WINNIPEG, MB - Tonight, Elders Jules Lavallee and Carol Moar, City Councillor Dan Vandal, partner organizations and community members will attend the Oshki Annishinabe Nigaaniwak 2012 Celebration at the Marlborough Hotel. The annual event celebrates the achievements of Aboriginal youth and features the presentation of the Oshki Annishinabe Nigaaniwak program’s Next Step Awards and Post Secondary Scholarship Awards. A total of 19 awards will be presented during tonight’s event.
“I was very excited when I first heard that the City was going to develop an Aboriginal youth initiative,” said Elder Jules Lavallee. “At the time, we had no idea how successful it would be, but today we can see so many youth participating and taking an active role in their futures. It is very exciting to see them taking advantage of the opportunities available to them.”
“Winnipeg’s young Aboriginal population is one of our City’s greatest assets,” said Mayor Sam Katz. “Oshki Annishinabe Nigaaniwak provides aboriginal youth with important access to job training and employment. Our City will see great benefits from this program when these young people become the civic and business leaders of tomorrow.”
In addition to the Next Step Awards and Post Secondary Scholarship Awards, the Oshki Annishinabe Nigaaniwak 2012 Celebration will also recognize 15 Aboriginal youth who have held internship positions with the City of Winnipeg Community Services Department from 2009 to 2012.
The Next Step Award was designed by an Aboriginal youth intern who identified a gap in the existing scholarships, bursaries and other employment and education based supports currently available in the community. The Next Step Award provides support to Aboriginal youth to attend training and/or to acquire equipment, tools or uniforms required when starting a new job. This award is open to Aboriginal youth that participate in programs offered by organizations that partner with Oshki Annishinabe Nigaaniwak. These youth are nominated to receive these awards by their host organizations. This year, 10 Aboriginal youth will receive a Next Step Award.
The Post Secondary Scholarship Awards are open to Aboriginal youth living in Winnipeg and who are registered with a post secondary institution. Scholarships are in the amount of $1,000 and are applied to tuition. This year, nine Aboriginal youth will receive scholarship from Oshki Annishinabe Nigaaniwak to further their education.
Since 2010, $27,728 in Next Step Awards and $29,000 in Post Secondary Scholarship Awards have been made accessible to Aboriginal youth living in Winnipeg in order to enable their pursuit of higher learning and employment opportunities.
Backgrounder:
In 2008, City Council adopted Oshki Annishinabe Nigaaniwak, the City of Winnipeg's Aboriginal Youth Strategy. It is an innovative strategy with the following mission: to give Aboriginal youth positive opportunities in the community and civic system by bridging and providing culturally appropriate programs and supports related to employment, literacy and recreation to increase resiliency, self-sustainability, pride and future opportunities.
Oshki Annishinabe Nigaaniwak (pronounced Awsh-kay Anish-a-nob-bay nee-ga-nee-walk) is the spirit name given to the Aboriginal Youth Strategy by Elders in the community. It means Young Aboriginal People Leading and pays tribute to Aboriginal youth as leaders of today as well as tomorrow.
So far in 2012, community-based initiatives have reported:
- Almost 2,500 youth visits to a community-based recreation program
- 213 youth are participating in employment-based programs. To date:
- 79 participants obtained their Emergency First Aid and CPR
- 55 participants received their Food Handler Certificate
- 12 participants obtained their Mature Grade 12
- 82 participants secured or pursued employment
- 38 participants went on to further their education
In 2012, civic based initiatives included:
- Four recreation projects that are underway related to digital photography, physical fitness, a neighborhood hub and cultural programming.
- Internships for 10 Aboriginal youth within the following divisions of the Community Services Department: Community By-law Enforcement Services, Animal Services Agency, Winnipeg Public Library, and Strategic & Information Systems Services
- Post-Secondary Scholarships awarded to nine Aboriginal youth
- Next Step Awards provided to 10 Aboriginal youth
- Citizen Equity Committee Youth Role Model Awards to four Aboriginal youth
- Two summer career camps with 16 Aboriginal youth participants
An annual funding commitment of $1 million by Council enables continued and effective delivery of community and civic programs. It also ensures access to culturally relevant development and learning opportunities that will have a positive and life-long impact on urban Aboriginal youth in Winnipeg.