MB announces funding for programs to support Indigenous students, youth

The Government of Manitoba has announced funding for programs for Indigenous students and youth. MB will be investing $275K in a pilot project that will integrate elder involvement into 33 schools. The program, which was developed with MB elder and knowledge keeper input, will provide a variety of supports to both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students, such as mentorship programs, lessons on culture, and language and traditional knowledge. “Elders, grandparents, relatives and community members can teach us many things, including the language, the corrective history and the Indigenous ways of knowing, as well as about our relationship with the environment,” said Lorie Henderson, co-superintendent of the School District of Mystery Lake. “This program is an excellent opportunity for meaningful learning experiences for students and staff, and will bring us closer together.” MB and the Government of Canada have also recently provided $350K to the Thunderbird Partnership Foundation to support the Buffalo Riders program, which will provide early interventions for Indigenous youth who are at risk of substance use and addiction in communities across the province.