People First – Outbound Mobility Program for Indigenous Students

Project Description:

We interviewed fourteen subject matter experts to gain insight into the challenges indigenous students might be faced with when considering studying abroad. From professors, to public servants, to service workers and community representatives, we began to understand that the financial costs of international studies were just the tip of the iceberg.
Looking to studies conducted across Canada. Brazil, New Zealand and Australia and for signs of similar successful outbound mobility programs, we realized that although one size certainly does not fit all, there were some guiding principles for our program to adopt. The first being that for some indigenous students accessing post-secondary education in general might already feel foreign, and that a holistic approach to their support and education would need to be adopted to create a to even begin international studies. This might look like preparatory programs between high school and post-secondary for some, or a more robust Indigenous support Centre and presence on campus for others. The second was the importance of community and a sense of belonging to students. International exchanges in Peru realized it was beneficial for students to travel in pairs and have shared accommodations to stave off the feelings loneliness or isolation that can sometimes come with leaving home. Another common thought we came across to have these programs be offered on a short-term basis, so as not to prevent students from obtaining employment part-time or between terms and so they wouldn’t be far from home for too long.
A generalization of what might make international studies appeal to Indigenous students is impossible but using the guiding principles we’ve laid out with the help of our experts, and working continuously with students, we believe an exciting and successful outbound mobility program can exist in the near future.

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