SANDY LAKE FN – Education has been a priority in Sandy Lake First Nation with Chief and Council working to ensure the community has high speed internet service and access to distance education opportunities. Students like Joshane Fiddler, a husband and father of four children, are able to access the Job Readiness program offered by Good Learning Anywhere to prepare for the employment opportunities coming to his community.
“Community members who are graduating can stay here, or they can go anywhere in the world and succeed,” says Sandy Lake First Nation Chief Bart Meekis.
“The collaborative partnership between Contact North | Contact Nord, Sandy Lake First Nation and Good Learning Anywhere is an example of meeting the educational needs of remote northern Ontario Indigenous communities, especially during times of economic opportunity,” states Kenora MP, Bob Nault.
Contact North | Contact Nord are supporting Sandy Lake First Nation to access online learning opportunities as they prepare for the Wataynikaneyap Transmission Project expected to develop a new 18,000 kilometer transmission line connecting remote northern communities to the provincial grid.
“Contact North | Contact Nord’s partnership with Sandy Lake First Nation is extremely collaborative. We work closely with the community stakeholders and Ontario Works department to match clients with education and training options that meet their individual needs and as a result assists them with their employability goals,” comments Tina Reed, Director, Recruitment and Partnerships, Contact North | Contact Nord.
In partnership with Sioux-Hudson Literacy Council – Good Learning Anywhere, Contact North | Contact Nord is able to provide access to online Job Readiness programs. Since September 1, 2016, Contact North | Contact Nord has supported 1,118 registrations in the remote Northwestern Indigenous community.
“Broadband has been continually improved in our community and is a big part of offering the online programs. Most people can not just up and leave, they have families and responsibilities. The success of this partnership is in part due to the collaboration occurring and the hard work of Ontario Works staff on the ground in the community,” adds David Fiddler, Ontario Works, Sandy Lake First Nation.
“The First Step program is an initial online course to introduce and engage community members in online learning. After completing the one week, fully online webconferencing program, participants are able to move into the three-week Job Readiness or Postsecondary Readiness programs to work toward achieving their individual goals,” Linda Wright, Director of Distance Programs, Good Learning Anywhere.
Quick Facts
- Of the 94 communities in Northern Ontario, 27 are Indigenous communities, 73 have no other post-secondary education presence and 7 can only be reached by air.
- Contact North | Contact Nord has online learning services in 27 Indigenous communities in Northern Ontario.
- Contact North | Contact Nord serves 42 Indigenous communities across Ontario
- Contact North | Contact Nord has supported 14,557 registrations in 27 Indigenous communities across the province since 2012.
Contact North | Contact Nord partners with Ontario’s 24 public colleges, 22 public universities, 9 Aboriginal Institutes, 76 district school boards and 250 literacy and basic skills and training providers to promote and recruit students for their online programs and courses in 600 small, remote, rural, Indigenous and Francophone communities across Ontario. Residents have access to over 1,000 online programs and over 18,000 online courses without leaving the community.
Contact North | Contact Nord is funded by the Government of Ontario through the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development since 1986.
