New partnership to support Indigenous youth through education into employment

A new partnership is hoping to support 32,000 Indigenous youth transition through their education and into the workforce.

The initiative — called the Oẏateki Partnership and co-implemented by the Gabriel Dumont Institute (GDI), Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies (SIIT), and the University of Saskatchewan (USask) — will work alongside First Nations and Metis youth, communities and organizations over the next five years.

The word Oẏateki is a Dakota word that means all people together and leaving no people behind.

A history of collaboration amongst the three institutions partnered and a “strong desire to create a more dynamic, integrated, ‘wholistic,’ and responsive education system that meets the needs of Indigenous youth” facilitated the new initiative, according to a news release by the partnership and Mastercard Foundation Tuesday.

Jacqueline Ottmann, vice-provost Indigenous engagement at USask, said the culturally appropriate programming and initiatives identified in the plan will meet students where they are at and aim to change teaching methods, policies and institutional practices.

“This is a systems change,” Ottmann said.

Sixteen per cent of Saskatchewan’s population is Indigenous, growing at a rate four times faster than the non-Indigenous population since 2006. The Indigenous population in the province is also younger on average, yet has an unemployment rate 10 per cent higher than non-Indigenous populations due to systemic barriers.

Indigenous people are also less likely than non-Indigenous people to have received a post-secondary education, at a rate of 12 per cent compared to 29 per cent.

Support from the Mastercard Foundation’s EleV Initiative, launched in 2017 to support Indigenous youth in their pathways through education and into livelihoods that reflect their values and traditions, also helped establish this partnership.

The partnership is hoping for four outcomes — to support successful transitions to post-secondary education for Indigenous youth; increase positive outcomes for Indigenous learners while completing their post-secondary; support successful transitions from post-secondary into meaningful careers and work for Indigenous youth; and strengthen coordination, communication and integratio9n of the post-secondary and employment systems for Indigenous youth.

“The Oyateki Partnership is truly innovative in that it will deepen collaboration across the institutions to directly meet the unique, diverse, and evolving needs of First Nations and Métis youth and communities and accelerate their success,” said Jennifer Brennan, head of Canada Programs for Mastercard Foundation.

“Supporting success for young Indigenous people means transforming education and employment systems based on the direction of Indigenous youth, communities and Nations.”

Riel Bellegard, president and CEO of SIIT, said their post-secondary organization, governed by First Nations leaders, takes their mandate to serve First Nations people and communities seriously.

“There is no more important time than now for our province and communities to ensure meaningful Indigenous inclusion in the labour force and the economy,” he said.

The Oẏateki Partnership itself hopes to improve levels of self-determination among Indigenous youth in the province with increased access to education and employment.