- Increase the number of Aboriginal staff and faculty at colleges and institutes
- Enhance the capacity of faculty and staff to work with Aboriginal learners by:
- Ensuring faculty and staff have a better understanding of Aboriginal culture by
offering mandatory diversity training for faculty and staff.
- Increasing staff sensitivity to issues of systemic racism and poverty facing many
Aboriginal learners.
- Increase professional development for faculty in Aboriginal institutions.
- Enhance college/institute capacity to deliver community-based programs by:
- Ensuring Aboriginal communities provide input for the development of community
programs and services.
- Providing more resources to consult and work in partnership with the aboriginal
communities to review services and develop and re-package programs.
- Building partnerships and integrating services with Aboriginal organizations and
service providers, for example, meeting regularly with AHRDA, employment and
training counsellors.
- Enhance Aboriginal student retention and success services at colleges and
institutes by:
- Providing for dedicated student retention services and staff that would focus on
individualized education planning and tracking for success.
- Providing for greater Elder involvement in student success and retention
initiatives.
- Developing special transitions programs and services to improve retention and
completion.
- Building capacity and a sense of community on campus for Aboriginal learners.
- Offering mentor or buddy programs during students’ first year.
- Organizing activities that connect Aboriginal students to the community and
campus.
- Developing retention strategies which address Aboriginal students’ non
academic challenges, related to the impact on students’ families and community.
This could include support services such as daycare, family counselling, grief
and abuse issues.
- Providing adequate and higher profile gathering places for Aboriginal students.
- Offering regular, even weekly, meetings between student success counsellors
and Aboriginal learners, follow-ups when significant absences occur, study and
homework support mechanisms.
- Increase the level of tutoring.
- Developing curriculum and delivering a supplemental course on how to study at
the post-secondary level, including how to write papers, reading and writing
skills.