Abstracts
Abstract
Housing and education systems on First Nation reserves are underfunded, inadequate and unsuitable due to colonial policy in Canada. A community-university partnership undertook participatory research with the York Factory First Nation (YFFN) to bring education home to their community at York Landing. This partnership successfully wrote funding proposals that established a state-of-the-art regional trades learning hub, Wikiwin Polytechnic Institute, with an “earn & learn” program for 20 students in partnership with the University of Manitoba. To measure the impact of Wikiwin, a longitudinal survey was conducted from 2023 to 2025 with the Wikiwin student cohort (n=17/20, 85% return rate), analyzed by between-group ANCOVA against a YFFN control group (n=9/20, 45% return rate). A statistically significant (p<0.05) improvement occurred in the Wikiwin student cohort compared to the control group across many social, human, and financial aspects. All Wikiwin students passed university courses and were fully employed with York Landing’s home construction. The Medicine Wheel framework analysis suggested that community-led education transformed the local housing and education systems. YFFN hopes to scale up Wikiwin to the provincial level to eliminate the education and employment gap, which is a Truth and Reconciliation call to action.
Keywords:
- Overcrowded,
- Reserve Housing,
- Education,
- First Nations,
- Post-secondary
Résumé
Dans les réserves des Premières Nations, les systèmes de logement et d'éducation sont sous-financés, inadéquats et inadaptés en raison des politiques coloniales du Canada. Un partenariat communautaire-universitaire a mené une recherche participative avec la Première Nation de York Factory (YFFN) afin de rapprocher l'éducation de sa communauté à York Landing. Ce partenariat a obtenu des propositions de financement qui ont permis la création d'un centre régional de formation aux métiers de pointe, l'Institut polytechnique Wikiwin, doté d'un programme « apprendre et travailler » pour 20 étudiants, en partenariat avec l'Université du Manitoba. Afin de mesurer l'impact de Wikiwin, une enquête longitudinale a été menée de 2023 à 2025 auprès de la cohorte d'étudiants de Wikiwin (n = 17/20, taux de réponse de 85 %). Les résultats ont été analysés par une analyse de covariance (ANCOVA) intergroupes, comparativement à un groupe témoin de la YFFN (n = 9/20, taux de réponse de 45 %). Une amélioration statistiquement significative (p < 0,05) a été observée chez les étudiants de Wikiwin par rapport au groupe témoin, et ce, dans de nombreux aspects sociaux, humains et financiers. Tous les étudiants de Wikiwin ont réussi leurs cours universitaires et ont trouvé un emploi à temps plein dans le secteur de la construction résidentielle de York Landing. L’analyse du cadre de la Roue de la médecine a suggéré que l’éducation menée par la communauté a transformé les systèmes locaux de logement et d’éducation. YFFN espère étendre Wikiwin à l’échelle provinciale afin d’éliminer les inégalités entre l’éducation et l’emploi, ce qui constitue un appel à l’action de la Commission de vérité et réconciliation.
Mots-clés :
- Encombré,
- logement de réserve,
- éducation,
- Premières Nations,
- post-secondaire
Appendices
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