Four post-secondary schools in northern B.C. are coming together to support Indigenous students during COVID-19.
The University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC), College of New Caledonia (CNC), Coast Mountain College and Northern Lights College have announced a partnership with the Mastercard Foundation.
The team will enhance supports for Indigenous students while also investing in technological solutions to help improve education and access for remote education during the ongoing global pandemic.
“This support from the Mastercard Foundation will be transformative in assisting our current Indigenous students as they realize their academic goals during this period of uncertainty as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic," UNBC Interim President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Geoff Payne says a release.
"In addition, by collaborating with communities, technology innovators, and our northern post-secondary partners, this project will enhance the capacity for future distance education through improved internet access."
The four schools will share and evenly divide $380,000 in funding from the MasterCard Foundation Recovery and Resilience Program.
UNBC is collaborating with @CMTNcollege @cnc_bc_ca @nrnlights and @MastercardFdn to support Indigenous students and build stronger communities in response to #COVID19 https://t.co/ffG5whD01z #ThisIsUNBC pic.twitter.com/MrzFiQ35jT
— University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) (@UNBC) May 7, 2020
Students that study at any of the institutions will also have access to academic mentoring and mental health counselling to help them with the challenges they face with being isolated at times such as now.
“This pandemic has created additional barriers to educational success and summer employment for Indigenous students," CNC President and CEO Dr. Dennis Johnson explains.
"We’re thankful for the support from the Mastercard Foundation and are honoured to work with other northern B.C. post-secondary institutions on this important project that will have both a short-term and lasting impact for Indigenous communities."
Each school will also create employment opportunities focused on investigating how to address the challenge of isolation, lack of connectivity, and the resultant barriers and challenges for students.
Student employees will also explore best practices and learning models that will be successful.
“This crisis is teaching us how interdependent we are as well as how powerful collective action can be. As individuals, each of us can do our part to slow down the virus. This, too, is an expression of solidarity," adds President and CEO of Mastercard Foundation Reeta Roy.
"Collectively, we can be a counterforce to the economic effects of COVID-19. We can rebuild in ways that make our world stronger, fairer, and safer for all of us."
The partnership will also look at possibilities of deploying new last-mile connectivity technology that would provide students in remote communities with more access to distance learning.
