Colleges and institutes which do not have formal structures in place, organize consultations and focus groups with Aboriginal communities, Aboriginal school boards, teachers, Aboriginal college graduates, First Nations Bands, Tribal Councils and Aboriginal organizations to obtain community stakeholder input for the development of college/institute strategic plans and Aboriginal initiatives, services or programs. For example, NBCC recently initiated an internal exercise on Aboriginal Training and Service Delivery where resource persons from the Aboriginal community (both on and off-reserve) have been invited to participate.
The administrators and staff of Aboriginal service areas or departments at mainstream institutions also have a role in facilitating the planning and development of Aboriginal programs and services. These service areas or departments are responsible for liaising with First Nations regarding program and service development, and as the respondent from Camosun College indicated, “the First Nations Education and Services (FNES) Chair acts as the internal voice of the Aboriginal community.” In the case of institutions with Aboriginal advisory structures in place, the administrators of these departments are also responsible for supporting and seeking the input of these structures for program and service development and renewal. In some institutions, the administrators of these departments report directly to the Vice President Academic and have a voice at the Academic Management table.
The staff of these departments or services areas contribute to program development by maintaining continuous liaison with Aboriginal communities and groups to gather suggestions for new programs or for the enhancement of programs and services.
Aboriginal faculty and instructors have an important role in the development of new Aboriginal programs and services. Instructors of Aboriginal ancestry and instructors sensitive to the needs of Aboriginal students are also responsible for curriculum development in their own instructional areas, with support and guidance from Aboriginal advisory structures at colleges and institutes.
At Nunavut Arctic College, Community Adult Educators have an important role in identifying community needs and informing campus directors who then integrate them into campus plans, for program planning and development, but also institutional planning. For example, not all courses in the college calendar are offered every year, depending on what communities identify as needs and the availability of third party funding.
Community-based and on-reserve program delivery is viewed as an effective way to reach Aboriginal learners, facilitate access to post-secondary programs and also contribute to community development. Colleges and institutes are well positioned to deliver community based and on-reserve programs because with their reach in smaller cities and towns across the country, they are already in close proximity to many Aboriginal communities and reserves. Community out-reach and partnership for the development and delivery of education and training programs is also at the core of how colleges and institutes do business. As such it is not surprising that when developing programs and services for Aboriginal learners, institutions are working very closely with Aboriginal community representatives, leaders, Elders, school boards, employers and Aboriginal graduates of their programs who have returned to their communities to work.