This was a difficult area to find successful indicators, as the outlook was grim and there was an urgency to find solutions. Discussions about success stories had common elements; and these elements, and a way to find more of them or create an environment to encourage them, might be the indicators we were looking for. Participants had the following comments to say about the success of Aboriginal job seekers.
They created their own buddy system. If one of them didn’t show up someone went looking.… I walked in there that night and there were books all over the place, the entire crew was sitting there doing their homework. (Participant A)
After the first year of the life skills program, they realized it would benefit more people.… They started bringing in anybody that wanted funding from them to go to college or to university. (Participant B)
A true sign of success [was] when somebody that was helping to drive a program steps away and it still continues on and is moving forward … capacity built within the community. (Participant C)
Many people put their lives on hold in order to survive because the life of a student means you must be prepared to sacrifice: leaving your community, supports from family, living within a strict budget, sometimes relocating to an urban setting. (Participant D)
She knew very little about the community or her home reserve.… It was good to have her develop a tie with the community.… We got the money together with several organizations.… She was really adamant that I attend her graduation. (Participant E)
Seven years that she committed to become a teacher. Seven years straight of education, and she started at probably a grade seven level … now she’s teaching at our school. (Participant F)
The findings in this area are presented as they are represented on the integral spiral presented in Figure 4. These findings are examined through the eyes of stakeholders who have a key role in a successful labour market attachment process in rural and northern Manitoba, the provincial government in their role as catalyst and financial supporter, and the Leadership on First Nations reserves who need to find ways to create employment and well-being for their members. Each of these stakeholders works and lives within systems that link with each other. The findings here shed some light on ways these systems can operate more effectively toward common goals. An integral process will encourage creative ways of solving tough problems.