Education

C M Y K PAGE 9 WINNIPEG FREE PRESS SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT • SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2020 9 EDUCATION GUIDE BY JIM TIMLICK The programs offered at the Centre for Aboriginal Human Re- source Development are not your typical educational and training offerings. S ure, it offers education and training programs like other schools, but where it differs from many other institutions is its holistic approach to working with the students who walk through its doors each year. A big part of that approach, says director of education and training Heather McCormick, is providing curriculum and supports tailored to the individual needs of students rather than a one-size-fits-all style of learning. "We look at students' needs holisti - cally and we don't just teach the basic academic concepts; we focus on help- ing improve things like critical think- ing and decision-making skill sets, so that as they're moving through each of our levels of programming they're developing those essential skills as they go," she explains. "We help them to identify some of the struggles they've had in their life and how that's impacted their choices and decision-making. It's an individual journey for each person. We've developed a program to help facilitate that." CAHRD offers three different schools in one setting: the Neeginan Learning & Literacy Centre; the Ab - original Community Campus; and the Neeginan College of Applied Technology. The Neeginan Learning & Litera- cy Centre is an entry-level program open to Indigenous students between the ages of 18 and 65. The bulk of its students have been out of school for some time and are looking to aug- ment their literacy, mathematics and science skills in order to complete their high school education. Students are able to learn at their own pace, individually and in small groups in a culturally relevant setting. "People can come back to school in a non-threatening environment, work at their own pace, review what they need to review and once they're done they can move on to the next level," McCormick says. Most students who enrol in the Learning and Literacy Centre con - tinue on to the Aboriginal Com- munity Campus, where they can achieve their Mature Student Grade 12 Diploma. All of the programs at CAHRD offer services that provide guidance and support on how to overcome many of the personal barriers that may have impeded previous learning experiences. Neeginan College was developed after CAHRD staff noticed many stu - dents who succeeded in its other two programs would often struggle after moving on to larger post-secondary institutions. It offers a range of courses designed to help students find well-paying, sustainable careers including indus - trial welding, building operations technician, early childhood educa- tion, airplane fabrication technician, gas turbine repair and overhaul, and computer numerical control and machining. In addition to providing specific skills training, staff at the college work closely with students on improving workplace-related em - ployment skills, job readiness, as well as developing resumés, cover letters and job interview skills. One of the strengths of Neeginan College, according to McCormick, is that it works closely with indus- try partners to identify needs in the labour market and develop pro- gramming that gives students the best chance of being hired following graduation. In a typical year, 2,000 people will utilize the services at CAHRD, in- cluding its employment services. CAHRD's employment services help to find employment for approxi- mately 600 Indigenous people yearly. Annually, the education and training programs at CAHRD will see approx- imately 500 individuals complete some type of education and training. Tuition is free for all students at- tending the Centre, which receives funding from both the provincial and federal governments. McCormick says one of the keys to success of CAHRD, which began as an employment agency, are the personal development and wellness supports it provides to learners. This includes employment counselling, student support workers, personal tutoring, student housing, subsi - dized daycare, healthy living pro- grams and wellness supports, which she says can be an impediment for many adult students. "If you're a single mom with three kids and you have to take some of them to school and then go to day- care and then go to school yourself, that's a long day before you've even started your school day," she says. "We thought, 'Let's have the daycare here.' We wanted to make this al- ready kind of overwhelming under- taking of coming back to school as an adult simpler." You won't find a more ardent sup- porter of CAHRD than former MLA and one-time University of Winni- peg Wesmen basketball star Kevin Chief. Chief, who serves as CAHRD's current board chair, got involved at CAHRD soon after graduating from the U of W in 1999 when he was hired to help Indigenous youth train for jobs with the City of Winnipeg's com- munity services department. "I can honestly say that not only did CAHRD give me my first job, develop my skill set and create a network for me, but every single job I've had since has been because of the skills and experience CAHRD gave me," says the former Point Douglas MLA. "They understood if they invested in me the right way that I would be able to give back to the community." For more information, visit cahrd.org. CENTRE FOR ABORIGINAL HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (CAHRD) A holistic approach to learning CAHRD PHOTOS CAHRD offers a range of courses designed to help students find well-paying, sustainable careers including industrial welding. One of the keys to CAHRD's success is the fact it offers numerous supports to learners, including subsidized daycare and other wellness supports.

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