Researching the Effects of Community Based Education and Training in Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation

By Cassandra Szabo, 1st year MDP student

In addition to my work at the Atoskiwin Training and Employment Center of Excellence (ATEC) doing co-ordination, proposal writing and programming I have been working on a research project that is in partnership with ATEC and the Manitoba Research Alliance (MRA). The project's title is “Aboriginal Employment and the North: An Examination of Aboriginal Labour Training and Labor Inclusivity at the Atoskiwin Training and Employment Center (ATEC) in Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation, Manitoba, 2006-2020”. The main researchers of this project are Henk Warnar of University College of the North and Shauna MacKinnon of MRA and the University of Winnipeg.

ATEC hallway

The aim of this project is to show the stories and journeys of students that have attended ATEC. MRA has previously conducted studies examining Indigenous peoples' access and outcomes to training, education, and employment and these studies have shown that the most successful programs are ones that are small, holistic, and community based. 

Seeing as ATEC has now been in operation for 10 years it is positioned well to be used as an example of how this type of holistic and community based training functions and the specific benefits of it. ATEC has created a holistic model that takes into account all needs of the student, and it is located in the First Nation community so students do not need to leave their homes and families. The methodology of this research was decided upon with the staff at ATEC and it was decided that it should be as qualitative as possible.

My role in this research project came to fruition because I would be spending a significant amount of time on location with the students from various programs, and so I was offered the opportunity to join the project and conduct interviews as well as demographic surveys. I have learnt a lot from being involved in this project, many technical research processes and proper research protocol in a First Nation community.

When I first arrived in the beginning of May I believed I could get the interviews started and completed by June, however I realized that this was not going to happen- my first interview was not until late June. I realized the importance of making connections with individuals and building up relationships so that the students knew who I was and that they could trust me. I also realized that the researcher can be very influential in an interview, and the interviewer effect is a very real phenomenon. After listening to some of the first interviews I did, I came up with better strategies to ask questions in ways that weren’t too leading.

After conducting 25 interviews with students of all various programs operating at ATEC it is clear to see that the training center has changed the lives of all of these students in some way- and that this model does in fact produce high success rates. Many students report having higher self-esteem, many feel like they can go on to do more education and training, and many say that they would never have attempted to go to school had it not been for the people at ATEC that know them and encourage them to come to school.

Sustainable solutions to education and employment in the form of community based training at the Atoskiwin Training and Employment Centre

By Cassandra Szabo, 1st Year MDP student

I am doing my placement at the Atoskiwin Training and Employment Centre (ATEC) in Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation (NCN) located on Treaty 5 territory 800 kilometers north of Winnipeg. ATEC is a training to employment facility that was born out of the Wuskwatim agreements between the First Nation and Manitoba Hydro. Manitoba Hydro was to create a facility that would train local members to build the generating station, however once the dam was completed the long term use of the facility was in question. The need for training, specifically training that leads to employment is a crucial service necessary on the First Nation, the executive director and others in the community saw this value and advocated to keep ATEC as a training centre. The systemic inequalities on Canadian First Nations mean that students are falling through the education system and not getting the education they deserve and need to gain employment, so this became ATEC’s goal- to fill the gaps and build up their community.

Me standing in front of ATEC

ATEC intake process

ATEC realized that not all the students coming to them had the same levels of education, some were below a grade 8 level, some above it. In order to better serve the needs of the students and place them into the proper program, ATEC created a unique intake process which not only assesses their academic level, career hopes, but also their emotional and social wellbeing. This process is done through an online testing system, and then for the wellbeing assessment a trained individual will evaluate mental health and substance abuse vulnerability. If it is deemed that a student may struggle with addictions or mental health they are encouraged to attend the Medicine lodge and then return to their studies. This process has been crucial in ensuring the success of the students. If an individual is struggling outside of the classroom then they may not succeed in the classroom and this leads to a feeling of defeat, low self-esteem, and then potentially that individual will not pursue any further training.

ATEC has a variety of programs that students can enter based on where they have been assessed. Students can enter in programs that will help them with literacy and numeracy, up to first year university. Students that take the Mature Student Diploma Program also have a mentorship opportunity which enables them to gain work experience in the field they are interested in. Additionally, ATEC has had extensive success with their Integrated Trades program which pairs those interested in carpentry with a Red Seal to gain the necessary skills for the field. ATEC pursues programming that has direct job opportunities attached to it, and this has been called a “Labor Market Intermediary” by the Canadian Council for Policy Alternatives. A Labor Market Intermediary creates relationships between various actors that are necessary for individuals to find and keep meaningful employment. These relationships are formed between, employers, education and training centers, government, funding agencies, and community organizations. The Labor Market Intermediary ensures that low-skilled workers are targeting their training to targeted sectors.

College prep graduation ceremony

My time at ATEC is spent doing a variety of things that the staff need support on, so far I have worked on:

• Education program proposals – Each year ATEC has to write a proposal to continue programming from University College of the North.
• Funding Proposals – ATEC is in constant need to secure new funding, so funding proposals are a crucial part of the organization.
• Accreditation applications – In order for ATEC to be able to issue credits they need to be an accredited institution, and the application for this is lengthy.

I have also been able to sit in on some exciting meetings that are discussing the future of the organization and future initiatives!