University of Manitoba and Indigenous Partners with the Blueprint Initiative

The University of Manitoba (U of M) and First Nations involved in the Manitoba Post-secondary Collaborative are a partner in the EleV Program.

This U of M will anchor a large collaboration with local Indigenous communities, post-secondary education institutions in the province, and industry partners.

The U of M is the province’s largest post-secondary education institution and home to one of the largest Indigenous student populations in Canada. U of M has demonstrated a clear commitment to ensuring Indigenous students are well-supported.

This partnership will directly support 2,800 Indigenous young people in their journey to and through post-secondary education and onto meaningful livelihoods. The project will deepen relationships with key stakeholders across the education system in Manitoba. The relationships, capacities and linkages will enable sustainable transformation of education and employment pathways for Indigenous youth. The creation of Learning Hubs in remote and rural Indigenous communities will increase access to post-secondary education and training and skills development for Indigenous youth – taking learning to where they live. The partnership will demonstrate to other post-secondary institutions in Canada the impact of in-community program delivery.

In 2021, the Mastercard Foundation entered into a five-year commitment with the University of Manitoba.

This partnership includes:

• Increasing access to co-designed post-secondary education in the places Indigenous students call home. Learning Hubs will be created and supported in Indigenous communities, starting with an existing pilot Learning Hub and expanding to a Northern community, Metis Settlement community, and an inner-city adult learning centre.
• Increasing Indigenous student success by supporting post-secondary collaboration. Support will include communications, advocacy, and networking capacity to the Blueprint initiative (a collective of K-12 school boards, post-secondary institutions, First Nations, Metis, and Inuit communities, as well as provincial and federal governments) and greater coordination for Indigenous students throughout Manitoba.
• Increasing Indigenous student success by enhancing and innovating supports for transition to post-secondary education. This includes facilitating a pathway from high school through to law school for Indigenous students, expanding “post-secondary club” programming in high schools (including opportunities for career guidance, role modeling and mentorship), and supporting other transition pathways.
• Improving Indigenous graduate outcomes by building pathways and supports to employment and entrepreneurship. There will be development of a “pathways to careers” strategy and corresponding community-led partnerships that meet the goals and priorities of Indigenous youth and communities. There is support as well to co-develop in-Community Certificate Programs with the Manitoba First Nations Education Resource Centre in areas recognized as priorities for Indigenous youth and communities.