Education

2 WINNIPEG FREE PRESS - SATURDAY, AUGUST 10, 2019 RED RIVER COLLEGE SUPPORTS DRIVE STUDENT SUCCESS By Neil Coligan for the Free Press The Red River College graduation powwow in May saw the largest turnout in its 19-year history and graduation rates among Indigenous students at the college are on the upswing. The one-year American Sign Language (ASL) and Deaf Studies certificate program that launches this fall will be fully located at Red River and is meant to give a general introduction to ASL. Red River College photos Red River College's School of Indigenous Education is in a unique position as it prepares to mark 25 years this fall. While a quarter century has nearly gone by, the year just past felt like a new beginning. For instance, a graduation powwow held in May saw the largest turnout in its 19- year history. Graduation rates among Indigenous students at Red River College are also on the upswing. A few years ago, the average graduation rate for Indigenous students at RRC was averaging less than 50 per cent. In some programs the success rate was only a single digit percentage. The School of Indigenous Education credits the turnaround to how it recently changed the way students are supported outside the classroom. "We're seeing a 79 per cent graduation rate with the students who've had the financial and wrap around supports that we've created," says Executive Director of Indigenous Strategy Rebecca Chartrand. Chartrand says those wrap around supports include what are known as "navigators," staff who help Indigenous students with living in an urban setting. This is especially important for students coming to Winnipeg from remote communities and reserves. "This includes finding housing, finding daycare, getting around with transit, how to set up a bank account," she says. Along with two navigator positions dealing with these matters, Chartrand says there are also two wellness advisers and a wellness counsellor. "We're looking at those things that really interrupt learning for students, so whether it's crisis or family obligations we want to ensure our students have somebody to work through those issues with them or at least help them create a plan," says Chartrand. Red River College is one of nine post- secondary institutions that signed on to the Manitoba Indigenous Education Blueprint. This means it is working towards implementing the 94 Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Along with creating a position to oversee those actions, Red River College has built a sweat lodge at the Notre Dame Campus in Winnipeg and created language courses in Cree and Ojibwe. "We're living in an era of truth and reconciliation and a lot of that comes with understanding the history that created barriers for indigenous students," says Chartrand. "We're really working hard to create wrap around supports that are holistic, that are connected to Indigenous ways of teaching and learning, but also wellness to ensure that our students are achieving wellness as much as academic success," she says. To learn more about Red River College's School of Indigenous Education, visit rrc.ca/ Indigenous. Sign of the times Language, history and culture are also at the core of Red River College's ASL and Deaf Studies (ADSP) certificate program and this fall it begins a new era. Starting in September students in ADSP will no longer have to split their time between Red River College and the University of Manitoba. They also won't be required to have previous certification in studies related to ASL (American Sign Language). Program Co-ordinator Rick Zimmer (who is deaf himself) says these changes are the result of a long history of developing deaf education and sign language in Manitoba. "The program was established back in the late '70s," says Zimmer, "It was just a two- week summer program to offer students some understanding of ASL interpretation." That initial program evolved into 10 months, and then after a decade into a two-year program to teach ASL interpreters. Red River College's involvement with the University of Manitoba came a few years later when it was realized there was a need for further studies to fully train students to a professional standard. Zimmer says the one-year ASL and Deaf Studies certificate program that launches this fall will be fully located at Red River and is meant to give a general introduction to ASL. He says it doesn't assume a student will become a professional interpreter, which means it can be taken by anyone — such as a family member or medical professional who simply wants to learn more about the history of the deaf community and how ASL has developed over its two centuries of usage. "People may assume our language is a fairly standard, simple and basic, but we need to realize American Sign Language is just as complex and intricate as any language spoken or signed," says Zimmer. Zimmer says anyone who wants to become a professional ASL interpreter will still have to take a two-year ASL-English Interpretation program (AEIP) co-offered by Red River College and the University of Manitoba. It must be noted that this fall's launch of RRC's revamped ASL and Deaf Studies certificate program is full at 20 students and with a waiting list already started. Further information on the Red River College program can be found online at catalogue.rrc. ca/Programs/WPG/Fulltime/ASLDF-CT. ❚

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