FNESC/FNSA PROGRAM and PARTNER UPDATES Sessions/2007... · 2009-05-20 · 1. FNSA Measures and Data...

Tab 3 CONTENTS

FNESC/FNSA PROGRAM and PARTNER UPDATES

Research and Consultation Projects……………………………………………...…………...2 Conferences………………………………………………………………………………….…..5 Education Partners and Tripartite Group (EPG)……………………………………………...7 Employment Equity………………………………………………………………………..…….9 Aboriginal Teacher Education Consortium (ATEC)…………………………………………11 Anti-Racism……………………………………………………………………………………..13 Seventh Generation Club……………………………………………………………….……..15 Aboriginal Language Subcommittee………………………………………………………….17 Post-Secondary Subcommittee…………………………………………………………..…..18 Indigenous Adult and Higher Learning Association (IAHLA)……………………..………..25 Indian Studies Support Program (ISSP)………………………………………………..……31 First Nations Schools Association………………………………………………………….…33 Special Education………………………………………………………………………...…….36 First Nations SchoolNet…………………………………………………………………..……41 New Paths for Education Program (NPE)……………………………………………………45 Parental & Community Engagement (PCE) Program………………………………………47 Teacher Recruitment and Retention: Professional Development Program (TRR:PDP)………………………………………………………………………………………52 First Nations Youth Employment Strategy (YES) Programs………………………………54 First Nations Parents Club…………………………………………………………...………..61

Regional Sessions Discussion Papers, Fall 2007 page 1

Research and Consultation Projects Contact

[email protected] Overview

Each year, FNESC and the FNSA conduct research on First Nations education topics and many of the recent topics relate closely to the themes of jurisdiction, data collection, and supporting schools, teachers, principals and parents. FNESC and the FNSA have also coordinated research for our partner organizations such as the Indigenous Adult and Higher Learning Association and the BC Aboriginal Post-Secondary Education Partners Group. Key Initiatives

Some of the research projects of the past year are described below and information about other research projects are described elsewhere in this regional session kit.

1. Jurisdiction Research: To support communities who plan to assume jurisdiction

over education, FNESC is developing and gathering resources that will be the basis of board governance training modules. This work includes research to identify “best practices” in training from existing sources, identifying gaps, and creating new resources as necessary. Research to help school or education governance such as the revision of the FNSA Employment Handbook. A great deal of research and consultation is also happening to help prepare the jurisdiction templates, communications materials and governance materials for use/adaptation by individual First Nations communities.

2. FNSA Teacher Standards and Certification Research: The FNSA sponsored

consultation workshops in partnership with the BC College of Teachers (BCCT) in 2005 to share the draft BCCT Teaching Standards and Competencies with First Nations schools. The workshop participants considered how those BCCT standards might be tailored to make them more relevant for First Nations schools and to consider how the standards can be reflected in school-level benchmarks for the performance of school staff and to provide a foundation for professional development. Based on those original consultations and further meetings with school staff, the FNSA will be piloting a Teachers Standards and Competency evaluation tool. This initiative is also linked to jurisdiction as it will serve as a basis teacher certification.

3. FNSA School Measures and Data Collection Project: Responding to requests from First Nations schools for ways that First Nations schools can measure student progress and effectiveness, the FNSA has spearheaded a data collection and measures project for the past three years. The goal is to support the First Nation school assessment process by collecting data that quantifies student, school and program success. This data will also be used to demonstrate the


successes of First Nations schools and be measures of accountability to First Nations communities. Results from 2006/2007 covered a range of topics from student and staff demographics, school structure, student leadership, programs offered to students, student support services, breakfast programs, and hearing/vision screening. Given the importance of this initiative for First Nations schools, it will be important to continue this process in the coming year. It is understood that in the near future INAC will be seeking data from our schools and we want to be driving that agenda.

4. Aboriginal Post-Secondary Institute Data Collection Project The data collection project for First Nations institutes was introduced in 2004. Since then the data has provided a better understanding of current trends and issues in First Nation post-secondary institutes and adult education, and it provides a mechanism of accountability.

The framework for the data collection was developed with an IAHLA working group with representatives from First Nation institutes themselves and is based on holistic values. The second year of this project was recently completed and participation rates in the collection continue to increase.

5. BC electronic Student Information System (BCeSiS): During the 2005-2006

year, First Nations schools were invited to express their interest in participating in a pilot project of the BC electronic Student Information System (BceSiS).1 This is a web-based system that could eventually lead to improved information sharing between First Nations and public schools. Work in this area is being done in consultation with First Nations schools and in coordination with the BC Ministry of Education. The goal of the project is eventually to have all schools in BC, including First Nations schools, share a common online information database, providing opportunities to track the progress of students who move between the First Nations and public school systems. This project also has the potential to improve the efficiency of data collection practices within First Nations schools and streamline funding management and reporting.

6. Education Systems: With FNESC currently in its 15th year of operation and the

FNSA in its 11th year of operation, both organizations believe that it is now an appropriate time to reflect on where they have been, their current status, and future directions. Also, the federal government has expressed an interest in supporting First Nations education systems as part of its renewal of authorities, and as a result, FNESC and the FNSA are focusing on that specific issue at this time. In addition to looking at the history and current systems that are in place, FNESC and the FNSA are looking at themes such as distributed service delivery models, opportunities for board/governance training, principal support, curriculum, special education, and models for accountability.

1 Schools chosen to participate in the BCeSIS training in July 2006 were Bella Bella Community School, Maaqtusiis School, Sk’il’ Mountain Community School, Sk’elep School of Excellence and Stein Valley Nlakapamux School.


7. IAHLA Accreditation Paper: “STRATEGY FOR ESTABLISHING A REGISTRATION AND ACCREDITATION PROCESS FOR ABORIGINAL POST-SECONDARY INSTITUTIONS.” Aboriginal post-secondary institutions are not-for-profit organizations that want to be recognized as credible, legitimate organizations providing quality education, programming and services to their communities and regions. The major issue facing such institutions is how to achieve this recognition in a manner that meets their needs.

The purpose of the accreditation research is to assist these institutions by examining the registration and accreditation process that currently exists through Private Career Training Institution Agency (PCTIA) and proposing a strategy to develop an alternative process. The paper is currently being revised based on feedback received at the IAHLA AGM in April 2007.

Future Directions

In addition to continuing the projects described above, the following new projects are to be undertaken in 2007/2008:

FNSA Research on Teacher Pensions and Benefits First Nations schools have requested research to be conducted on pensions and benefits in First Nations schools. Results of the research will be reported on at the 2008 FNSA AGM.

Feedback Requested

1. Are there any comments or concerns about the Key Initiatives or Future Directions?

2. What other research or products (booklets, brochures, toolkits) would be useful? Related Handouts

1. FNSA Measures and Data Project 2007 2. IAHLA Data Collection Project 2007 3. BC First Nations Education Systems Discussion Paper


Conferences Contact


Annual Provincial Conference on Aboriginal Education December 7-9, 2006 FNESC co-hosted the 12th Annual Provincial Conference on Aboriginal Education with the BC Ministry of Education, the Métis Provincial Council of BC, and the United Native Nations Society in Vancouver from December 7-9, 2006. The conference theme, Literacy & Literature, allowed for sharing innovative literacy strategies and discussions on using Aboriginal literature in classrooms. This year’s conference was the largest to date, with over 30 different workshops offered and over 800 registered participants. Conference activities included the Aboriginal Voices in Literature Evening with readings and discussions from First Nations authors Richard Van Camp, Lee Maracle, Dr. Jane Smith and Garry Gottfriedson, all of whom also participated in an informative panel discussion titled: Literacy, Not Just Language Arts! A second panel of Aboriginal Youth Writers inspired the audience with ideas to encourage writing from their students and samples of their own writing. In addition, two memorable keynote addresses were delivered by Faye Bownlie and the Honorable Shirley Bond. All plenary events and addresses were webcast to extend the conference audience across the province. The next Provincial Conference on Aboriginal Education will take place from November 22-24, 2007 in Vancouver, BC. Registration information is available on the FNESC website. FNSA AGM & Conference April 20 & 21, 2007 Over 250 participants attended the annual FNSA Conference, where best practices for First Nations schools were shared; FNESC/FNSA program information and networking opportunities were provided; and updates on jurisdiction and the school measures and data collection project were presented. Keynote Speaker, Dr. Jo-ann Archibald advised schools to put research findings into practice. Her message was that student results can be best achieved through quality teaching, which is best supported by effective instructional leadership. A highlight of the conference was the recognition given to the work of Barb Kavanagh and presentation to her, via video, of an honorary membership to FNSA. Indigenous Adult & Higher Learning Association (IAHLA) AGM & Conference April 18 & 19, 2007 The conference theme was Building Leadership for Our Future and it was held in Richmond, BC this past year. The highlight of the first day of the conference was an evening presentation by Chief Clarence Louie from the Osoyoos Indian Band on the necessity for First Nations education to lead to employment. In addition to eight informative workshops, the second day of the conference was marked by two keynote


addresses. In the morning Dr. Moura Quayle from the Ministry of Advanced Education spoke on strengthening community partnerships in Aboriginal post-secondary education and Chief Shawn Atleo of the Assembly of First Nations, BC Region, spoke about adult learning and global change. Overall the response to the conference was enthusiastically positive. First Nations Languages Conference August 12-14, 2007 This bi-annual conference, held at the University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, was co-hosted by FNESC, the First Peoples’ Heritage, Language & Culture Council, and the Faculty of Education at the University of Victoria. Its theme this year was “Immersion Planning: Language Nests to Master Apprenticeship.” More than 250 people participated, making it the largest language conference in FNESC history. Workshops included information on current immersion programs in BC, using technology to teach and preserve language, immersion programs from other areas, including the Mohawk Nation and Australia, focus groups on language authorities and teacher immersion training programs, and sessions specifically designed to explore the link being cultural content and language instruction. Panels included a language nest immersion class from Mount Currie and academics that are currently doing PhDs focused on language revitalization. The conference was a huge success with positive feedback on the workshops and theme.


Education Partners and Tripartite Group (EPG) Contacts

Jan Haugen [email protected] Overview

Since 1994, FNESC has been meeting quarterly with representatives of the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs (DIAND) and the Ministry of Education (MEd) on a tripartite basis to discuss strategies for working together to improve the success of First Nations learners in education. These discussions include updates regarding potential policy and legislative changes that could affect First Nations learners. Joint strategies are sought and implemented where possible. In 1998, the Tripartite Education Committee founded the BC Aboriginal Education Partners Group. That group includes some of the most significant stakeholders in the BC education system, including the First Nations Education Steering Committee, the First Nations Schools Association, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, the Ministry of Education, the BC Teachers Federation, the BC College of Teachers, the BC School Trustees Association, the BC Superintendents Association, the BC Confederation of Parents Advisory Council, the BC Principals and Vice-Principals’ Association of BC, United Native Nations, and the BC Metis Nation . The cooperative efforts of the Education Partners Group have resulted in effective sharing of information, and ideas and initiatives that have been put into motion to enhance the success of First Nations learners. Key Initiatives

The Education Partners have specifically focused their efforts on three main issues:

1. Aboriginal Teacher Retention and Recruitment, through the Aboriginal Teacher Education Consortium (ATEC)

2. Employment Equity 3. Anti-Racism

A working group consisting of members from the Education Partners supports each of those issues. The Education Partners have also established a set of goals and key priorities that guide ongoing strategies, and an action plan that responds to current issues in Aboriginal education. 2005 Evaluation In 2005, the Education Partners underwent an independent evaluation in order to measure progress that has been made since 1999, and to help the Partners revisit their goals and priorities to ensure that they are still relevant in the current environment of Aboriginal education.


The evaluation provided an opportunity for the Partner groups to give feedback regarding the meeting format, and to identify how the Partners Group could become more action oriented. This discussion has led to the development of a Team Charter, which formally establishes the processes of the Education Partners including membership, meeting format, roles and responsibilities of each Partner organization and representative, meeting conduct and goals and priorities. The Team Charter includes a new Action Agenda outlining the Partner Group’s goals, strategies, actions and outcomes. 2006/2007 2006 was not a very active year for the Education Partners, partly due to FNESC’s work on Jurisdiction over Education legislation in the fall and winter of 2006. The Education Partners Group held a special forum in late August which was hosted by the Minister of Education, Shirley Bond. The purpose of this forum was to renew the commitment to the collective initiatives to address Aboriginal education and to provide support and leadership to the group in moving forward.


Employment Equity Contact


Employment Equity is the process where barriers that support and promote discrimination in hiring and retention are identified and removed. Employment Equity is also a process that in a proactive way supports and promotes the hiring and retention of those groups who have been victimized by historic and current forms of systemic discrimination. Within the BC school system Aboriginal people are currently under-represented and underemployed. As an example, there are growing numbers of teachers of Aboriginal ancestry coming out of our post-secondary institutions but many are unable to find employment as teachers. For those who find teaching jobs, the vast majority of teachers of Aboriginal ancestry in BC Schools teach in Aboriginal Education Programs and are greatly under-represented in mainstream areas of teaching. When Aboriginal students comprise more than 8% of the overall BC student population, where are the Aboriginal role models in the system? Where are the educators and support staff that can infuse the system with their collective cultural knowledge and understanding that would provide significant support for Aboriginal students? The First Nations Education Steering Committee’s Employment Equity Working Group is mandated with the goal of increasing the number of educators and non-teaching employees of Aboriginal ancestry in all areas of the BC education system. The premise of Employment Equity is that schools and the wider education system should reflect the Aboriginal communities they serve. It is valuable for the educational and social health of all students to see Aboriginal people fulfilling the role of classroom teachers and other positions within the education system. Key Initiatives

In the past year the Working Group has worked diligently to create an Employment Equity Toolkit. In the development of the toolkit, many issues were considered including the need to make it user-friendly but also to incorporate all of the potential issues addressing human rights, collective agreement language and other quasi-legal concerns. It was also designed to provide answers to the inevitable backlash that will emerge from an employment equity initiative. Notwithstanding the backlash that will always accompany implementation of employment equity policies and programs, the need to promote the employment of Aboriginal people in the education system stands out as a priority in enabling Aboriginal children and youth to achieve school success. The toolkit is now at a phase where it requires refinement so it can be piloted to determine if it can be utilized by school districts to facilitate the process of creating and implementing an employment equity policy and program in school environments throughout BC that will benefit both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities.


Future Directions

1. Review and refine the Employment Equity Toolkit.

2. Begin the work of piloting and promoting the toolkit throughout the province.

Feedback Requested

1. What community based support can be offered to pilot the toolkit and implement employment equity in your community?


Aboriginal Teacher Education Consortium (ATEC)

Contact

Marcia Guno Director of Communications & Relationships [email protected] Overview

The goal of the ATEC is to increase the number of Aboriginal teachers working in British Columbia. ATEC is a subcommittee of the Education Partners Group, and includes representatives from the Partners Group and all the teacher education programs in BC. Since its formation, ATEC helped implement bridging programs through post-secondary institutes, offering post-secondary preparation to First Nations teachers and Aboriginal support workers. ATEC has also carried out projects to raise awareness of the teaching profession, promote the development of the Developmental Standard Term Certificate (DSTC), and carry out research. Key Initiatives

Last year, ATEC produced Teacher Education Access and Choices Handbook (TEACH). This colourful resource booklet included the following information:

• Helpful information with question and answers commonly asked about post-secondary education;

• BC college of Teachers information, including facts about teaching as well as teacher certification options and requirements;

• Post-secondary information on all teacher training programs offered in BC; • Admission and general information from 25 post-secondary institutes in BC; • A workbook section for students to conduct research on post-secondary institutes,

with sample questions provided and space to write down information; • A reference section on post-secondary funding options; • Positive Aboriginal student role models are featured throughout the booklet.

The booklet has been widely received throughout the province. In the fall 2006 FNESC worked alongside of a number of post-secondary institutions to offer information and resourced to Aboriginal youth in BC on the post-secondary options available to them. A team of recruiters traveled together to offer presentations to youth in their community. In addition to this in person recruitment, TEACH booklets were mailed out widely throughout the province. To date, nearly 20000 copies of the TEACH booklet have been distributed to Aboriginal community members. Future Directions

The following items from the ATEC strategy are being implemented this year:


1. Ongoing recruitment of Aboriginal students to teacher education programs. 2. Planning a second version of the TEACH booklet to continue on an annual basis. 3. DSTC Committee participation: ATEC will continue to support and participate in

the DSTC Committee, which is made up of First Nations and post-secondary institutes that are offering DSTC programs.

4. Follow up to the DSTC Review: ATEC will do a thorough review of the

recommendations that came out of the DSTC Review to see where it would be appropriate for ATEC to act on follow up.

5. Carry out research on retention of Aboriginal students in teacher education

programs in BC. As a follow up to the EDUDATA research report on Aboriginal teacher recruitment and retention, and the post-secondary student research on Aboriginal post-secondary student experiences, a researcher will be contracted to gather individual stories from Aboriginal people who have participated in the various teacher education programs. The study will further identify helpful factors and systemic barriers, and provide a more complete picture of the experiences of Aboriginal students in the programs.

6. Conduct an “outreach to potential teachers” project. This will include research on

how to support students to consider teaching as a career option, and resource materials in the form of a toolkit for educators, parents and others to support students who choose teaching as a career. The toolkit will be provided to school counsellors, teachers, principals, post-secondary institutions, career fairs and communities.

Related handouts

1. TEACH Booklet


Anti-Racism Contact

Jehan Casey Communications Officer & Writer [email protected] Overview

As Aboriginal people gain greater control over Aboriginal education, so grows the need to address direct, systemic and internalized forms of discrimination in the overall school system. Learning resources that reinforce stereotypes about Aboriginal people, over-representation of Aboriginal children and youth in “special education or alternative education programs”, sporadic attendance and participation rates of Aboriginal learners, youth alienation, conflict and violence are just some of the issues related to direct, systemic and internalized racism that continue to impact Aboriginal and non-aboriginal communities. Anti-racism work therefore remains one of the top priorities of the First Nations Education Steering Committee. Key Initiatives

The Anti-Racism Program at FNESC in 2006-07 included a number of initiatives. The key initiatives are:

1. Review, refinement and expansion of the FNESC Anti-Racism Toolkit, including addition of resources such as the film Where the Spirit Lives and children’s picture book Shi-shi-etko authored by Nicola Campbell.

2. Develop and provide a growing array of workshops related to anti-racism work.

Some of the workshops developed and delivered by FNESC are; • Anti-Racism Toolkit Workshop • Never Too Young to Learn About Racism Workshop • Power of Stereotypes Workshop • Inclusive Schools Workshop • Creating a Safe and Positive Learning Environment Workshop • More than Putting Out the Welcome Mat Workshop

These workshops can be designed to meet the needs of a wide range of audiences, including, but not limited to, students, family and community members, teachers, support staff, school based and district office administrators. FNESC is prepared to organize workshops so that all or many of the above audiences can have the opportunity to learn about educational strategies that can enhance the potential. Workshop descriptions are provided as handouts.

1. Promote greater awareness of racism issues in education through FNESC newsletters and communications.


Future Directions

1. Due to the lack luster reception of the FNESC Aboriginal Anti-Racism Policy Template in 2006-07, the Anti-Racism Working Group will revisit the need for an anti-racism policy and investigate alternative ways to introduce such policy development in BC school districts. One avenue being explored is including an Aboriginal Anti-Racism component to the now compulsory School District Code of Ethics.

2. Continue to create and deliver anti-racism and related workshops in

2007/2008.

3. Promotion of the Anti-Racism Community Leadership Network and supporting community leaders to champion the creation of “racism free communities”.

Feedback Requested

1. How can FNESC support communities in their efforts to create “racism free communities”?

2. What are some local anti-racism success stories or challenges? If you have a

story to share, consider emailing it to [email protected] to be shared with the Anti-Racism Leadership Network and the Anti-Racism Working Group.

Related Handouts

1. Anti-Racism Workshop Descriptions


Seventh Generation Club Contact


2007 marks the ten year anniversary of the Seventh Generation Club. The Club was established to help First Nations students in BC achieve their education goals and provide them with the tools and skills they need to make healthy choices in all areas of their lives. Through fun contests and activities, and with the help of one of the Club sponsors, the Vancouver Canucks, the Club encourages students to make healthy choices, participate in sports and in community activities, and stay in school. Over the years, the Club has enjoyed steady growth and its membership is over 7500 students. The FNSA manages the Club in partnership with FNESC. Also vital to the Club’s operation are a handful of committed partners who provide financial and in-kind support, and this past year that “Circle of Friends” included BC Hydro, Indian & Northern Affairs Canada, the Historica Foundation, the Ministry of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation, and the Vancouver Canucks. A management committee of staff and partners guide the club’s activities. Key Initiatives

• Each member receives a copy of the Seventh Generation Club Daytimer, of which there are two: a junior version for those who are 9 years and younger and a senior version for those students who are 10 years and older.

• The Club sponsors an annual Science Day to educate students about the exciting world of science. This year’s science day will take place on November 9, 2007.

• The Club also organizes an annual Sports Day to promote healthy living. This year, Sports Day will be held on June 13, 2008.

• Five newsletters are distributed during the school year. • A Seventh Generation Club website is maintained at

www.seventhgenerationclub.com. • Contests, which are featured in each of the newsletters, and are instrumental to

the success and popularity of the Club. • For the past four years, a Seventh Generation Club Gala & Benefit Auction has

been organized to celebrate the club and raise additional funds for its operations. It will take place this year on April 24, 2008, in conjunction with the FNSA AGM & Conference.

• Each year “attendance stars” – students who achieve an attendance rate of 95% or higher – are rewarded with prizes from the Vancouver Canucks like baseball hats, t-shirts and autographed merchandise.

• Since 2003, the FNSA has run the Historica Heritage Fairs Program for First Nations schools, sponsoring an average of 15 schools a year with grants of $750 to host Heritage Fairs with a neighboring provincial school.

• The BC Hydro Seventh Generation Club scholarships are offered.


mailto:[email protected]

http://www.seventhgenerationclub/

Future Directions

• Partnership the Representative for Children and Youth – This past year the Seventh Generation Club developed a partnership with the British Columbia Representative for Children and Youth, Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond, and her office, in particular including information for children and youth in care in BC about their rights in our daytimers. We look forward to developing this partnership in the 2007/2008 year. • Club Website – One of the plans for the coming year is to update the Seventh Generation Club website. We’ve found that it is currently underused and input is currently being solicited from Club members on how it can be improved so that it more interesting to youth and easier for teachers and parents to use. Work on the Club website will take place throughout the 2007/2008 year.

• Club Improvements – The Club’s revision process will continue in the 2007/2008 year. Last year Dan George, a contractor for FNESC, held focus groups with six schools where the Club is active. The feedback gained through these meetings, as well as recommendations from past Regional Sessions and recent Club surveys will be used to help the Club plan for future years and implement new plans this year.

• Partnership Drive – The Seventh Generation Club will be actively seeking new partners to support its expanded activities across the province in the upcoming year. This work will involve forging new relationships and working to strengthen ties with our current partners.

• Gala – This event is a major fundraiser for the Club and features live entertainment and a silent auction. Donations for the silent auction are welcome!!

Feedback Requested

1. What would you like to see on the Seventh Generation Club website? How can it be improved and what type of activities would most interest the Club’s members and their teachers?


Aboriginal Language Subcommittee Contact

Jan Haugen [email protected] Overview

The FNESC Aboriginal Language subcommittee is made up of language representatives from First Nation communities, and each language family is entitled to appoint a member to the subcommittee. The subcommittee is co-chaired by John Elliott and Deborah Jacobs and meet twice a year to discuss issues regarding Language and as needed to make recommendations to the FNESC Board on language issues. The Aboriginal Language Subcommittee appoints a member to sit as a non-voting member of the FPHLCC, acting as a liaison between the two organizations. The Aboriginal Language Subcommittee this year supported and endorsed the DSTC Review and will work on implementing some of the recommendations from that review. One of the most important functions carried out by the Aboriginal Language Subcommittee is the bi-annual BC First Nations Language Conference. This year the conference was held from August 12-14, 2007 at the University of Victoria (UVIC) and was co-hosted by the UVIC Education Department and the First People’s Heritage Language and Culture Council. The theme that was chosen this year was Immersion Planning: Language Nest to Master Apprenticeship. The theme was partially chosen in response to the growing request from First Nations schools requesting support for immersion programming and also as a result of FNESC submitting unsuccessful proposals to the Canadian Council on Learning (CCOL) to conduct research on immersion. The conference provided an opportunity to bring together key people in language immersion as a starting point for research opportunities. Key Initiatives

• Development of a Framework for a First Nations Immersion Teacher Training Program that will complement the existing DSTC program.

• Development of a Framework for First Nations Language Authorities that meets First Nations needs and supports language preservation and revitalization.


Post-Secondary Subcommittee Contact

Karen Bailey-Romanko Director of Post-Secondary Education and Training [email protected] Overview

The Post-Secondary Sub-Committee (PSSC), a sub-committee of the First Nations Education Steering Committee (FNESC) was established to support First Nations communities in their efforts to address post-secondary education issues. The roles of the PSSC are to:

- seek community input to identify and prioritize post-secondary education and trades training issues;

- organize research, gather and share information to inform First Nations about relevant post-secondary education and trades training issues;

- inform and assist Bands with changes in post-secondary education and training policies;

- make recommendations to FNESC on post-secondary education and training issues.

Key Initiatives

FNESC Post-Secondary Education Coordinator Position The pilot funding, which was first secured in 2004/2005 from the Ministry of Advanced Education for the FNESC Director of Post-Secondary Education and Training position was renewed again for the 2007/2008 year. The Director has been tasked with the support and coordination of the FNESC Post-Secondary Sub-Committee, Indigenous Adult and Higher Learning Association (IAHLA), the Indian Studies Support Program (ISSP) Committee and the BC Aboriginal Post-Secondary Education and Training Partners group to address First Nations post-secondary issues, assist FNESC to coordinate provincial efforts directed at enhancing post-secondary opportunities for First Nations students, and to contribute in a meaningful way to the efforts of First Nations and the provincial government to achieve their mutual goals.

BC Aboriginal Post-Secondary Education and Training Partners In March 2005, the First Nations Education Steering Committee (FNESC) in conjunction with the First Nations Summit Task Group, the Ministry of Advanced Education, INAC, BC Assembly of First Nations, United Native Nations Society, Métis Provincial Council of BC, The University Presidents’ Council of BC, BC College Presidents, University-College Presidents and Indigenous Adult and Higher Learning Association (IAHLA) signed an historical Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to formalize their


commitment to work together on Aboriginal post-secondary education and training issues in British Columbia. Over the past two years, several other interest groups have been invited to join the Partners’ table, including the Ministry of Education, Aboriginal Human Resource Development Agreement (AHRDA’s) the Ministry of Economic Development and the Ministry of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation. The addition of these organizations will provide connections to the issues of transition from high school to post-secondary education and the labour force. The BC Aboriginal Post-Secondary Education and Training Partners meet quarterly to identify key priorities and work collectively to create a strategy for addressing Aboriginal post-secondary education and training issues. Working groups have been established to address the key priorities of data collection and funding sources. The Partners’ group has developed draft strategies to address Aboriginal post-secondary issues, which are outlined in the Made in BC Approach document. This document will be an evolving document and, as further consultations, pilot projects and other environmental changes occur, it will be updated. The strategies include the following four areas of focus:

1. Student support 2. Support for Community Post-Secondary Education coordinators/administrators 3. Institutional Support (including program and student support services) 4. Collection of relevant, accurate data

The group understands that the resources are not currently available to support all of the activities listed but are committed to working towards securing the resources and implementing the strategy incrementally. The first installment of resources was announced by Premier Gordon Campbell along with BC Regional Vice-Chief Shawn Atleo in April 2007. The Ministry of Advanced Education will make available over the next three years $65 million to implement the following elements of the Made in BC Strategy:

- $14.9 million over three years for public post-secondary institutions to create, in partnership with the Aboriginal community, Aboriginal Service Plans that articulate strategies within each institution that will meet the Aboriginal community needs and improve Aboriginal student success.

- $10.3 million over three years has been given to the Ike Barber Foundation for Aboriginal scholarships and bursaries.

- $15 million over three years for public post-secondary institutions to create “gathering places” for Aboriginal students.

- $12.8 million over three years to support the development and implementation of strategies to facilitate the transitions Aboriginal post-secondary students encounter and that often create barriers for students.

- $1.15 million in Aboriginal Special Projects specifically related to post-secondary language programming.

- $12.1 million for public post-secondary institutions to develop and implement culturally appropriate programs and content.


These resources will be augmented by Health Canada’s Aboriginal Health Human Resource Initiative (AHHRI) which has $100 million available over five years to increase the number of Aboriginal Health Professionals. Without the Aboriginal Partners’ Group this connection would not have been possible. The Partners’ Group provides a forum to discuss policy, strategy, innovation, and a networking opportunity that ensures the limited resources that are available are utilized for maximum benefit. To learn more about the BC Aboriginal Post-Secondary Education and Training Partners, refer to the quarterly communicated updates, which are available at: http://fnesc.ca/programs/BC_Ab_PSE_Training_Partners_Grp.php.

Data Collection The Post-Secondary Sub-Committee (PSSC) and INAC representatives continue to discuss the importance of collecting data on all funded students, completion rates and wait lists. It is critical to gather this data to demonstrate an accurate picture of the Aboriginal post-secondary situation in BC. INAC agreed that they have the data, but could not share the data without first receiving permission from the communities. The PSSC requested that INAC supply the aggregate data and not individual community data. As well, the PSSC is working to gather data on deferred or wait listed students, under funded students (students who are funded below the maximum living allowances) and students funded and supported through funds other than INAC PSE funding. This data is necessary to build a true picture of the need for post-secondary education funding and to build the “business case” for post-secondary education funding. The collection of this information is being compiled using the Student Data Collection form, which is available on the FNESC website at: http://www.fnesc.ca/about/about_postsecscommittee.php. This fiscal year, INAC has resourced the data collection work. The PSSC will be reviewing the aggregate data we have to date and other data sources such as those collected by INAC through the PSSSR reports. This data research will help First Nations to build the business case for more post-secondary education funding. National Post-Secondary Education Program Review In January 2005 a Joint Working Group was established to undertake the Post-Secondary Education (PSE) Review and make recommendations to the Chief’s Council on Education and INAC for a renewed policy and management framework for the PSE program. This is the first joint review of the PSE program and the first time the PSE program has been reviewed since 1989. In January 2006, as a result of discussions between AFN and INAC, the national PSE Review Working Group dissolved. Currently INAC is drafting a renewed Policy Framework. Post-Secondary Education has been rolled into the overall Education Policy Framework (EPF). On February 12, 2007, the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development tabled the No Higher Priority: Aboriginal Post-Secondary Education in Canada report. The report stresses “improving educational outcomes is


absolutely critical to the future of individual Aboriginal learners, their families and children, their communities, and the broader Canadian society as a whole.” At this time INAC is looking at coordinating the PSE Authority Renewal with the Human Resource and Social Development Canada (HRSDC) Authority Renewal (2009).

Education Coordinators’ Training Initiative The PSSC, at the request of the community Post-Secondary Education (PSE) Coordinators, took the initiative to survey PSE Coordinators regarding their training needs. The role of a Post-Secondary Education Coordinator has come a long way from the days of Home School Coordinator. Today the PSE Coordinator needs to understand post-secondary education systems, INAC policies, budgeting, file management and support strategies. The PSSC worked in partnership with the Education Coordinators’ Program Advisory Committee to develop the Education Coordinators diploma curriculum with the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology (NVIT). The diploma program can ladder to a degree program in education or business administration. This past spring, the first course (INST 102) of the 20 course Education Coordinator Program was delivered to 75 learners in five sites around BC. This fall, NVIT Vancouver campus will deliver ten additional courses of the program through funding secured from the Ministry of Advanced Education Aboriginal Special Project Funding. Furthermore, INAC has agreed to deliver two more courses this fiscal year through community-based deliveries – two in the north, two in the south and two on the island. As more information is available, updates will be sent to communities.

BC Interim PSE Funding Allocation Methodology Process – 2007/2008 INAC and the PSSC met to discuss the PSE Funding Allocation Methodology process for 2007/08 and based on direction from leadership agreed to the following objectives: Objectives for PSE Funding Methodology: 1. To ensure First Nation PSE allocations fund First Nation students/communities

equitably.

2. To demonstrate the need for BC to access additional funding in the future years based on unmet needs of First Nation students/communities for lifelong learning.

3. To demonstrate that BC First Nations communities and INAC are leaders in accountability and to continue to lead the country.

4. To build capacity around PSE in communities and within INAC. This fiscal year, for the Post-Secondary Education Funding Allocation Methodology, INAC decided to use Option 1, which is based on a formula of per capita (Protected Allocation) and eligible PSE 2005-06 expenditures (initial allocation).


March 21, 2007, CFA communities received notification of their 2007/08 allocation and were given the opportunity to apply for additional Protected and General Pool funds on a proposal basis. Proposal applications were due by 5:00 p.m. May 31, 2007 to INAC. The PSSC sent reminders to all communities regarding this deadline. PSE Funding Allocation Process to Date

As reported by INAC on July 6th, 84 CFA First Nations applied for additional funding, with requests for 750 students. Of the First Nations that applied:

• 59 First Nations applied to access their Protected Pool funds. These requests were funded 100%, for a total of $4,988,839. These included applications for category A (applied and accepted), category B (applied and waiting acceptance) and category C (not yet applied) students.

• This left a total of $1,460,158 available for the General Pool.

• In order to support accountability, it was agreed that only category A and B students will be funded from the General Pool.

From the General Pool amount:

• 63 First Nations qualified for General Pool funding and will receive an additional $14,000 to fund one student from category A or B (equaling $776,293).

• The remaining General Pool equals $683,835 to fund an additional requested amount of $2,619,144, or 26% of the requested amounts.

What We Do Know 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08 Requested funding $8,243,534 $9,132,727 Funded per capita x Application process x x CFA First Nations that applied 76 84

First Nations that received funding from application process

30 76

Total Unmet Funding as reported by allocation process Unknown $7,524,589

$4,615,194 Of this, $1.9 million

for students who had applied.

$2.6 million for students who had not yet applied.

The data above demonstrates that BC First Nations are working to reduce the reported PSE surplus by reallocating funds to address actual need. Through the 2007/08 PSE


Funding Allocation, 46 more First Nations received funding through the application process than the previous year and the total unmet funding needs reduced by $2.9 million.

Furthermore, the actual unmet need for students who had applied for the 2007/08 year is $1.9 million.

Joint Meeting of ISSP, IAHLA, FNESC/PSSC The focus this past fiscal year for the Joint Group has been around the development of the strategy, vision, mission and goals for First Nations post-secondary education in the province of BC. The goal of this discussion and resulting draft document is to provide direction to respond to the changing provincial landscape around post-secondary education and initiatives such as Campus 2020 and Aboriginal Service Plans. During the March, 2007 meeting, the Joint members reviewed the draft vision and goals and agreed to the draft wording. As well, the members revisited the Joint MoU and agreed to wording changes to better reflect current issues. These documents were taken to each member organization to discuss and determine how to move this agenda forward.

Future of Joint Committee Although INAC did not provide funding to support the Joint meetings for this current fiscal year, the ISSP Committee, IAHLA and FNESC/PSSC all agree the Joint table has provided a forum for the four organizations to work together on post-secondary education and training issues and are committed to continuing this work.

Future Directions The PSSC plans to undertake the following initiatives:

1. With the direction of communities and the FNESC Board, the PSSC will develop post-secondary education guiding principles and post-secondary long-term strategy;

2. Continue to encourage communities to assist with and provide data to create the ‘business case’ for post-secondary education;

3. Pending discussions with INAC, FNESC, through the PSSC, will work with INAC BC Region to draft the 2008/2009 PSE Funding Allocation Methodology;

4. Provide input to changes to the national PSE Policy and Management Frameworks.

Feedback Requested

The PSSC requests community input to the following:

1. Review and comment on the draft post-secondary education guiding principles.


2. Review and comments regarding the draft BC First Nations post-secondary education vision, mission, goals and strategy.

3. How can communication/mentorship between First Nations PSE Coordinators be

supported? Would a listserve for your PSE Coordinator/Manager aid your community in delivery of your post-secondary education program?

4. How can the PSSC and communities jointly work together to collect data?

5. Other?

FNESC Post-Secondary Sub-Committee Members (appointed July 2006): Member

Term Band Telephone Email

Cici Sterritt Chair July 2006-2008

Soda Creek Indian Band

250-989-2323 [email protected]

Heather McKenzie

Vice- Chair

July 2006-2008

Williams Lake Band


Charlotte Elliott

Member July 2006-2009

Chemainus First Nation


Les Williams

Member July 2006-2008

Sto:lo Nation


Kevin Ned Member July 2007-2009

Okanagan Indian Band

250) 542-4328

[email protected]

Handouts

1. Briefing Note - BC Post-Secondary Education Interim (2007/2008) Funding Allocation Methodology August, 2007



Indigenous Adult and Higher Learning Association (IAHLA)

Contact


The Indigenous Adult and Higher Learning Association (IAHLA) is an organization that was created at the request of Indigenous controlled post-secondary institutes and adult learning programs in British Columbia. Representatives of those institutes and programs identified the need for an organization dedicated specifically to Indigenous adult and higher learning. The IAHLA is an independent, non-profit society, representing 29 member and one associate member post-secondary institutions. Further information is available on the FNESC website http://www.fnesc.ca/iahla/. At this time, the IAHLA has signed an agreement with the First Nations Education Steering Committee (FNESC) for the provision of administrative support to their Association. Therefore, IAHLA can be contacted through the FNESC office. The IAHLA was created as a service organization and as such IAHLA will:

• collect and disseminate relevant information to assist Indigenous adult and higher learning agencies in their provision of education services;

• undertake research that will benefit Indigenous adult and higher learning agencies throughout BC;

• facilitate networking and information sharing activities, such as conferences, meetings, and workshops;

• support collective professional development and training opportunities;

• undertake other support activities at the direction of Indigenous adult and higher learning agencies;

• advocate for First Nations post-secondary institutions/agencies;

• promote and collaborate at the provincial level; and

• solicit funding as necessary to undertake the activities listed above.


Key Initiatives

IAHLA Data Collection – Year Two A number of studies and evaluations have concluded that, at the provincial and national levels, there is a lack of clear and consistent data related to the success of Aboriginal post-secondary programs and institutes. While programs themselves may very well be collecting meaningful information, issues associated with the sharing of that information are being highlighted. The Department of Indian Affairs organized a national evaluation of the Post-Secondary Student Support Program (PSSSP) and ISSP programs in order to fulfill Treasury Board requirements. The evaluation concluded that:

The Post-Secondary Education Program has been plagued by data challenges for many years. The evaluation noted a lack of baseline data within the Department and information gaps.

The IAHLA membership agreed to respond to those issues by proactively working with First Nations adult and post-secondary institutes to create data and accountability systems that reflect the First Nations institutes’ perspectives and priorities. The developed framework for the Data Collection is intended to reflect expectations established by First Nations post-secondary institutes themselves, rather than expectations or structures set by any outside agencies. Summary of IAHLA Year 2 Data Collection Project:

Nineteen of the 25 eligible institutes (76%) submitted some or all of the requested information. Following are some highlights of data collected:

• 27% of the 19 responding institutes enroll a total of 994 learners, with 35% studying part-time and 65% studying full-time;

• 47% of the institutes report they offered some combination of Adult Basic Education (ABE) and post-secondary programming, while 16% reported they offered only ABE and 26% report they offered only non-ABE post-secondary programming;

• Just over one-third of the institutes indicate they experienced a decrease in funding this year, and approximately 79% of these institutes do not have base or core funding;

• 79% of the institutes offer First Nations language courses and 68% are involved in language revitalization projects.

At the April 2007 IAHLA AGM, approval was given to accept and distribute the Data Collection Year Two report and to allocate resources to the Year Two Data Collection Analysis and Year Three Data Collection project. The IAHLA member institutes will be contacted in late September regarding their voluntary participation in the 2007/08 Data Collection project. The Data Collection Year Two report and the Data Analysis report are available on the IAHLA web link http://www.fnesc.ca/iahla/research.php.


Research This past year, the IAHLA participated in two exciting research projects. The Strategy for Establishing a Registration and Accreditation Process for Aboriginal Post-Secondary Institutions was a continuation of the Post-Secondary Quality Assurance Practices, which was drafted in 2006. The purpose of this paper was to assist the IAHLA institutions by examining the registration and accreditation process that currently exist through the Private Career Training Institution Agency (PCTIA) and proposing a strategy to develop an alternative process which better meets the goals and needs of Indigenous institutes and the communities they serve. The full report is available on the website at http://www.fnesc.ca/iahla/research.php. However, due to recent developments, the paper is being reviewed and will be released as a discussion paper in November, 2007. The second paper, The Indigenous Adult and Higher Learning Association Framework, outlines the current situation for IAHLA and Aboriginal institutes and proposed ways to work collaboratively to improve the educational and economic success of Aboriginal adult learners and their communities. This Framework acknowledges the rapid change in Aboriginal post-secondary education, outlines what is unique for IAHLA institutes, provides a framework to advance Aboriginal post-secondary institutes and position the organization and member institutes for new policy/funding opportunities. IAHLA is determined to bring recognition to Aboriginal controlled institutes as the third sector in British Columbia’s adult and post-secondary education system. IAHLA is committed to:

• Contributing to the revitalization of First Nations languages and cultures;

• Helping to narrow the gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal attainment in education;

• Working in partnership with the public and private sectors;

• Participating in the economic development of First Nations Communities;

• Developing accredited courses and programs to be shared across multiple sites;

• Taking advantage of advances in educational and communication technology;

• Collaborating to more effectively use both existing and new resources.

The full IAHLA Framework document is available on the website at http://www.fnesc.ca/iahla. BC Aboriginal Post-Secondary Education and Training Partners Group IAHLA is a member of the BC Aboriginal Post-Secondary Education and Training Partners group. The Partners’ group is working collectively to create a strategy for addressing Aboriginal post-secondary education and training issues, establishing working groups as required, and implementing activities as determined by the BC Aboriginal Post-Secondary Education and Training Partners’ group.


One initiative of the Partners’ group is the collection of accurate data, including First Nations high school transitions to post-secondary education and post-secondary completion rates. The Partners are investigating how to capture consistent data through the PASBC on-line application process. Furthermore, IAHLA is working to provide data around student transitions from the Aboriginal post-secondary education institutes to the public institutes. Since the signing of the MOU, the Partners’ Group has created a Made in BC Strategy that describes the wish list of all the stakeholders with respect to improving Aboriginal student success. The group understands that the resources are not currently available to support all of the activities listed but are committed to working towards securing the resources and implementing the strategy incrementally. The first installment of resources was announced by Premier Gordon Campbell along with BC Regional Vice-Chief Shawn Atleo in April 2007. The Ministry of Advanced Education will make available over the next three years $65 million to implement the elements of the Made in BC Strategy, one of which is $14.9 million over three years to develop nine Aboriginal Service plans2. At the invitation of University of Victoria/Camosun College and Nicola Valley Institute of Technology, IAHLA has collaborated with these institutes on their Aboriginal Service Plans. As well, an IAHLA representative has been invited to sit on the Aboriginal Service Plan Advisory Committee to review the Service Plans. Campus 2020 During November 2006, the IAHLA Board provided a submission to the Ministry of Advanced Education’s Campus 2020 initiative. The submission outlined the role of the Aboriginal adult and post-secondary institutes and the part these institutes can play to support their learners through community-base education and bridging programs. Joint Meeting of IAHLA, ISSP and FNESC/PSSC The area of post-secondary education and training is a rapidly changing and critically important facet of education and as a result there are several entities providing various support services to students, institutions, and communities. To ensure that there is no overlap or duplication of services, IAHLA, the Indian Studies Support Program (ISSP) and FNESC Post-Secondary Sub-Committee have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The MOU is a commitment of these three organizations to work together to identify common areas, avoid duplication of efforts and identify, and where appropriate jointly address, gaps in First Nations post-secondary education and training.

2 Public institutes receiving Aboriginal Service Plan funding – University of Victoria/Camosun College, Vancouver Community College/Capilano College, Malaspina University College, North Island College, Nicola Valley Institute of Technology, Thompson Rivers University, Northwest Community College, College of New Caledonia, University of Northern British Columbia.


The focus this past fiscal year for the Joint Group has been around the Post-Secondary Education strategy, vision, mission and goals for First Nations post-secondary education in the province of BC. The goal of this discussion and resulting draft document is to provide direction to respond to the changing provincial landscape around post-secondary education and initiatives such as Campus 2020 and Aboriginal Service Plans. During the March 2007 meeting, the Joint members reviewed the draft vision and goals and agreed to the draft wording. As well, the members revisited the Joint MoU and agreed to wording changes to better reflect current issues. These documents were taken to each member organization to discuss and determine how to move this agenda forward.

Future of Joint Committee Although INAC did not provide funding to support the Joint meetings for this current fiscal year, the ISSP Committee, IAHLA and FNESC/PSSC all agree the Joint table has provided a forum for the four organizations to work together on post-secondary education and training issues and are committed to continuing this work. Networking IAHLA recognizes the importance of both a provincial and national networking structure for First Nations institutions and adult education centres. To better communicate with membership, the IAHLA Board circulates the IAHLA e-newsletter three times per year. Copies are available on the website at http://www.fnesc.ca/iahla/. Nationally, IAHLA is a member of the National Association of Indigenous Institutes of Higher Learning (NAIIHL) and is actively working to participate on national Aboriginal post-secondary education issues. IAHLA looks forward to continuing to identify core issues and barriers that pose a challenge to meeting the post-secondary education needs of First Nations institutions and communities. Through identification, research and the development of collaboration with First Nations institutions many common issues can be resolved. IAHLA Funding For the second year, IAHLA submitted a work plan to the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC). This year, INAC cut some of the funding to IAHLA, but will support the Data Collection Project and meeting costs. AGM The fifth annual IAHLA AGM and Conference is set for April 23 - 24, 2008 in Vancouver, BC, to precede the FNSA conference. Watch the IAHLA web link for registration information.


The IAHLA Board of Directors: Member Region Institution Email Verna Billy-Minnabarriet Chair

Secwepemc/Stl’atl’imc/ Nlakapamux

Nicola Valley Institute of Technology

[email protected]

Pauline Waterfall, Vice Chair

Kwakiutl/Heiltsuk/Nuxalk/Oweekeno

Heiltsuk College and Waglisla Integrated Studies Centre

[email protected]

Huia Martin, Treasurer

Member at Large Native Education Centre

[email protected]

Jacob McKay, Haida/Tsimshian/Haisla/ Nisga’a

Wilp Wilxo’oskwhl Nisga’a

[email protected]

Cathy Seymour Kaska/Dene/Tahltan/Tagish/Inland Tlingit

Kwadacha Due Ty cathy.seymour@ kwadacha.com

Jan Green Nuu-chuh-nuulth/Coast Salish

Haahuupayak Adult Education Centre

[email protected]

Sheila Joseph Gitksan/Wet’suwet’en Gitwangak Education Society

[email protected]

Louise Lacerte Tsilhqo’tin/Carrier/Sekani Ted Williams Memorial Learning Centre

[email protected]

Vacant Kootenay/Okanagan Sharon Wilson Member at Large Nuxalk College educadmin@

hotmail.com


Indian Studies Support Program (ISSP)

Contact


The Indian Studies Support Program (ISSP) provides funding for First Nations controlled post-secondary programs that are accredited and transferable. First Nations post-secondary institutes can offer these programs, or First Nations that are operating through a brokering or affiliation agreement with a public post-secondary institutes can sponsor them. ISSP proposal information is distributed annually to all First Nations and First Nations post-secondary institutes each fall. The new funding guidelines are now available, and the next funding application deadline is January 11, 2008. A committee that includes representatives of First Nations and First Nations post-secondary institutes located throughout the province manages the Indian Studies Support Program. The ISSP Committee works in cooperation with Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC). For the past seven years, FNESC has provided services to the ISSP Committee through a fee-for-service agreement. Through that arrangement, FNESC staff members provide support such as the organization of committee meetings and activities, minute taking, correspondence preparation and the facilitation of the annual proposal call and review. Therefore, copies of the new proposal guidelines are available from the FNESC office. Anyone interested can also contact an ISSP Committee member with any questions or concerns. The current list of ISSP Committee members is as follows:

Member Organization Email Term Expires

Monty Palmantier - Chair

Lake Babine [email protected] Dec. 31, 2011

Deanna Nyce – Vice Chair

Wilp Wilxo’oskwhl Nisga’a [email protected] July 31, 2008

Henry Michel – Secretary/Treasurer

Penticton Indian Band Education Centre

[email protected] July 31, 2010


Member Organization Email Term Expires Brenda Leighton First Nations Training and

Development [email protected] July 31, 2008

Margery McRae Gitskan Wet’suwet’en Education Society

[email protected] July 31, 2010

Gwen Point Sto:lo Nation [email protected] Dec. 31, 2011 Barb Morin George Manuel Institute [email protected] July 31, 2008 Lisa Wilson-Wells Kwakiutl District Council [email protected] Dec. 31, 2011 Joe Elliott Vancouver Island South [email protected] July 31, 2008

Key Initiatives

Joint Post-Secondary Education Meetings This past fiscal year, at the request of INAC, the Indigenous Adult and Higher Learning Association (IAHLA) submitted a proposal to INAC to assume the responsibilities of hosting the Joint meetings. The ISSP Committee continues to participate in the Joint Post-Secondary Education group. The Joint group is working on the draft BC Post-Secondary Education vision, mission and goals for the next 3-5 years. Research During the 2006/07 fiscal year, the ISSP Committee conducted a Review of ISSP Program Proposal Funding 1999 - 2006. This research involved a review of ten program evaluations sponsored by the ISSP Committee over the past seven years and provided an analysis of the proposals submitted to the ISSP during the past three years. The analysis was intended to highlight the types of First Nations post-secondary programs needed in BC and the partnerships that have been established with public post-secondary institutes. The report is available at http://www.fnesc.bc.ca/iahla/research.php. Final ISSP Reports This fiscal year, the ISSP Committee will be circulating the ISSP Final Reports via CD rather than via hard copy. First Nations considering applying for ISSP funding are encouraged to review the Final Reports for previous ISSP projects to gain an insight into the types of projects funded through the ISSP funding. Dates to Remember: November 9, 2007 Final Reports for 2006/07 fiscal year programs are due.

December 7, 2006 Progress Reports for 2007/08 fiscal year programs are due.

January 11, 2008 Proposal deadline for 2008/09 programs.


First Nations Schools Association Contact

Marie Matthew FNSA Administration [email protected] Overview

The First Nations Schools Association (FNSA) is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to serving First Nations schools in BC through communication and support activities. All First Nations schools in BC are invited to join and, as of April 2006, 98% of eligible schools were members. Elections for the ten board members, for two year terms, within eight regions, take place at the Annual General Meeting each April. The following representatives are currently serving: Representative Region Greg Louie, President Nuu-chah-nulth/Coast Salish Ernie Hill, Vice-President Haida/Tsimshian/Haisla/Nisga’a Sue Gower, Treasurer Kaska/Dene/Tahltan/Tagish/Inland Tlingit Victor Jim, Secretary Gitksan/Wet’suwet’en Karen Aoki Kwakwaka'wakw/Heiltsuk/Nuxalk/Oweekeno Janice Antoine Secpwepemc/St’atl’imc/Nlaka’pamux Louise Lacerte Tsilhqot'in/Carrier/Sekani Robert Matthew Secpwepemc/St’atl’imc/Nlaka’pamux Kaleb Child Nuu-chah-nulth/Coast Salish Karen Smith Kootenay/Okanagan Key Initiatives

• FNSA Annual General Meeting & Conference was held April 20-21, 2007. This year's theme was Quality Programs and Strategies: Best Practices for First Nations Schools.

• In 2006/2007 School Assessments were completed in 15 schools, with 5 schools

piloting the new School Assessment for preschools or schools with 5 or fewer FTE. 86 schools have been assessed through the FNSA over the last seven years.

• The School Certification component of the Schools Assessment process is in its

fourth year, with 39 First Nations schools certified to date.

• FNSA is in partnership with First Nations Inuit Health Branch, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Children and Families Development to participate in the National Aboriginal Youth Suicide Prevention Strategies, sharing information and training teachers to implement Friends for Life in schools and communities.


To date 33 schools have received training and parents from 17 communities have participated in training.

• The FNSA Teacher Standards, Competencies and Performance Indicators have

been developed, and tools for supporting implementation of them in First Nations schools, are in place. This initiative is linked to Teacher Certification for Education Jurisdiction.

• The School Measures and Data Collection Project has been completed for the

third year, with 53 schools participating. Custom survey reports were returned to 39 schools. (See Final Report in included Handouts.)

• 39 schools were represented at 5 workshops focusing on implementation and use

of Standardized/Normed Assessments. Future Directions

• Share and receive feedback from teachers on the FNSA Teacher Standards, Competencies and Performance Indicators in 4 regional sessions. Begin piloting the Teacher Standards in First Nations Schools.

• 25 schools are registered to complete the FNSA School Assessment with 5 using

the newly developed template for very small schools.

• Implement and evaluate the impact of the Friends for Life, suicide prevention program in schools and communities.

• Seek strategies for supporting coordinated curriculum development and teacher

training for First Nations language programs.

• Provide opportunities for teacher and principal networking and professional development using technology and workshops.

• Regional workshops to further support schools in implementing strategies for

collecting student achievement data to effectively track learning growth.

• School Measures and Data Collection Project is in Year 4. Please note that this project will be completed between October 15 and November 16, 2007. Participation in this project is critical; the key to collectively demonstrating that we deliver unique, quality First Nations education programs is having data, which describes what we do. We can then celebrate our successes and share effective strategies for making improvements, which will benefit all our children.

• Research to address learning outcomes in music was begun in 2006/2007. The

development of materials to support music programs in First Nations schools is still underway.


• Development of Options for Teacher Pension Benefits for Teachers and Principals in First Nations Schools: In response to repeated requests, FNSA is once again launching a project to explore benefit options for staff in First Nations schools. In keeping with the FNSA goals, the current project is intended to support the successful recruitment and retention of teachers in First Nations schools in BC. The project researcher will work with FNSA to outline a project that will identify options for providing pension benefits that can be used by First Nations schools. The project will be completed in time for a report to be presented at the FNSA AGM in April 2008.

Feedback Requested For FNSA School Measures and Data Collection Project:

1. What strategies do you think could be used to encourage more schools to complete the FNSA School Measures and Data Collection Project form and surveys?

2. What changes would you suggest to better tailor the School Measures and Data Collection Project to meet the needs of First Nations schools?

3. What changes would you suggest to better tailor the School Measures and Data Collection Project Report to meet the needs of First Nations schools?

4. Do you have any further suggestions for improving the School Measures and Data Collection instrument and process?

Related Handouts

School Measures and Data Collection Project 2006/2007 Results


Special Education Contact

Kelly Kitchen FNESC/FNSA Special Education Manager [email protected] Overview

Since 2003, First Nations schools have been receiving funding from the national Special Education Program (SEP), and FNESC/FNSA has been the administering body of this funding for the BC region. In February 2005, the federal budget announcement included an increase of $120 million dollars nationally over 5 years. As a result of this additional funding, BC region now receives $9,471,200 of SEP funding for First Nations schools. At the 2007 FNSA AGM in April, the FNSA membership approved the revised SEP funding implementation plan where the majority of funding continues to go to First Nations schools in the form of a base-plus-per-capita allocation to support local initiatives. A portion of the regional funding will continue to be used for provincially coordinated activities also approved by the FNSA membership. The revised 2007/2008 SEP Implementation Plan is included in the regional session kits. Key Initiatives

Speech Language Pathology At the FNSA AGM in April 2006 and at the FNESC Special Education Regional Sessions in the fall of 2006, there were regional discussions regarding how best to approach the provision of regional specialist services. Speech Language Pathology (SLP) was found to be the area of greatest need in most regions, and participants had differing views about how they can best meet their needs in this area within their respective regions. Based on this feedback FNESC/FNSA is undertaking several initiatives in an attempt to meet the broad range of needs in the area of Speech and Language. Contracted Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) Services In 2006/07, the option of TeleHealth and the use of videoconferencing as a way of providing ongoing SLP support was explored in the Haida/Tsimshian/Haisla/Nisga’a region in five schools. Schools that received these services all expressed positive feedback in the Assessment of Therapy Services Survey. Results of this survey for the five participating schools are highlighted in the following chart.

2006 2007 0-6 receiving services 21% 65% 0-6 receiving adequate services 0% 51% 7+ receiving services 7% 94% 7+ receiving adequate services 0% 88%


This method is now being expanded in the 2007/08 school year to accommodate approximately 20 schools. Applications for these services were sent to schools in June 2007. Speech Language Toll-Free Line At the 2006 Special Education Regional Sessions, several schools indicated the need for access to an SLP to assist with program ideas for children already assessed by an SLP. This feedback prompted the creation of a toll-free SLP line. Deanne Zeidler has been hired to operate this service on a part-time basis. First Nations Speech Language Assistant Certificate For the past several years, FNESC/FNSA have been offering courses through Shoreline Community College in Seattle Washington towards a Language and Learning certificate. Courses could only be offered in the summers due to the limited availability of the instructor. In 2007, FNESC/FNSA applied for and received funding from the Ministry and Children and Family Development for the creation of a Speech Language Assistant Certificate for First Nations Communities. FNESC/FNSA then initiated discussions with Nicola Valley Institute of Technology (NVIT) to determine the feasibility of creating a distributed Learning Model. Courses already taken previously will be granted credit towards the new certificate. Pending approval of the program, the first course will be offered in 3 locations in BC beginning in October in a 3 weekend/course format. Specialist Bursaries In order to support training to become a speech language pathologist, the FNSA membership has agreed to dedicate $30,000 of SEP funding to financially support students to take a Master’s degree in Speech Language Pathology. The size of the bursaries will be dependant on the individual needs of students and the number of applicants each year. Upon completion of the program, recipients of the bursaries will be required to work as a SLP in First Nations schools for each year they received support. Special Education Technology – BC (SET-BC) SET-BC is a provincially funded specialist organization that meets the technology and program needs of students with autism, physical handicaps and visual impairments in the provincial system. Negotiations with SET-BC were undertaken for the purpose of increasing access to assistive technology for students with special needs. A fee for service arrangement has been arranged so that students needing the equipment and services provided by SET-BC can be accessed by First Nations schools without impacting the SEP school allocations. This initiative is also included in the SEP Implementation Plan for 2007/08.


Two application deadlines have been set for the 2007/08 school year: June 15th, 2007 and October 12th, 2007. Special Education Evaluation In order to determine the impact of SEP funding in First Nations schools, an external evaluation was undertaken early in 2007. A screening template was designed in order to assist schools in understanding the types of special needs in the schools. Schools then linked students with the characteristics of various special needs categories, whether they had been formally identified or not, to the workplan activities for which they are using SEP funding. At the time the data was compiled, 86% of First Nations schools representing 88% of the student population submitted reports. Within the reporting schools, 29.8% of students have moderate to severe special needs of which 16.7% had been formally identified by a specialist, and 13.1% had been informally identified by other means. In addition, 27% of students had more than one designation highlighting the complicated challenges many schools face in meeting the needs of their students with special needs. This data is further broken down by special needs category, by gender, and by region. In terms of programming, the number of students with Individual Education Plans in each category and the number and category of workplan activities that support students is also reported. Full details of the evaluation can be found in the Evaluation Report. Comparison of SEP Evaluation Data to Provincial Data The data gathered from the BC SEP evaluation was then compared by category to the incidence rates in provincial schools. The total provincial school incidence rate of students with special needs that are moderate to severe is 7.8% of the total population. The incidence rate in First Nations schools of the same categories is 29.8%, which includes both formally and informally identified students. The total rate of formally identified students in First Nations schools meeting the provincial criteria for special needs is 16.7%. Direct comparisons of special education funding based on incidence rates between provincial schools and First Nations schools in BC indicate a $5,956,706 shortfall in First Nations schools. This does not take into account the higher costs associated with providing services in First Nations communities. More information is included in the 2006/2007 SEP Final Report. Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Training In 2007, FNESC/FNSA secured funding from First Nations Inuit Health Branch to provide two three-day training sessions on the topic of FASD. Participants were asked to provide a follow-up information/training session upon returning to their communities. A second level of training is planned for November 2007. This will provide a more in-depth training for those who participated in the first session.


Supporting Diverse Learners/Learning Facilitator Certificate In 2005, a comprehensive review of the program was conducted by FNESC, Simon Fraser University (SFU), and Thompson River University (TRU) in the form of focus groups to determine the appropriateness of the program for staff of First Nations schools. Support for the program was overwhelmingly positive, but challenges with respect to needing more face-to-face meetings with mentors and communication issues linked to unreliable internet access were expressed. As a result of this feedback, FNESC/FNSA has continued to partner with SFU and TRU to deliver the two-year graduate diploma, Supporting Diverse Learners, and a two-year certificate, Learning Facilitator’s Certificate, but in a different manner. Two neighbouring northern communities have partnered to cost share the delivery of the program within the community. Nine school staff members are taking the graduate program and 6 are taking the Learning Facilitator Certificate. INAC Compliance Directive Direction was given to FNESC/FNSA by participants at the 2006 FNSA AGM and the 2006 Special Education Regional Sessions to incorporate the need for onsite SEP reviews into the FNSA School Assessment Process in an effort to minimize the staffing and the financial burden of creating a new process. In the proposed process, the External Assessors have access to SEP workplans and will determine whether or not there is evidence of workplan activities at the school. In the event that the workplan activities are not being undertaken, the External Report will reflect that the SEP manager will be notified and support will be provided to the school in a manner deemed mutually agreeable by the school/community and FNESC. FNESC staff will work with the school to develop a Special Education Program Improvement Plan. In order to test the feasibility of this approach, an initial pilot is suggested for the 2007/2008 year with the schools that are scheduled to participate in the school assessment process. The results and feedback from these schools would then be shared at the 2008 FNSA AGM. A process for continuing would be established at that time. A plan for a SEP Review of the schools that do not participate in the FNSA School Assessment Process be developed once the feasibility of this approach has been determined. Feedback Requested

1. How can FNESC/FNSA further support the development of regional specialists (special education consultants, speech-language pathologists, psychologists, etc)?

2. What other special education training opportunities are needed? Related Handouts

1. 2007/2008 SEP Implementation Plan (Tab 4)


2. 2006/2007 SEP Final Report; Special Education Evaluation Report; Revised and new special education booklets call all be found on the FNSA Special Education website: http://www.fnsa.ca/specialed.htm


First Nations SchoolNet Contact

Dayna Anderson Project Coordinator [email protected] Overview

The First Nations SchoolNet program, sponsored by Industry Canada, was due to sunset in March 2006 at the national level. Through perseverance and lobbying on behalf of the national SchoolNet team and locally in British Columbia (BC) through schools and other First Nations organizations, SchoolNet was extended for another year. Industry Canada received a 50% decrease in overall funding for their programs and as such our budget decreased to $885,000 for the year 2006/2007. On December 1, 2006 Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) assumed responsibility of the First Nations SchoolNet program. Key Initiatives

• Internet connectivity for First Nations schools

• Help desk services with a toll-free number

• Technical support for repairing, installing, networking computers etc.

• Training of help desk technicians to become A+ certified through CompTIA

• The procurement of computers and LCD projectors

• The purchase of a centralized web and mail server for schools

• Four servers for schools in need of a replacement

• Lancensus help desk inventory tool

• Laptops for the A+ students

• Renewal of Microsoft Office and XP licenses for another year

• Licensing costs for Access Copyright

• E-learning initiatives such as COOL School and Open School. Youth Initiative The First Nations Education Steering Committee (FNESC) took on the administration of the Industry Canada and HRSDC funding initiative for youth in the fall 2006. The funding provided for this program was $480,000. The program was designed to provide youth with the experience of working in technology-related careers with the possibility of making it a permanent career. FNESC was able to recruit 47 students to participate in the program that began in October 2006 and ended January 31, 2007. The program had the


participation of 24 First Nations communities located across BC in remote and rural areas. The students had a wide range of technology-based responsibilities in the First Nation community that they were working in. As well, they participated in IC3, an Internet computing fundamentals course that was offered to the students. The course was taught by an Aboriginal instructor from Prince George and the students participated on-line through a web-based course tool called Elluminate. This course allowed them to participate remotely using voice or video and follow a PowerPoint presentation by the instructor. The students met twice weekly during their work week. One of the more important aspects of communication that FNESC developed with students was our Tekkru.com website. This website was an effective tool to communicate with the students and to encourage their participation. As part of the program, we hired an assistant youth coordinator to work directly with communities in increasing their capacity in terms of using multi-media videotaping, recording and editing. The funding also provided for the following initiatives:

• A career and technology panel with ICT professionals

• A resume building workshop

• Developing a website seminar

• National video conference with youth from Quebec

Future Directions

E-Learning The First Nations Education SchoolNet program in the 2006/2007 year has been working to continue the development of information and communication technologies in the First Nations schools in British Columbia. However, due to funding challenges there have been many different approaches taken this past year compared to prior years in delivering the program. Because of the delay in funding at the end of the fiscal year and the reduced budget, many programs that traditionally had been offered were not possible. One program that was severely impacted was the E-Learning program. In past years the E-Learning program had been able to offer a combination of training, technical support, and continued training opportunities both in person and online for teachers. This support was not offered this year because of the restrictions on funding, including being unable to pay travel costs for training at all. This year the E-Learning program will be undertake again for First Nations schools in BC, moving forward in small steps. This step-by-step method will also help to show the ways in which eLearning will be most effective. Primarily, E-Learning will offer again this year the regular Cool School program along with additional opportunities for support including online training and helpdesk services.


The reality is that E-Learning has been a difficult and onerous program for many schools to undertake. The problem for many schools is that teachers are not experienced with E-Learning and issues of literacy, student motivation, and prior learning success are more challenging than anticipated. The E-Learning program in First Nations schools is used often for alternate students, requiring additional support, as opposed to students that are excelling and looking for additional challenge. Another E-Learning initiative is developing a closer working relationship with IAHLA and post-secondary institutes. For the most part, the E-Learning programs offered have been for grades 8 to 12. Adding post-secondary to E-Learning is key to the continuing success of First Nations learners allowing many to overcome the obstacle of their rural location by making distance education more accessible. Distributed learning is the current term for education that takes place at a distance and many colleges and universities and institutes are engaged in that practice. The First Nations institutes are also working towards using E-Learning to further the educational goals of their students and to work towards understanding what E-Learning can offer in terms of knowledge exchange between institutions. For example, one institution with a specialty in geographic information systems could share that expertise with another institution and visa versa. This year E-Learning will again be offered through one or two courses with a certified instructor paid by FNESC in order that the schools keep their full-time equivalent student numbers or nominal roll numbers. Hopefully this will also help to address the difficulty for schools to offer a full range of courses, especially in math and science. In past years, this E-learning program has not been successful due to low attendance and difficulty in supervising the remote students. However, it is worth continuing to explore. Other initiatives around E-Learning are to increase the capacity of teachers that could teach E-Learning. An on-going issue is the lack of First Nations teachers well equipped to teach at a distance and the limited learning opportunities available in this area. E-Learning will also be working to develop curriculum that is culturally relevant and interesting to First Nations students. Overall, these initiatives are small steps towards offering a complete E-Learning program. E-Learning is a major initiative and requires a multi-year funding arrangement in order to be used to its full advantage. Capacity Training FNESC, through the First Nations SchoolNet program, has a mandate to increase the adoption of information and communication technologies within First Nations schools in BC and the associated communities in which the schools reside. With the transfer of SchoolNet from Industry Canada to Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, the SchoolNet program takes on an additional dimension: trying to assist the community in a holistic manner. Earlier this year FNESC received $50,000 in funding from the provincial government in order to assist in the strategic development of a possible technical digital literacy report that would describe a plan to assist First Nations community members in becoming more


digitally literate with computers. The report, as developed by FNESC over the past six months, would see the development of a digital literacy program that would be offered to all First Nations community members. This program could assist them in understanding how to use computers in a basic manner in order to take full advantage of being a citizen of the 21st century and an integral part of the knowledge-based economy. The knowledge-based economy is based on computer literacy and everyone in any community can benefit from additional learning opportunities. Furthermore, with a change of operating systems from an older version of Windows to a newer version of Windows, there are additional opportunities to work with students, teachers, and others within the community to fully embrace digital literacy. Essentially, the program described in the report would take the form of a straight forward training program developed on a regional basis that would be offered free of charge, or close to free of charge, to community members that were interested in learning more about computers. The venue for this training would take place through a computer and the Nation would need to provide a secure facility and computers for the learning to take place. If a community did not have access to computers, then the plan would see the provision of a limited number of computers to assist in that training. An important aspect of this program would be to encourage and assist youth financially to assist community members to learn and provide face-to-face assistance. Lastly, there would also be a helpdesk available via email and telephone for any basic problems that emerge. The development of the report involved consultation with various community members, political and administrative leaders, and experts within the information and communication technology field across Canada, in order to produce the potential plan. The digital literacy program could rollout across British Columbia in as little as two years. It will require partners within the Aboriginal community and future plans include continuing discussions with other Aboriginal organizations. Currently, the report detailing a potential plan, once approved by FNESC board and executive, will be circulated as a draft to communities and other organizations. Funding is expected to be sought from the province and other funding bodies in order to start the process of developing a specific program to achieve the outlined goals of the report.


New Paths for Education Program (NPE) Contact

Derek Payne Program Administrator [email protected] Overview

In the 2006-2007 year, the FNESC and the FNSA were responsible for the management of funding from INAC for the NPE program for First Nations schools and communities. For the past eight years, NPE (formerly known as Gathering Strength) initiatives of INAC have made significant contributions to provide quality education to their students and community members, and have allowed for the implementation of a range of useful activities at both the provincial and regional levels. The NPE program includes the allocations of grants that will allow for the implementation of initiatives by First Nations schools and communities. Funding for this year was split into three themes:

1. Capacity Building – Governance and Infrastructure 2. Improving School Effectiveness 3. School to Work Transition

The NPE program funds could be used to supplement the Parental and Community Engagement (PCE) program, but it is not possible to fund NPE with PCE funds. A variety of collective activities supported First Nations schools and communities under the NPE program. Each year, the level of funding retained for regional level efforts and the specific activities undertaken were approved by participants at the FNESC regional sessions and FNSA annual general meeting. Key Initiatives

• Principal Support Resource Person (PSRP) provided support to the FNSA Board of Directors and directly to First Nations schools;

• PSRP primary areas of support included the preparation for, implementation

and follow-up on school assessments, staff evaluations, language curriculum development, policy preparation, parental involvement, and the enhancement of community capacity for effective school governance;

• Sponsorship of parent attendance at the BC Confederation of Parent Advisory

Council (BCCPAC) Conference;


• Continuation of work with the exploration of standardized testing in First Nations schools with a series of consultation workshops with school representatives, with the intention of moving toward the use of appropriate testing tools in all First Nations schools in BC;

• Allocation of $2,450,000 NPE grant funding distributed to 131 First Nations

Schools; • Allocation of $2,221,212 NPE grant funding distributed to 191 First Nations

Communities. Future Directions

The NPE program must continue to focus on supporting the efforts of First Nations schools and communities as quality education programs are provided for First Nations students. The 2006-2007 year has seen one of the most successful and well-received components of the NPE program go directly to First Nations schools and communities for the implementation of local initiatives. The range of activities undertaken during the past several years has been tremendous and must continue at the school and community levels. This coming year will also see the addition of $700,000 from the New Relationship Trust to be spent on initiatives to improve success in English, Math and Science. Program Information

The NPE program information is posted and available through the FNESC website www.fnesc.ca under “Programs” which can be downloaded separately, or as a whole. Submission of work plan and final reports are received by email: [email protected] and/or by fax/mail to the FNESC office.


http://www.fnesc.ca/


Parental & Community Engagement (PCE) Program

Contact


In 2006-2007, FNESC and the FNSA were responsible for the third year of managing INAC funding for the PCE program for First Nations schools and communities. The PCE could not be used to fund activities related to the New Paths for Education (NPE) funding categories. However, a portion of the NPE funding could be used to supplement the funding for PCE activities. The PCE included funding for distribution to First Nations schools and communities to support activities related to raising the awareness of parents and community members of their valuable role in their children’s education and to provide the support necessary to ensure their active participation in that role. Key Initiatives

• Support for the continuation of the First Nations Parents Clubs; • Sponsorship of the parent attendance at the BC Confederation of Parent

Advisory Council (BCCPAC) Conference; • Allocation of $215,463 PCE grant funding distributed to 131 First Nations

Schools; • Allocation of $202,320 PCE grant funding distributed to 191 First Nations

Communities. PCE project activities for First Nations schools and communities included the following:

• Organized meetings for parents, including workshops with guest speakers offering specific training for parents. The sponsorship includes food for participating parents, facilitator expenses and materials for parents, and child care costs;

• Hired a trained individual to make home visits to support parents; • Accessed parenting programs and resources related to parenting skills, home

reading support, and parental contributions to educational development;


• Provided training for parents with low literacy skills to help them understand how

to provide reading and homework support; • Implemented programs that involve parents in school activities, including parental

participation in cultural activities, in-school decision making, and one-on-one support for children who require assistance;

• Sponsored joint parent and student activities that increase their comfort in the

school environment, including games nights, social activities, children and adult First Nations culture and language learning programs, and parent-led extra-curricular activities;

• Facilitated presentations on the importance of regular health check-ups, nutrition,

healthy lifestyles, and safety issues; and • Provided information for parents on career and education planning.

The 2006-2007 year project activities for First Nations schools and communities resulted in the following data: SCHOOL PROJECT CLIENTELE The school project clientele resulted in 473 participants with the following percentage of participation.

Project Clientele Total Number Percentage of Participation

Parents/Caregivers 112 24% Students 97 20% Community Members 88 19% Elders 79 17% Teaching Staff 56 12% Para-professionals 41 8% Totals: 473 100%

COMMUNITY PROJECT CLIENTELE The community project clientele resulted in 580 participants with the following percentage of participation.


Parents/Caregivers 144 25% Students 126 22% Community Members 117 20% Elders 94 16% Teaching Staff 57 10%



Para-professionals 42 7% Totals: 580 100%

SCHOOL PROJECT ACTIVITIES The school project activities resulted in 410 projects consisting of the following project objectives and percentages of participation.

Project Objectives Total Number of Projects

Percentage of Participation

Support Community involvement in education

94 23%

Support parents and caregivers in the role as their child’s first and most influential teacher

79 19%

Establish home/school partnerships 78 19% Facilitate family literacy, native language and culture

59 14%

Encourage a home environment that supports children to succeed in school

57 14%

Prepare youth for academic and social success in school

43 11%

Totals: 410 100% COMMUNITY PROJECT ACTIVITIES The community project activities resulted in 503 projects with the following percentage of participation.

Project Objectives Total Number of Projects


Support Community involvement in education

116 23%

Support parents and caregivers in the role as their child’s first and most influential teacher

95 19%

Establish home/school partnerships 82 16% Facilitate family literacy, native language and culture

75 15%

Encourage a home environment that supports children to succeed in school

74 15%

Prepare youth for academic and social success in school

61 12%

Totals: 503 100%


PROJECT PARTNERS The primary partners in the 2006-2007 PCEP were the FNESC, FNSA, and First Nations schools and communities. The identified project partners consisted of schools, bands, health services, community services, Ministry of Children and Family Services local businesses, tribal councils, and others. The locally implemented projects have been captured in the First Nations schools and community project final reports. FIRST NATIONS SCHOOLS The school project partners resulted in a total of 269 project partners with the following percentage of participation.

Project Partner Total Number


School 91 34% Band 62 23% Health Services 40 15% Community Services 32 11% Ministry of Children & Family Services

15 6%

Other 13 5% Local Business 10 4% Tribal Council 6 2% Totals: 269 100%

FIRST NATIONS COMMUNITIES The community project partners resulted in a total of 416 project partners with the following percentage of participation.

Project Partner Total Number


School 137 33% Band 105 25% Health Services 64 15% Community Services 53 13% Ministry of Children & Family Services

20 5%

Other 16 4% Local Business 12 3% Tribal Council 9 2% Totals: 269 100%

The First Nations schools and communities have supported parents and caregivers in their role as their child’s first and most influential teacher, supported community involvement in education, facilitated family literacy, native language and culture, encouraged a home


environment that supports children to succeed in school, established home and school partnerships, and prepared youth for academic social success in school. Future Directions

The need for the encouragement of parental and community involvement in education programming continues. Parent and community contributions are believed to contribute to higher attendance and retention rates, greater academic achievement and positive attitudes towards school. This type of initiative supports dramatic changes at the school and community levels with the ownership and contributions of students, parents and community members promoting quality education and life-long learning. The support for these types of initiatives must continue, as parental and community engagement remains a crucial component to the success of First Nations students. The term “parental involvement” covers the participation of parents, grandparents, other family members, and caregivers, as the raising of a child is a community responsibility. This occurred through many initiatives with huge success. Program Information

The PCE information is posted and available through the FNESC website www.fnesc.ca under “Programs.” Submission of work plans and final reports could be emailed to [email protected] and/or by fax/mail to the FNESC office.




Teacher Recruitment and Retention: Professional Development Program (TRR:PDP)

Contact


In 2006-2007, FNESC and the FNSA managed the funding from INAC for the Teacher Recruitment and Retention: Professional Development Program (TRR:PDP) for First Nations schools. The primary objective of this initiative was to assist band-operated schools in the recruitment and retention of qualified teachers and educators by funding professional development opportunities. The key secondary objectives were designed to: • Provide educators/para-professionals in band-operated schools with access to

professional development training; • Reward teacher/school excellence; and • Promote education as a career.

Key Initiatives

• Allocation of $317,905 grant funding was distributed to 131 First Nations Schools

• The project activities consisted of 1,952 individuals with the following percentage of participation by school personnel:

PROJECT ACTIVITY NUMBER OF

INDIVIDUALS PARTICPATION PERCENTAGE

Training, including accredited on-line training, at an accredited post-secondary institution

129 7%

Group workshops, training programs and/or non-accredited courses organized by First Nations, delivered by specialists; and that are comparable to those provided provincial school boards and Ministries of Education

384 20%

Group workshops, training programs and/or non-accredited courses delivered by Aboriginal-controlled institution, which is affiliated with a recognized institution

313 16%

Networking opportunities including Internet-based communications, distance education opportunities and mentoring programs for first

313 16%


PROJECT ACTIVITY NUMBER OF PARTICPATION INDIVIDUALS PERCENTAGE

year teachers Recruitment workshop to promote education as a career

258 13%

Other PD training 555 28% Totals: 1,952 100% PROJECT PARTNERS A variety of other project partners were involved with the provision of professional development training at the local level and by neighboring colleges, post-secondary institutions, school boards, and educational specialists.

PROJECT PARTNER NUMBER OF PROJECT PARTNERS

PARTICIPATION PERCENTAGES

Neighboring Communities 33 20% Tribal Council 8 5% FNREO’s 1 1% School Boards 34 21% First Nations Education Authority

28 17%

Ministries of Education 14 8% Other (Specify) 47 28% Totals: 165 100%

The ‘Other’ listed consisted of 28% of the project partners from various colleges, universities, associations, societies, para-professionals, health centres, public schools, family services, community futures, and Aboriginal nations and/or organizations. Future Directions

The need for the continuation of First Nations schools to provide training opportunities in the recruitment and retention of qualified teachers and educators is evident by the commitment by the First Nations schools in the implementation of their 2006-2007 project initiatives. Other sources of funding were sought out by the individual school to meet their project needs. Examples included funding from government and own source revenue. This clearly demonstrates the need for increased TRR:PD program funding. Program Information

The TRR:PDP information is posted and available through the FNESC website www.fnesc.ca under “Programs.” Submission of work plans and final reports can be emailed to [email protected] and/or faxed/mailed to the FNESC office.




First Nations Youth Employment Strategy (YES) Programs

Contact


The YES was launched in 1996, as part of the government of Canada’s commitment to help Canadian youth get the work experience, knowledge, skills and information they need to make a successful transition to the workplace. The First Nations and Inuit Youth Employment Strategy (FNIYES) is part of the Youth Employment Strategy (YES). The YES combines the efforts of 14 government of Canada departments and agencies with service Canada assuming the lead role. The goals of FNIYES are to: • Emphasize the importance of education for effective labour market participation,

and; • Provide opportunities for First Nations and Inuit youth (ages 15 to 30, who

ordinarily live on-reserve or in recognized communities) to improve their job skills.

In February 2002, as part of its Innovation Strategy, the government of Canada released a document Knowledge Matters: Skills and Learning for Canadians, which committed the government of Canada to examine ways to improve the YES to make it more responsive to:

The knowledge-based economy; Changing labour market conditions; Labour market barriers; Helping youth develop their skills to make successful school to work transitions.

The renewed YES builds on successful activities, which includes new elements to address the gaps identified in past evaluations, such as the need for youth needs assessments, the need to promote employment and career awareness, and the need to ensure that youth have access to employment related information. The policy framework has been refocused to emphasize the importance of education to effective labour market participation, and to enhance employability skills, which are the critical skills needed in the workplace such as communication, problem solving, and working with others. The main objective of YES is to assist youth in enhancing their employability skills, while increasing the number of skilled young Canadians in the workforce.


FNESC and the FNSA are once again responsible for managing funding from INAC for the YES programs. The FNIYES is now in its fifth year of a five-year program.

Key Initiatives

• 2006-2007 YES Annual Allocations for BC Region:

YES PROGRAM

BC ALLOCATION FOR DISTRIBUTION

Student Summer Opportunities

$837,399

Science and Technology

$201,399

Youth Work Experience

$1,025,548

Career Promotion and Awareness

$423,999

TOTAL: $2,488,345 • Funded 172 out of 194 First Nation communities for the Student Summer

Employment Opportunities Program (SSEOP) by Letter of Intent; • Funded 55 Science and Technology proposals out of 65 proposal applicants; • Funded 19 Youth Work Experience proposals out of 54 proposal applicants; • Funded 13 Career Promotion and Awareness proposals out of 20 proposal applicants; • Data Collection of YES projects into a FNESC/FNSA Access database.

2006-2007 PARTICIPATION STATISTICS STUDENT SUMMER EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES PROGRAM

546 participants 293 female participants 253 male participants 7 participants identified themselves as having disabilities 546 jobs provided 3183.8 total number of weeks worked 449 secondary education students 97 post-secondary education students

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM

1,993 participants 1,108 female participants 885 male participants


30 participants with disabilities 170 participating First Nations communities/organizations 594 project activities

YOUTH WORK EXPERIENCE PROGRAM

146 participants 56 female participants 90 male participants 13 participants with disabilities 130 Individual Learning Plans completed 4 participants with less than secondary education 77 participants with some secondary education 58 participants with secondary graduation 4 participants with some post-secondary education

CAREER PROMOTION AND AWARENESS PROGRAM

690 participants 343 female participants 347 male participants 25 participants with disabilities 103 Individual Learning Plans and/or Needs Assessments completed 312 Coop Education Placements 43 participants between Grades 8-10 647 participants between Grades 11-12

HOW ARE THE YES PROGRAMS ADMINISTERED? Each year, an updated program handbook is mailed to First Nations communities and schools. It is called “Youth Initiative Programs: Descriptions and Application Forms.” The handbook is posted to the FNESC website in “sections” so that information for the four programs can be downloaded separately, or as a whole. Funding for the SSEOP is allocated on a base-plus-per-capita basis. Communities submit a Letter of Intent to access the funding FNESC provides: • A Letter of Intent template • A SSEOP Student Application form (to be completed for each student to be hired)

The other three youth programs are proposal based: • Science and Technology Program • Career Promotion and Awareness Program • Youth Work Experience Program


In the 2006-2007 year a FNESC - FNIYES Program Applicant Guide for the BC region was created to assist applicants in applying for FNIYES program funding. The Guide can be used with the FNIYES program booklet that contains program descriptions, objectives, criteria, eligibility, and forms. The Guide also helps with the application and reporting processes, along with useful tips and resource information.

PROPOSAL REVIEW PROCESS The FNSA Board of Directors are representatives of First Nations schools and the majority of them are teachers and principals. They are elected by First Nations schools to represent a particular region of BC. The FNSA is divided into eight (8) regions. A proposal review subcommittee of the FNSA reviews the proposals and makes recommendations. To ensure that the process is free from conflict of interest, any member of the committee whose school submits a proposal is ineligible to participate in discussions about or vote on that proposal.

Points are awarded based on how well the proposal fulfills the criteria and those points determine the amount of funding allocated. All applicants are informed of the committee’s decisions KEY INDICATORS OF SUCCESSFUL PROPOSALS

Completed and met eligibility requirements (all the required information, letters of support, etc)

Reflected the goals of the program Provided quality activities and experiences for youth Had a reasonable budget

KEY INDICATORS OF UNSUCCESSFUL PROPOSALS

Missing information or otherwise ineligible Failure to fulfill past reporting requirements Missing deadline dates for the call for proposals Lack of funding to accommodate all proposals

REPORTING PROCESSES To ensure timely receipt of reports there are multiple strategies:

• Handbook with reporting deadlines on the first page • Templates to simplify the reporting process (in the handbook and online) • Faxed reminders • Phone call reminders (all calls are logged) • Regional FNSA Directors are notified if reporting is not happening • For each approved proposal a contract is issued and signed.


FNIYES COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES

Program Guides/Applications & Forms & Program Applicant Guides Frequent Notices – Proposal Calls, Deadline Dates, & Reminders for Reports Due Handbook with reporting deadlines on the first page YES workshops and conference calls All proposal, interim and final reports logged Phone call reminders – all calls are logged Faxed reminders – placed in their file/fax log book Emails – immediately responded with “received and thank you” Email enquires are answered as quickly as possible FNSA Regional Directors notified if program reporting is not happening FNESC website Visits to FNESC office FNESC/FNSA Regional Sessions FNESC/FNSA Board Program Updates Site Visits

FNIYES - FNESC DATABASE The FNESC/FNSA YES Database is used for data collection and captures key information for research and statistical analysis, and for lobbying of the continuation of the YES programs after the 2007-2008 final year. We are currently in the 5th year of a five-year funding period. The database is designed to produce program reports, charts and graphs on the four youth programs. OVERALL PROGRAM CHALLENGES

Tight reporting deadlines and the turn around time for receiving First Nations schools and community reports, entering data, and the preparation of final reports for INAC is challenging

There are many proposals received and the total exceeded the limited dollars available to the BC Region

Developing data collection methods – converting from a narrative reporting style to reporting that includes data collection has been challenging in terms of effort, time and money, but will provide evidence, accountability and data for research and analysis for the support and continuation of programs

INAC requirements: collecting Social Insurance Numbers (SIN) and the age restrictions and eligibility for accessing two of the four youth programs

Simplifying the proposal writing and reporting processes is challenging, but it is important to help schools and communities that may not have skilled proposal writers, or may have many other programs to administer

Other challenges: schools and communities lack proposal and report writers, isolation factors for providing quality work placements for youth, lack of transportation and daycare


FNIYES STRATEGIES • Constantly streamlining program reporting for easier completion • Late project reports – How to help? • Sharing successful proposals with others? • Provide YES Proposal-Writing workshops and/or site visits to First Nation schools,

communities and/or organizations Future Directions

Human Resources and Social Development Canada (HRSDC) and the Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) conducted evaluations of the First Nations and Inuit Youth Employment Strategy (FNIYES) program. The FNIYES Strategy ends its 5-year cycle in the 2007-2008 year. The Strategy is for up for renewal in the 2008-2009 year and required an INAC/HRSDC Treasury Board (TB) submission in August 2007. Goss Gilroy Inc. was the consulting team hired to conduct the evaluation on the HRSDC’s behalf. The purpose of the HRSDC evaluation was to assess the key impacts that had occurred as a result of the Strategy. The evaluation was designed to address issues of relevance, success, and cost effectiveness, and focused on the Strategy overall, in addition to the three specific streams, namely Career Focus, Skills Link and Summer Work Experience. Methodologies included key informant interviews, surveys of participants, literature and data reviews, focus groups and case studies. Contacts were identified by INAC/FNESC who may be able to assist in the evaluation of FNIYES by providing information about the FNIYES Student Summer Employment Opportunities Program (SSEOP), Science and Technology Program (STP), Career Promotion and Awareness Program (CPAP), and the Youth Work Experience Program (YWEP). Points West Management Consultants were hired by INAC to conduct qualitative research and analysis on the impact of the INAC FNIYES programs. The purpose of the INAC evaluation was to undertake qualitative research to assist INAC in better understanding the impacts of FNIYES programming in achieving objectives of supporting the development and enhancement of essential employability skills, exposing youth to a variety of career options, promoting the benefits of education as being key to labour market participation, and supporting cooperative education, work and study opportunities. Methodologies included the identification and clarification of data requirements and an elaboration of evaluation issues and questions, review of the data and document reviews, conduct stakeholders interviews, and four (4) case studies, and analysis of Findings, report preparation, and revisions as appropriate. Both evaluations involved the recruitment of interviewees who had taken part in the FNIYES programs and had been identified as a “best practice(s)’ candidates. FNESC


and INAC BC region were active regional and participated with both evaluations to ensure the process of one-on-one interviews with key management and support personnel responsible for the implementation of the FNIYES. It also included, as appropriate consultations with a select number of First Nations schools and communities. Four (4) case studies were included in a province wide approach adopted in BC and included an analysis of the data collected to support the program. The BC region HRSDC and INAC evaluations took place in July 2007 with contacts made to 8-12 BC First Nations schools and communities for one-on-one telephone or group conference calls. Derek Payne, FNESC Program Administrator assisted HRSDC and INAC evaluators to contact BC First Nations schools and communities. A majority of the interviews involved evaluators speaking directly with youth that participated in a school and/or community youth programs between the 2003-2007 years. Both evaluations were not audits but consultation with local First Nations schools and communities and their youth participants. Participating First Nations schools and communities contributed to both evaluations in the documentation of BC best practices, successes, but also reiterated the FNIYES program successes and challenges at a First Nations community level. Program Information

The Youth programs are posted and available through the FNESC website www.fnesc.ca under “Programs” which can be downloaded separately, or as a whole. Submission of Letter of Intent, proposals, interim and final reports can be emailed to [email protected] and/or faxed/mailed to the FNESC office.




First Nations Parents Club Contact

Barb O’Neill Administration Assistant [email protected] Overview

Since 2004-2005 FNESC and the FNSA have distributed the Parental and Community Engagement Strategy funding and a portion of this funding has been used to support the First Nations Parents Clubs. The First Nations Parents Club is intended to facilitate the organization of community-based groups for parents. The local groups vary in their structure and initiatives; some of the activities undertaken include meetings for mutual support, adult education projects, and workshops on safety, health and learning activities, and field trips to educational stores and learning centres. Many of the community groups are also working to increase the role of First Nations parents in school decision-making. Key Initiatives

FNESC and the FNSA provide locally-based parents clubs with a variety of support materials, including: • Four (4) newsletters, incentive gifts, a parenting calendar, books for home reading,

and other informational materials; • In 2006-2007, there were 134 locally-based parents clubs throughout BC with a

membership of approximately 2,770 First Nations parents; and • Incentive gifts included book bags, new coffee mugs, games and books.

In addition to the Parents Club, the Parental and Community Engagement Strategy funding provided by INAC allowed for the following activities to support First Nations parents: • 17 First Nations parents in the 2006-2007 year attended a BCCPAC Conference in

Kelowna, BC with eight (8) of those parents invited to a Parents Congress with Minister Shirley Bond

This conference provided a great opportunity for First Nations parents to share their concerns and perspectives regarding parenting and their child’s education. The parents also had a choice of attending workshops and plenary sessions on issues of interest to parents.


FNESC/FNSA PROGRAM and PARTNER UPDATES Sessions/2007... · 2009-05-20 · 1. FNSA Measures and Data...

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