Implementation process

Sprott Social Impact Club will host events and webinars for current students and faculty to engage in virtual learning and challenge their own knowledge. During the second half of the project, SSIC will reach out to Indigenous communities and stimulate post-secondary applications. Students will be given platforms to learn more about the post-secondary application process, experience, and how to navigate challenges should they arise. There will also be opportunities to ask questions and meet successful Indigenous students and graduates. Finally, four select students who show passion and dedication for their educational and personal pursuits will be given financial assistance to cover application costs and their first semester of textbooks. The successful candidates will be contacted in April 2022. Ultimately, IEI strives to create a safe and welcoming environment for new and current Indigenous students.

Why help the Indigenous community in Canada?

As of 2015, 112,500 or 64% of First Nations people had the credentials to attend post-secondary education but did not. There are similar patterns in both Metis and Inuit communities of students being capable of attending a post-secondary institution but choosing otherwise. These disproportionate rates are often attributed to limited community accessibility, parental perception, physical and mental health issues, economic conditions, and discrimination. 

We believe all Canadians have a right to access education, free from barriers to personal and educational success. In particular, we wish to improve Indigenous post-secondary enrolment and retainment rates through our Indigenous Education Initiative (IEI) project. SSIC provides a supportive platform for its members to design community projects to empower the community.

Therefore, here is what SSIC finance director  Gabrielle Kolotinsky has to say about her experience with the indigenous community; 

“When I was young, my father told me about his eagle feather. My father had used his privileges as a settler to help Indigenous Peoples, and in return, an elder had gifted him this feather as a sign of reciprocity. My father spoke of the over-representation of Indigenous Peoples in federal institutions. It took me a while to understand that the systems that incarcerated higher rates of Indigenous Peoples compared to non-Indigenous peoples, were the same systems that caused higher rates of poverty, unemployment, mental health issues, and other barriers to personal and educational success in Indigenous communities. These communities, that have historically been exposed to colonialism, violent government policy, and systems of oppression, have continuously thrived and produced individuals who are resilient and inspiring. By creating a safe and welcoming environment for Indigenous post-secondary students, I believe that a new generation can pave the future for these communities, and Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples can work together to further the continuous goal of reconciliation”

“Our mission is to elevate communities faced with difficulties by providing access to educational institutions. With the vision to ensure that every individual is a contributing member of the society, by making access to education a right rather than a privilege”