Sekon! Bonjour, good afternoon, and greetings to everyone.
Thank you for inviting me here today. First, it is only appropriate, as a Mohawk in Algonquin territory, to acknowledge the Algonquin Nation as I begin my remarks today.
As you know, I am the president and CEO of Indspire. As you prepare the next federal budget, you are going to hear a number of opinions about where to spend, where to cut, and how best to use our tax dollars. Some would say that they don't envy the position you're in. To be honest, I do. I know exactly where funds are needed and where the federal government can achieve a high rate of return on its investments.
I want to share with you specifically the investments that should be made, must be made, if we are to make a real difference in supporting and advancing the future prospects of Canada's fastest growing demographic group, indigenous students. They are not only the fastest growing, but ready to prosper.
Indspire is a national charity. It used to be called the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation. Our job, since 1985, has been to pursue the vision of enriching Canada by advancing indigenous achievement through educational programs and the promotion and advancement of indigenous cultural, social, and economic achievements. We work with students directly in the K-to-12 space through something called the Indspire Institute.
Outside the federal government, we are the largest funder of indigenous post-secondary education in the country. Let me give you some figures. To date, we have raised and provided more than $65 million in support, through 20,000 bursaries and scholarships.
I want to tell you about 2013-14 because it was a banner year for us. There was $10 million awarded to students—over 3,000 of them. Two thousand students attended our motivational career conferences. Hundreds learned about careers in mining and other industries in our in-classroom modules. Hundreds of educators were matched to coach and give peer mentoring to one another. I could go on. I should tell you that to date we have also supported 300 PhD students.
Not only are we assisting our students with access to post-secondary education and training, in the trades as well, but also academic excellence in the fields they are choosing.
Let me tell you what I'm most excited about. A couple of months back, Indspire committed to looking at the impact that our financial awards program was having on the students we've supported. We reached out to students. We surveyed students. The methodology is available to you if you wish.
Let me get to the bottom line of the findings, which my staff tell me to please say are preliminary until we publish, so I will.
Of the students we've supported with financial assistance who are now out of school, 91% graduated. There was 91% of the students we supported who graduated. There are 83% who are now employed; and 85% of them indicated, of course, that their education assisted with their employment. The vast majority who graduated and are employed are working with indigenous populations in their work. That's impressive. These statistics are beyond exciting. They tell us that to make real meaningful change in the lives of Canada's most vulnerable, investments into education pay off handsomely. They also tell me that investments into the education of Canada's indigenous population must continue to flow.
Year after year, the gap between what is needed and what we can provide continues to grow. Last year I gave you some impressive numbers, but we were able to fund only 26% of the amount needed. In short, the need is greater and the potential is incredible.
I want to thank the Government of Canada for its support of this program, because in budget 2013 the Government of Canada committed $10 million to this program on the condition that I matched it by raising private funds. I'm very proud to tell you that while we're not at the end of the campaign yet, we are at $6.2 million and counting, and are receiving a lot of private sector support and from individual donors.
I only have a limited amount of time. I want to—