PARTNERSHIP AND SUSTAINABILITY IN FIRST NATION HEALTH EDUCATION

1
PARTNERSHIP AND SUSTAINABILITY IN FIRST NATION
HEALTH EDUCATION

• POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION
• May 13, 2008
• Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs

2
Regional Consultations

• Adequate resourcing
• First Nations jurisdiction over all education
  programs from pre-school to post-secondary and
  adult education
• First Nation national and regional educational
  institutions
• First Nation governance/involvement at all levels
• Culturally-appropriate curriculum materials

3
REGIONAL CONSULTATIONS

• FN language instruction
• Financial incentives
• Specialized training programs
• FN Elder involvement
• Skills development/enhancement
• Academic, career, financial, social, and peer
  counseling
• FN counselors

4
REGIONAL CONSULTATIONS

• Sustainable funding
• Off-campus program delivery for First Nation
  communities
• First Nations post-secondary institutions
• Needs determined by the local First Nations
  community
• Adequate funding for First Nations'
  post-secondary, adult education, training and
  transition programs

5
REGIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS

• Financial and other incentives to encourage
  students to pursue professional training
• Student access to culturally-appropriate
  counseling services including academic, career,
  financial, social, Elder and peer counseling
• Adequate funding for post-secondary education as
  a treaty right

6
REGIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS

• Off-campus programs either in First Nations
  communities or regionally
• Training to fill the increasing employment
  opportunities associated with self-government and
  exercise of jurisdiction
• Federal government must view funding of
  post-secondary education as an investment so that
  future generations will be more self-sufficient

7
REGIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS

• Community-based training programs with adequate
  support systems/transition programs are required
  to ensure that more First Nations students
  succeed academically
• Institutions must work closely with First Nations
  communities/organizations/institutions in the
  development and implementation of community-based
  programs

8
Recent Examples of Partnerships

• Regional First Nation Science Fair
• Annual Science Symposium for FN High School
  Students
• Career Awareness (health professions as a career)
• Transition Year Program
• AHHRI Training Initiatives

9
IMPLICATIONS FOR POST-SECONDARY INSTITUTIONS

• Respect FN control/decision-making
• Meaningful partnerships - universities need to
  involve FN people in all phases - consultation,
  design, delivery, etc.
• Ensuring that programs that are set up for FN
  students have mainly FN students

10
IMPLICATIONS FOR POST-SECONDARY INSTITUTIONS

• Adequate financial support for PS students
• Incorporation of FN Indigenous knowledge in
  programming - some programming needs to be
  offered by FN institutions in partnership with
  mainstream institutions
• Involvement of FN staff - Elders, lecturers,
  tutors, program directors, academic advisors,
  etc.
• Comprehensive holistic student supports