Vancouver Island University (VIU) with the Nuu-chah-nulth, Coast Salish, and Kwakwaka’wakw

VIU is a partner in the EleV program.  In 2017, building on the financial contributions from government, the private sector, and Indigenous communities, the Mastercard Foundation entered into a five-year commitment with VIU to enhance the holistic support for Indigenous learners.

This partnership includes:

• Offering scholarships and extra services for Indigenous learners at VIU with the goal of supporting 500 Indigenous students.
• Supporting more than 1,800 Indigenous students, including services provided by Indigenous Education and Employment Navigators on campus and in communities hired to help identify and work to remove barriers for students. This approach will contribute to improved retention and graduation rates.
• Supporting younger learners, from Qeq (toddler) through to high school, to develop their leadership skills and build a pathway to post–secondary education. 
• Supporting the expansion of relational land–based learning, in which training is co-developed, co-taught, and happens within Indigenous communities.