U of L program hopes to EleVate Indigenous students

By Lethbridge Herald on September 1, 2023.

Submitted photo The Iksisstowaapi Kanakkaatsi (or Going All Out Society) team of navigators work with Indigenous students and youth as part of the EleV program at the University of Lethbridge.

Theodora Macleod – Local Journalist Initiative Reporter

When it comes to innovation aimed at improving opportunities and experiences for Indigenous students and young people, the University of Lethbridge has no shortage of initiatives. In partnership with the Blackfoot Confederacy and The MasterCard Foundation, the university has been running the EleV program since 2019. EleV and its team of Navigators (named Iksisstowaapi Kanakkaatsi or Going All Out Society) work with Indigenous students and youth to support them through the decision to pursue post-secondary education or enter the workforce. 

At the centre of EleV and the university’s Strategic Indigenous Learning Initiatives department is belief that Indigenization must be a priority. With this the program emphasizes strengthening pathways and transitions to post-secondary education. This involves both engagement with Indigenous communities in the Lethbridge area, as well as providing on-campus supports. “Our Navigator team is very pivotal in helping our Indigenous youth find those pathways,” says Shanda Webber, Director of Strategic Indigenous Learning Initiatives at the University of Lethbridge.

Though the program is run by employees at the University of Lethbridge, their work goes beyond the scope of post-secondary and works to create partnerships with organizations and other universities to provide an array of opportunities. 

While some of their partnerships are for the benefit of students, arranging things like co-ops, internships, and other education-based work experiences, others are more focused on creating employment opportunities for those who opt out of attending post-secondary.
“Of course, yes, we would love for them to come to the University of Lethbridge, however, we want them to take the best path forward. So that may be to our partner tribal college, Red Crow Community College in Standoff,” Webber explains.

 She adds that the Navigators also have close links to other institutions such as NAIT, NorQuest, and the University of Alberta and provide information to graduating high school students and prospective post-secondary students to help them find the path that best fits their desires and needs. 

Webber says EleV hopes to eventually provide cultural awareness and competency training to companies and organizations to ensure Indigenous students and employees are given the best opportunity to succeed within their roles. 

“The dream behind the EleV project is, we’re just the catalyst behind the movement. We’re providing the resources, we’re providing the support, so not only our internal department but also our external community members and counterparts and partners can really strive and take the lead to make these programs sustainable for Indigenous youth into the future.”

But the EleV program doesn’t just stop with building those relationships and pathways. Some of the other initiatives include the Destination Exploration summer camp aimed at introducing Indigenous students to STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics) as well as the campus. The one-week camp infuses Indigenous ways of knowing and learning into the activities and includes Elders and as well as cultural and traditional practices.
EleV is just one of many initiatives from the University of Lethbridge intended to welcome and support Indigenous students, and though the financial support from the MasterCard foundation is set to run out, the team at Strategic Indigenous Learning Initiatives hopes to renew the partnership for another five years to continue building relationships and community awareness to open doors for Indigenous students and youth and support them in reaching their goals.