Aboriginal community forum says education key to success for youth

A new report from the Ottawa Aboriginal Coalition presented at its second Aboriginal community forum in Ottawa on April 2 emphasizes that when it comes to success for urban Aboriginal communities, the focus must remain on the children. Education was identified as a priority by OAC and the urban Aboriginal steering committee, and in February of last year the group struck an ad hoc education committee to address the issue. The committee undertook a number of tasks during the past year, including building and hosting teacher cultural enrichment workshops and a bus tour for teachers to visit the various Aboriginal organizations in the city. The committee also held Legacy of Hope training, which educates and raises awareness about residential schools, including the effects and intergenerational impacts on First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples. The next steps for the education committee include creating an Aboriginal awareness week, a resource centre with a website that could provide materials and support for teachers and to work with the school boards to identify areas of need for Aboriginal children with learning disabilities. EMC