without high school. Other research shows that com- a financial cost to . %is is an option  pletion rates drop further the longer the delay. may wish to explore. %is research has led many parents and educa- tors to shy away from recommending students interrupt their schooling by taking a ‘break’. Stepping Stones and ‘Gap-year’ Programs However, other research is showing an increas- One important and potentially controversial ing number of students to be taking a gap year question emerging from this research is: Are and finding it to be highly beneficial. Moreover, the pressures and challenges facing recent high a structured gap year that provides youth with school graduates significant enough to encourage an opportunity to ‘give back’ to their commu- them to delay ? If so, might new approach- nity can help students develop as young adults es such as the idea of a structured “gap year” be with a sense of purpose and greater knowledge explored (O’Shea ). For example, for those of what their interests are and what they would grade  graduates wishing to attend , but not like to do moving forward (O’Shea ). While quite ‘ready’, could delaying  for one year to the majority of literature on gap year experiences

!"#$%& &"'%& (&%% )*+",) 25 focuses on the experiences of white middle-class needed to determine if there is a gap year type students volunteering abroad, there are locally program that might be designed for First Nation focused alternatives that may suit communities students aligned with Indigenous teachings that like  well. As noted earlier in this paper, emphasize holistic development. Questions to the experience for many Indigenous students is consider include: Is there potential to design a very different therefore the research on the ef- locally-focused gap year program that might al- fects of delaying postsecondary education may be low students to develop a strong sense of iden- not be as relevant for Indigenous students. More tity while also contributing to their communi- research is needed to better understand the im- ties? Might students be encouraged to spend a plications, positive and negative, for Indigenous year ‘giving back’ to their community and be students considering delaying, and in particular later rewarded through  funding? Could fi- those residing in First Nation communities. Be- nancial resources be found to provide students cause the research suggests that what students with a living allowance while they participate in do in between high school and  enrollment a gap year internship program? is important, a structured program rather than %e literature suggests that this is an idea simply taking a year off would be a preferred op- worth exploring. Research by O’Shea () tion. %is would be consistent with the research concludes that students participating in a struc- that shows a gap year experience can be highly tured gap year program made “significant gains beneficial for students when the time is used as in personal, civic, moral, and intellectual devel- a form of experiential learning. opment. O’Shea also concluded that a gap year From the perspective of many Indigenous cul- can be highly beneficial and can “help universi- tures, a gap year program focused on exploring ties to form not just good future employees, but four central questions about who I am , where I citizens of character.” King () argues that the come from, where I am going and what my pur- gap year experience is particularly helpful as a pose is in this world — can help students develop means for young people to “undertake forms of a stronger sense of who they are and what they identify work within the context of higher edu- wish to ‘do’ as a career (MacKinnon, Klyne and cation: ie. to help them better understand who Nowatzki, in review). However more research is they are and where they want to go.

26 !"#"$%"# !&#'(& )*( +*,%!- ",'&(#"'%.&/ — 0"#%'*1" Conclusion

%e purpose of this study was to examine effec- On a final note, it is important to note that tiveness of Fisher River Cree Nation education there seems to be agreement in Fisher River Cree programs and supports, to determine where Nation that there is no single solution to improv- improvements might be made and propose new ing postsecondary education outcomes. %is is ideas for Fisher River Cree Nation to consider in consistent with other research that describes future. A review of the literature and assessment the continued structural barriers to education of qualitative and quantitative data collected (MacKinnon ; MacKinnon and Silver ; through this and past studies suggest that Fisher Silver ; Malatest et al ; MacKinnon, River Cree Nation was on the right track with the Klyne & Nowatzki ). Helping students from Enhancement Year Program. It provided partici- an early age to develop basic skills, language and pants with an opportunity to ‘’undertake iden- culture, self-esteem, confidence, pride in iden- tity work” and to better prepare them for . tity and an enthusiasm for learning will give Integrating the  into regular programming them a good start. But even when this is done, through the Enhanced Grade  program is a Indigenous students have obstacles that non- good compromise given the financial constraints indigenous and especially urban middle class however it is by all accounts, a second best sce- students do not have. Programs like those dis- nario. Nonetheless, limited resources provide an cussed within this report can only help to level opportunity to explore other options and those the playing field. mentioned above are a few examples to consider.

!"#$%& &"'%& (&%% )*+",) 27 References

Adyanga Akena, F. . Critical analysis of the amination of alternative delivery mechanisms. A production of western knowledge and its im- report to Indian and Northern Affairs Canada. plications for Indigenous knowledge and de- Fisher River Cree Nation (). . Enhance- colonization. Journal of Black Studies (): ment year program () Report. Fisher River –. Board of Education. Unpublished document Association of Universities and Colleges of Can- used with expressed written permission of ada (). . Trends in higher education: the Fisher River Board of Education. Volume I – Enrollment. Ottawa, ON: Associa- Gordon, C.E., and Jerry P. White. . Indige- tion of Universities and Colleges of Canada. nous educational attainment in Canada. %e Batiste, M. . Decolonizing education: Nour- International Indigenous Policy Journal, (). ishing the learning spirit. Saskatoon: Purich Hill, D. L. (). Holistic learning: A model of Publishing. education based on Aboriginal cultural phi- Brendtro, L.K., M. Brokenleg, S. Van Bockern. losophy. An unpublished MA thesis, Adult . Reclaiming youth at risk: Our hope for Education, Saint Francis Xavier University, the future. Bloomington: Solution Tree Press. Antigonish, Nova Scotia. Council of Ministers of Education, Canada. . Howard, A., J. Edge, and D. Watt. . Under- A literature review of factors that support suc- standing the value, challenges, and opportuni- cessful transitions by Aboriginal people from ties of engaging Metis, Inuit and First Nations K- to postsecondary education. workers. %e Conference Board of Canada. Currie, C.L., T.C. Wild, D.P. Schopflocher, L. La- Huffman, T. . American Indian higher edu- ing, P. Veugelers,  Racial discrimination cational experiences: Cultural visions and per- experienced by aboriginal university students sonal journeys. New York: Peter Lang. in Canada. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry. King, A. . Minding the Gap? Young peo- ():–. ple’s accounts of taking a gap year as a form Educational Policy Institute (). . %e post- of identity work in higher education. In Jour- secondary students supports program: An ex- nal of Youth Studies. (), –.

28 !"#"$%"# !&#'(& )*( +*,%!- ",'&(#"'%.&/ — 0"#%'*1" MacKinnon, S. . Making the case for an Parker, P. Duineveld, J. Salmela-Aro, K. %oe- Aboriginal labour market intermediary: A mmes, F. (). I wish I had (not) taken a community-based solution to improve la- gap-year? %e psychological and attainment bour market outcomes for Aboriginal People outcomes of different post-school pathways. in Manitoba. In Manitoba Law Journal (). In Developmental Psychology  () –. MacKinnon. S. . Decolonizing employment: Parkin, A., and Noel Baldwin. . Persistence Aboriginal inclusion in Canada’s labour mar- in post-secondary education in Canada: %e ket. Winnipeg: University of Manitoba Press. latest research. Canada Millennium Scholar- MacKinnon, S., Nowatzki, J. & Klyne, D. . ship Foundation. Participatory Evaluation Research: %e  Patrikakou, E. . %e power of parent involve- Pathways Story. In Community Based Partic- ment: Evidence, ideas, and tools for student suc- ipatory Research and Public Policy Change: cess. Centre on Innovation and Improvement. Stories from the Field. S. MacKinnon (ed.). Available at: http://education.praguesummer- Unpublished - In review. schools.org/images/education/readings// MacKinnon, S. & Silver, J. . Decolonizing Patrikakou_Power_of_parent_involvement.pdf. for Equity and Inclusion in Winnipeg’s North Silver, J. . Moving forward giving back. Trans- End. In Social Equity and Inclusion in Cities. forming Aboriginal education. Winnipeg: Kladowsky, F. Siltanen, J. Andrew, C. eds. Fernwood. Unpublished-In Review. Sloane-Seale, a., l. Wallace, and B. Levin. . Malatest & Associates Ltd. . Aboriginal Life paths and educational and employment peoples and post-secondary education. What outcomes of Disadvantaged aboriginal learn- educators have learned. Montreal, QC: %e ers. Canadian Journal of University Continu- Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation. ing Education (): –. Mackenzie, B. and Morrisette, V. . Social Smith, L. T. . Decolonizing Methodologies: work practice with Canadians of Aboriginal Research and Indigenous Peoples. London: background: Guidelines for respectful social Zed Books. work. In Multicultural social work in Canada: Statistics Canada. .  National House- Working with diverse ethno-racial communi- hold Survey. ties (Vol.). Alean Al-Krenawi & J. R. Graham Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (Eds.). Don Mills: Oxford University Press. (). . Honouring the truth, reconciling Mendelson, M. . Aboriginal peoples and for the future. Summary of the Final Report postsecondary education in Canada. Ottawa, of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission ON: %e Caledon Institute of Social Policy. of Canada. Canada: . Niu, S. and Tienda M. . Delayed enrolment Wells, R. and Lynch, C. . Delayed college and college plans: Is there a postponement entry and the socioeconomic gap: Examining penalty? In %e Journal of Higher Education, the roles of student plans, family income, pa- (), –. rental education, and parental occupation. In O’Shea, J. . Delaying the Academy: A gap %e Journal of Higher Education  (), Sep- year education. In Teaching in higher Educa- tember/October. –. tion. (), –.

!"#$%& &"'%& (&%% )*+",) 29 Unit %#* – (+* Main St., Winnipeg, MB R%W )N* ,-. %#&-'%(-)%## /01 %#&-'%(-)%#" -203. [email protected] 4-563,- www.policyalternatives.ca