A group of students from Niagara College’s Journey to Success Healthcare program were centre stage at a funding announcement by the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour on October 25, aimed at helping to level the playing field for Indigenous youth.
View the Oct. 25 news release here: Government of Canada helps over 260 Indigenous youth across southern Ontario region improve job skills and gain work experience
Canada’s Minister of Labour and Niagara Centre MP Vance Badawey visited a Habitat for Humanity build site in Welland to announce a combined $8 million in federal funding to the Niagara Peninsula Aboriginal Area Management Board (NPAAMB) which will provide essential skills and job training opportunities to more than 260 Indigenous youth across Southern Ontario.
The announcement includes $3 million for the Government of Canada’s Adult Learning, Literacy and Essential Skills Program (ALLESP) for their four-year project – Journey to Success – Essential Skills in the workplace for Indigenous Youth. In partnership with Niagara College, NPAAMB’s Journey to Success project will offer 112 Indigenous learners an in-classroom opportunity to learn key cultural competencies, essential and employability skills. This focused training will also offer Indigenous youth with paid work placements in high demand sectors such as tourism, hospitality and the building trades.
“We know our economy can’t continue to grow if we don’t make sure everyone has that fair chance to succeed. And we know that investing in skills and training is one of the best ways to break generations of poverty,” said Hajdu, after speaking about how she broke the cycle in her own family by becoming the first in her family to graduate from postsecondary at the age of 28, and that giving people a fair chance at success was her motivation for entering into politics.
“That’s exactly what you young people are going to do as well. You are going to help change your families but also change your communities,” said Hajdu, to the students assembled behind her.
Niagara College Journey to Success Healthcare student Caroline Hill had an opportunity to address the crowd at the event. Hill, who began taking classes at the Welland Campus this fall, spoke about her experience in the program and how it is helping her work toward her aspiration of becoming a personal support worker – a profession she has learned about firsthand through those who assist her father who has a brain injury.
“I really want to help support our indigenous communities and help support their families through their health journey,” she said.
She noted how they are learning a variety of essential skills in the healthcare-based program – including math, literacy, tools that will help students in the workplace. “There are so many different tools that they teach us,” she said. “One of the biggest parts is the cultural aspect. It’s so important for us to know our culture because there are a lot good tools within our culture that can help us today.”
The finding also includes The NPAAMB will also receive over $5 million in federal funding through the Skills and Partnership Fund (SPF) – Innovation stream to support their Building Futures for Aboriginal Youth project, from 2017 to 2021. The Building Futures project will help 150 Indigenous youth across southern Ontario get focused skills training in the areas of building and construction. NPAAMB, in collaboration with its partners, the YMCA Niagara, the YMCA Ontario Employment Youth and the Habitat for Humanity, will provide participants with the opportunity to build up to fifteen affordable homes for families in need across southern Ontario.
Shari St. Peter from NPAAMB also spoke at the announcement, as well as a student participating in the Building Futures program from Mohawk College.
In addition to eight students from the Journey to Success Healthcare program, the announcement drew several representatives from NC including Caroline Triemstra, dean of Health and Community Studies; Fiona Allan, dean, Academic and Liberal Studies; Joanne Bakker, associate dean, Workforce Development; and Shanyn Porter, project manager of Workforce Development.
Funding for the @npaamb_on will help 260 Indigenous youth throughout Southern Ontario receive the skills and training they need to find and keep good quality jobs. #fairchance Learn more here: t.co/t3nOvHmTlI pic.twitter.com/TOgcHems55
— Patty Hajdu (@PattyHajdu) October 25, 2018
Niagara College’s role in NPAAMB’s Journey to Success skills-training program
Niagara College is a key partner in the Niagara Peninsula Area Aboriginal Management Board’s (NPAAMB) Journey to Success program, which provides training to equip Indigenous youth with employability skills and on-the-job training to prepare for, get and keep jobs.
“We wanted to find ways to engage youth in experiential learning activities that help them explore career pathways and education options. Working with the NPAAMB staff has been a wonderful experience and we have built partnerships beyond this project.” – Fiona Allan, Dean of Academic and Liberal Studies, Niagara College
“Students in the Journey to Success program receive a healthy combination of career exploration, self-discovery and essential skills-building courses along with foundational courses in the introduction of the various healthcare and medical fields. Daily cultural teachings and cultural support lead by NPAAMB enrich the holistic student experience. NC’s staff and faculty feel honoured to be a part of this program and to be a part these students’ journeys.” –
Joanne Bakker, associate dean of Workforce Development and Access, Niagara College.
- Niagara College was announced as a partner in the program at NPAAMB’s annual youth career conference on March 8, 2018.
- The Journey to Success program consists of a 14-week course that provides Indigenous youth with employability skills to enable careers in a wide range of industries, with a focus on health care, hospitality and tourism.
- The first cohort of students completed the program and graduated on Aug. 10, 2018. The current 14-week course concludes on Dec. 10, 2018. The next cohort will begin Jan. 28, 2019.
- Eight students are currently enrolled, ensuring meaningful, one-on-one engagement and long-term success for students. Each student receives a Statement of Completion from Niagara College.
- Courses are delivered by NPAAMB and faculty in Niagara College’s School of Workforce Development and Access, and draw upon the expertise of NC’s School of Hospitality and Tourism and School of Allied Health. Classes are held at NC’s Niagara-on-the-Lake and Welland campuses.
- The course includes applied learning and on-the-job work experiences as well as unique cultural instruction and education from NPAAMB instructors.
- The curriculum for the program was co-developed by Niagara College and NPAAMB. The program is the result of over two years of collaboration between NPAAMB and NC’s Workforce Development and Access department
- The program is funded through the federal government’s Adult Learning, Literacy and Essential Skills Program, which will contribute nearly $3 million over four years to help improve the quality of essential skills training in hospitality, tourism and healthcare for urban Indigenous youth (ages 18-30) in Southern Ontario.
