Increase Indigenous student success through supports
Objective 3:
Increase Indigenous student success through enhancing and innovating supports for transition to post-secondary education.
Various Supports and Programs
The Indigenous Circle of Empowerment
Indigenous Circle of Empowerment (ICE) is a student leadership program rooted in Indigenous culture. It focuses on personal growth, professional development, and community involvement. ICE is designed for Indigenous students who aspire to be leaders in their communities, workplaces, and the world. With support from the EleV partnership, ICE is doubling the cohort size for the 2023-2024 academic year. Also, in 2024, we are planning to start an Indigenous Student Community Volunteer Program and introduce a version of ICE that focuses on leadership development for first-year students, addressing their specific needs.
https://umanitoba.ca/indigenous/student-experience/indigenous-circle-empowerment-ice
If you are interested in learning more and how you might be able to work with the ICE program, contact the Director Justin Rasmussen at Justin.Rasmussen@umanitoba.ca, or 204-915-8110.
Post-Secondary Club
Post-Secondary Club (PSC) is a program for Indigenous youth in urban high schools. Open to Indigenous students in grades 9 - 12, UM staff deliver career, culture and community-focused programming at 11 Winnipeg high schools.
The program coordinators, who are part of the Indigenous Student Recruitment and Community Relations Team, travel to participating schools once per month during the academic year. The club takes place during the lunch hour. Additionally, PSC students have a chance visit UM's Fort Garry Campus for two visits (in December and May) for a full day of relationship building, cultural teachings, and the opportunity to explore educational opportunities. The on-campus experience gives students a taste of what life as a university student may be like.
2023-2024 participating schools:
- Fort Richmond Collegiate
- Children of the Earth High School
- Southeast Collegiate
- Miles Macdonell Collegiate
- Garden City Collegiate
- St. James Collegiate
- Maples Collegiate
- Sisler High School
- Pembina Trails Collegiate
- John Taylor Collegiate
- Dakota Collegiate
Desired Short-term Impacts on Participants:
- Improved social connectedness,
- Increased self-awareness and self-esteem,
- Increased confidence,
- Increased cultural competency and awareness,
- Augmented communication and social skills,
- Positive community role models,
- Upgraded problem-solving skills,
- Developed help-seeking behavior,
- Improved coping skills,
- Optimism and future thinking,
If you would like to find out more information or learn how your school could join, please contact the program coordinator Jesse McGregor at Jesse.Mcgregor@umanitoba.ca, or 431-279-5949.
Law Makers
A partnership with the 7 Oaks School Division’s Wayfinders Program, Law Makers combines social justice education with mentorship, linking Indigenous UM law students with high school learners. A cohort of high school students are enrolled in grade 12 Law, as well as a dual-credit course that allows them to earn grade 12 Indigenous Studies and first-year Indigenous Studies through UM. Additionally, once a week after school, they meet with Law student mentors to discuss Indigenous law
In 2022, there were 15 students enrolled in the Law Makers program at Maples Collegiate. Thursdays after school, high school students and Faculty of Law student mentors from the University of Manitoba gathered to discuss, share their knowledge, and learn from each other. The format resembled a seminar style of learning where everyone came prepared, having read, listened to, or watched the shared resources ready to engage with each other on the week's topic.
Students had the chance to acquire a grade 12 Law credit through an exhibition of their learning near the academic year's end. Many of the high school students also engaged with after school learning on Mondays, working towards a grade 12 Indigenous Studies and 1st year Native Studies credit through the U of M. Meetings were held weekly via Zoom, or on the UM Campus where students attended various events.
Looking forward to 2023-2024 school year, we are excited to announce the expansion of the Law Makers program to include a second cohort that will focus on Human Rights with a new partnership that will include the Faculty of Arts. High school students will be able to earn a dual credit and the curriculum will focus on writing for meaning, impact, reflect on human rights, Indigenous resurgence, and activism.
If you would like to find out more about this program, please contact Meghan Cook, Director for Wayfinders, at Meghan.Cook@7oaks.org or phone at 204.631.5849.
Indigenous Youth Mentorship Program (IYMP, formerly Rec and Read)
IYMP is a culturally based healthy living program for Indigenous youth and young people in diverse communities. In the program, university and community mentors work with high school mentors to plan and deliver a weekly afterschool physical activity, nutrition, and education program for early years students during the school year (October to April) and in the summer, high school mentors are hired to deliver cultural programming to youth-in-care. This collaborative and multi-age approach to program planning and delivery ensures that IYMP taps into and nurtures youth leadership and physical literacy skills from diverse populations. In addition, IYMP helps develop culturally responsive recreation leaders that can plan and facilitate relevant and meaningful programs for all youth.
Since 2006, over 3,476 high school and elementary students and 307 university students, and community mentors have participated in the program. Informed by Indigenous worldviews and practices, the purpose of IYMP is to create safe, relevant, and meaningful physical activity spaces for Indigenous youth and young people living in diverse communities to rediscover the joy of play and share this experience by becoming recreation leaders in their community.
In collaboration with the Office of the Vice-President Indigenous, IYMP received increased funding from the Mastercard Foundation, EleV partnership, for 2023-2024. IYMP merged the urban and northern programs in 2023 and applied for enhanced funding with Manitoba Health to sustain and expand programming across Manitoba.
https://indigenoussporthistory.ca/rec-and-read
https://news.umanitoba.ca/a-place-of-belonging-friendship-and-learning/
https://everactive.org/projects/resilient-schools/iymp/
For more information, contact Ashley Edson at Ashley.Edson@umanitoba.ca.
Where We First Stand Transition Camp
Where We First Stand Transition Camp is a program for first-year Indigenous students who are relocating to Winnipeg to attend the University of Manitoba for the Fall 2024 term. This program is meant to provide support to students throughout their transition to living in Winnipeg to attend post-secondary at UM.
Where We First Stand Transition Camp is a week-long summer camp program taking place from July 21-27, 2024. Students will have the opportunity to live on campus and become familiarized with the services, supports, and Indigenous community campus before they start classes in September. They will also gain valuable skills for living in the city, such as living independently, adjusting to new transportation methods, and creating a monthly budget.
For more information, please contact Desiree Morrisseau-Keesick, Director of Indigenous Student Recruitment & Community Relations, Desiree.Morrisseau@umanitoba.ca, 204-474-6398.