Aboriginal student centres create a sense of home.

SASKATOON 

Over the past five years provincial governments in Canada have begun to address the education gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal peoples.

Studies on Aboriginal education and census information have determined that the overall success rate of First Nations at the high school and post secondary levels is gradually increasing, however, the rate remain half of that of their non-Aboriginal peers.

With growing Aboriginal populations across the country, and the ever increasing need for more skilled workers and trained professionals, the need to address the education gap is of paramount importance going forward.

Studies have shown that the majority of students who graduate from post-secondary schools had attained a Grade 12 diploma and had come from communities where there were numerous role models, people who had attended universities or colleges.

The reality is in First Nations communities that the youth do not complete high school, and do not have access to the resources, nor the support necessary to encourage them to attend university.

Post-secondary institutions in Saskatchewan, British Columbia and Ontario have begun to address this reality by creating policies for recruitment and retention of First Nation students.

Aboriginal student centres are flourishing at most Canadian universities and are the liaison between communities and the learning institutions.

They help create a sense of community on campus for First Nation students, which encourages them to stay enrolled and complete their degrees.

"They may be the only person from their circle of peers that went to university and they probably feel a little lonely," said Trena Raven, the Aboriginal community outreach coordinator for the University of Saskatchewan's Aboriginal Students' Centre.

She said that one of the most important aspects of bringing students from out of town is making sure that they meet a lot of people on campus.

The centre is an information source for scholarships and bursaries and provides reminders of deadlines, as well as face to face counseling on the application process.

The centre also arranges tours of the university for out of town high school students and helps with travel expenses and accommodations.

Raven said that the university is trying to "sell the student experience and show (them) how fun it is to be a student." As well, the first year program is intended to prepare rural students for living in the city and show them the opportunities to participate in the community and on campus.

Raven believes that when students are becoming involved in their community and their school, then they are more likely to stay involved and that is the key to retention in post-secondary schools.

In Ontario and B.C., funding from the provincial governments has helped to create frameworks that are in place to help First Nation students succeed.

In 2005, a Transformative Change Accord was signed between First Nations and the Gordon Campbell Liberal government in B.C. to close the social and economic gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal peoples.

A part of this accord is the Post-secondary Strategy and Action Plan. The strategy is to forge partnerships between communities, institutions and governments to ensure that the resources and support are available to guide student success so that the outcomes of Aboriginal post-secondary education are comparable to those of non-Aboriginal learners.

At the First Nations Student Services Centre at Vancouver Island University, there are services for new students that help with applications, registration, information on bursaries and scholarships. They liaise with tribal councils and First Nation communities to encourage and support the growth of post-secondary education in B.C.

The Ontario government's Ministry of Education launched the Aboriginal Education Strategy in 2007 with the purpose of closing the education gap and increasing the common knowledge of First Nation histories, cultures and perspectives.

"We are committed to reaching every student, whether they live in remote areas or urban centers," said Education Minister Kathleen Wynne at the time.

The strategy includes initiatives designed for schools and school boards that aim to build family and community engagement to support Aboriginal student success in urban areas.

The government has invested $21.7 million, including $12.7 million towards implementation of the framework and $15.5 million towards grants for Aboriginal student needs.

BY AMBER GILCHRIST

Sage Writer