Good morning. Gilakasla.
Thank you for the opportunity to speak with members of the standing committee on the study of community capacity-building and retention of talent in the delivery of essential services on reserve, including indigenous education.
[Witness spoke in Kwakwala.]
[English]
My name is Kelly Shopland and I'm a member of the K'ómoks First Nation. I am the Director of Aboriginal Education at North Island College on Vancouver Island in British Columbia.
I'd like to share with you today the ways in which NIC, as a rural, public post-secondary institute, partners as an active partner with first nations communities to offer and develop programs and training to address community capacity needs and priorities, as identified by nations.
North Island College is a comprehensive community college with a service area that spans approximately 80,000 square kilometres on central and northern Vancouver Island and parts of the B.C. mainland coast. With over 157,000 residents in its region, North Island College serves the largest population of all B.C. rural colleges. The college is honoured to acknowledge operations within the traditional territories of 35 first nations, inclusive of the Nuu-chah-nulth, Kwakwaka'wakw and Coast Salish traditions.
Students of self-declared aboriginal ancestry make up over 16% of NIC's domestic student population, exceeding the proportion of aboriginal peoples living within the college's service area, which is about 13%. First nations communities are located throughout the region, and many are not within a commutable proximity to one of our four campuses.
As a public post-secondary college, North Island College views itself as an active partner with first nations communities to provide educational opportunities and services as identified by the nation. As a rural college, NIC has embraced its role as a community capacity-builder, and through partnership and collaboration with first nations, community and industry works to grow local, economic and social development. However, all programs and initiatives are identified at the community level and guided and led by first nations communities throughout our region.
North Island College would like to acknowledge and raise our hands to the representatives of the 35 nations that collectively make up the Aboriginal Education Council to NIC. It is this council that is the true driving force in change-makers and the success of programs and education opportunities for first nations learners through NIC. Collectively, they are the voice for indigenous students and communities, and truly guide the work done through the college.
Programming and services are identified and prioritized by communities, regional advisory committees and the Aboriginal Education Council. Collaborative engagement with nations supports informed insight regarding economic development initiatives, which identify and inform programming priorities.
The council comprises members appointed by first nations and Métis communities, as well as urban organizations. Through regularly scheduled meetings, the council also provides advice to the college on all matters relating to local protocol, their respective communities, local education and training needs, and goals and priorities. They provide information and advice on the local labour market needs and priorities, as well as local community development and economic development plans that may require corresponding short- to mid-term or long-term education and training strategies. As well, language and culture priorities are set forth by the respective organizations and communities.
Since 2014, more than 90 training programs were delivered across the North Island College region in response to nations-identified industry and educational needs. Over 400 remote learners were served across the north island and central coast. North Island College is meeting the needs of rural and remote communities through a regional delivery model, centring on in-community program delivery. To increase access and relevance for aboriginal learners, the college is committed to a regional delivery model of education, whereby programming and instruction are delivered face to face in aboriginal communities in partnership with the first nation.
Over the last decade, NIC has innovated with its off-campus, in-community programming, which brings faculty to students where they live. Programs have ranged from health and human service programs—like early childhood education, health care and education assistance—to things like tourism, language and essential skills.
This in-community programming model has many benefits for students, including allowing learners to be close to their family, their culture and their supports. It provides the opportunity to learn from the land in a relevant and real environment. It creates an opportunity to complete practicums, placement and work experience within their communities, and to begin to build those relationships for future employment. As well, the inclusion of local elders and community members as faculty members provides the opportunity for mentorship and establishing the traditional roles of community in training and capacity-building.
Flexibility is required to tailor the content, curriculum and delivery to meet community needs. Internal policies, procedures and services need to be reimagined as a result. To do this effectively and to support student success, funding models need to allow for flexibility as well as a higher cost generally required for off-campus programming.
I'd like to share with you a quick example of some programming that has been developed as a result of the community capacity need as identified by the Aboriginal Education Council. We developed and are currently offering for the first time our aboriginal leadership certificate. It was designed to give students practical tools and knowledge to work in management and administrative levels of aboriginal organizations and within nation governance.
North Island College was approached by K’ómoks First Nation about the need for leadership training to build their capacity within community with a specific focus on working for and with first nations. The goal was to prepare workers for executive-level positions within aboriginal organizations.
NIC worked with our Aboriginal Education Council and held a series of community consultations to gather input on what should be included to meet the needs of first nations in the region. Development was community-driven and community-based. While each first nation community differs in social, cultural, and economic ways, they shared a common need for in-community learning that respected local knowledge and engaged the wisdom of elders. The certificate complements traditional and hereditary understanding of governing and indigenization.
Another program is our Awi’nakola land-based learning with language, which combines core math and English curriculum with a more holistic approach that is connected to the land, taking students out on the land each day. We continue to hear about the importance of language to capacity-building, as language helps remove barriers for students, including those silent speakers, and allows them to start an educational journey in a culturally safe way. NIC has developed a suite of language courses, tuition-free, in response to the community need to get students started on their educational journeys.
This personalized community-based programming comes with a set of challenges. There is a need to be responsive, and we continue to rely on one-time funding sources, often on an annual basis. NIC respects the expertise of the nations when it comes to identifying their needs and priorities. We like to work collaboratively in a responsive way under their direction. With the limited availability of multi-year funding to develop and deliver innovative programs that lead to success, that's a challenge we always face.
These types of programs cannot be rushed. It's important to ensure there is sufficient time for students to prepare for studies, to find well-suited instructors that know the community, and to meet funding deadlines for student supports. The one-year funding models create additional stresses and barriers. Funding deadlines and parameters do not meet up when there is a call for funding to deliver or develop programming. Decisions and allocations often come too late for the needs of the students. They've missed their deadline to apply through their nation for funding as laid out in the post-secondary students support program. That's a major barrier we face each year. It continues to create barriers rather than foster access and success.
I'd like to close by once again acknowledging the role of the nations, communities, and the Aboriginal Education Council as the leaders and guiding forces in the work North Island College does to provide educational opportunities to students to increase access, retention and success leading to community capacity-building. The nations are the experts, and when it comes to identifying priorities and needs for their respective communities, we respect the work they have done with their community comprehensive planning, as well as gaps in needs assessments.
NIC is always honoured when we are chosen as the educational partner to enhance opportunities for members to continue to strengthen communities.
We'd like to thank everyone for having us today and hearing about what we're doing at North Island College.