Infinite Reach

IR PosterHOW WE CAME TO BE
According to a recent publication by Statistics Canada only 35% of Aboriginal people obtained a postsecondary education accreditation such as a degree, diploma or certificate. This number stands in contrast to non-Aboriginal people who have a postsecondary accreditation rate of 51%. While 23% of non-Aboriginal people had university degrees, only 9% of Métis people had graduated from university.1 These findings indicate the need for programming designed to enhance the recruitment and retention of Métis postsecondary students.

In 2011, the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities released the Aboriginal Postsecondary Education and Training Policy Framework. Among the goals of the framework were to increase the responsiveness of postsecondary institutions in meeting the needs of Aboriginal learners, as well as increasing the success rate of Aboriginal people in postsecondary education.2 In March, 2011 the Métis Nation of Ontario Education and Training Branch facilitated a focus group of Métis postsecondary students to discuss the needs of Métis learners. Among the barriers to postsecondary education that the focus group identified were lack of funding, discrimination, lack of culturally appropriate spaces and student supports.

Compounding the barriers identified by the focus group is the lack of information Métis students have regarding available student services. In March, 2011 the Métis Nation of Ontario contracted Stonecircle Consulting to explore the existing barriers to postsecondary education for Métis learners. According to the report one third of Métis postsecondary students surveyed for the study were unaware of certain academic services, on-campus cultural events and available grants or bursaries.3 While far from comprehensive, the finding illustrates the current state of campuses across Ontario and reinforces the need for a culturally specific support network for Métis students.

The creation of a program designed to ease the transition of Métis students to postsecondary can increase the likelihood of Métis learners achieving their academic objectives. Infinite Reach is a program that seeks to specifically address the barriers identified by the Ministry Framework and by Stonecircle’s report. Infinite Reach facilitators will be aware of academic services, cultural events and funding opportunities for Métis students. They will also serve as visible Métis role models necessary for Métis postsecondary achievement.4

WHO WE ARE
 Infinite Reach is comprised of incoming and upper year postsecondary students who have the common goal of working together to enrich and enhance their postsecondary education experience. Members form a community of Métis learners within their college or university and support each other in their academic pursuits. Infinite Reach facilitators are upper year students who can offer assistance to incoming students by helping them adjust to university life. Infinite Reach facilitators also work to create and maintain a sense of community among Métis students. Throughout the year Infinite Reach facilitators will host/facilitate cultural and informative events to connect students to the local Métis community and the MNO. The Infinite Reach: Métis Student Solidarity Network will serve as a community of learners with the ability to inspire Métis students to achieve their full potential and provide the support of the Métis community.

OUR OBJECTIVES
The objectives of the Infinite Reach: Métis Student Solidarity Network are to:

  • Establish a community of Métis Postsecondary Students across Ontario that is connected to each other through their participation in the Infinite Reach program.
  • Connect Métis learners with Métis Nation of Ontario community through cultural events.
  • Ease the transition of incoming PSE students by partnering them with an upper year mentor who can assist them during their adjustment to post-secondary studies.
  • Provide incoming students with culturally appropriate support system that encourages maintenance of traditional Métis values and practices.
    * Increase awareness of Postsecondary Education opportunities among secondary school students by having mentors engaged in outreach to high schools throughout the province.

WHAT MAKES INFINITE REACH UNIQUE?
While there are a number of mentorship programs available at colleges and universities throughout the province, there is currently no program designed with the specific intent of partnering current Métis postsecondary students with incoming or potential Métis students. The Infinite Reach programme is structured as a community or network of Métis learners in order to avoid the hierarchical configuration implicit in many mentorship programmes. In this way the Infinite Reach programme remains consistent with traditional Métis values and customs by acknowledging that each member of the community brings with them unique experiences that when shared can empower others.

TRADITIONAL MÉTIS KNOWLEDGE SHARING
Throughout Métis history the survival of our culture relied on the ability of community members with specific knowledge in trading, canoeing, food preparation, hunting, languages and medicines to share these skills with those less experienced in certain areas. It was recognized that through the reciprocal sharing of lived experiences, even commonplace events could provide insight and wisdom. Today, the future of the Métis Nation relies on the same principles of knowledge sharing that have always been a part of our culture. While attending postsecondary education many Métis students are separated from their families and may feel culturally invisible. The Infinite Reach program provides the sense of community necessary for Métis students to maintain healthy and positive identities.

INFINITE REACH COMMUNITY
The Infinite Reach program intends to create a network of Métis postsecondary students across the province that can share experiences and support one another in their academic pursuits. The relationship between incoming students and facilitators and other Infinite Reach community members is determined by the needs of individual first year students. Some students may wish to communicate with facilitators via email for quick advice regarding university life, and some may want to meet with their facilitators for coffee or at cultural events. The goal of the Infinite Reach program is to create a community of students who can easily connect with one another.

FACILITATOR ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

  • Métis
  • Enrolled and attending a postsecondary institution
  • Have completed at least one year of studies
  • Committed to fostering a community of Métis learners


FACILITATOR RESPONSIBILITIES
Throughout the academic year mentors will be responsible for the following:

  • Attending an Infinite Reach two day training session
  • Be available throughout the academic year (September to April)
  • Initial meeting with incoming students in September
  • Being knowledgeable of funding opportunities for Métis students
  • Being knowledgeable of community council and Métis Nation of Ontario events and programs
  • Connecting incoming students with available student services:
    - Academic Counselling
    - Counselling Services
    - Disability Services
    - Health Services
    - Housing
  • Connecting incoming students with Aboriginal Student Resource Centre and spend at least two hours a week in the Center
  • Organizing Powley Day activities (September 21, 2011)
  • Organize information session and cultural events throughout the year
  • Encouraging students to self-identify as Métis within the institution
  • Encourage students to subscribe to the MNO Postsecondary Distribution List
  • Present and promote postsecondary opportunities to Métis secondary school students

Facilitator Capacity
Eventually, the Infinite Reach network will grow to support facilitators and network members at every postsecondary institution attended by Métis students in Ontario.

High School Outreach
Infinite Reach recognizes that many Métis high school students are not aware of the various postsecondary opportunities available to them once they graduate. This is often because of the lack of Métis Role Models who are currently completing postsecondary. An integral part of the Infinite Reach Network is to ensure that Métis high school students can accomplish the transition to postsecondary studies knowing they will be supported by members of the Metis community. To achieve this, Infinite Reach facilitators will be involved in information outreach to high schools throughout Ontario and serve as Role Models by sharing their own journey to postsecondary education. In this way the Infinite Reach Network hopes to support and inspire students to realize their full potential.

Events
Infinite Reach facilitators will be part of organizing academic and cultural events throughout the year, some which have particular importance to Métis people. These events include an information session to assist students in connecting with student services as well as cultural activities on Powley Day (September) and Riel Day (November). These events provide the opportunity for Infinite Reach facilitators and members to come together and reconnect on various occasions throughout the academic session.

INFINITE REACH DISTRIBUTION LIST

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If you are a Métis postsecondary student and would like to know about funding opportunities, cultural events and community events in your area then you need to be on the Infinite Reach distribution list.

INTERESTED IN THE INFINITE REACH NETWORK?
If you would like to become involved in the Infinite Reach: Métis Student Solidarity Network as a facilitator or as a member please contact us!

Métis Nation of Ontario     
Education and Training Branch   
Post-Secondary Education Officer   
500 Old St. Patrick Street
Ottawa, Ontario,
K1N 9G4
1-613-798-1488 x 137
1-800-263-4889 x137
InfiniteReach@metisnation.org