Indigenous WIL Resource Hub resources serve as useful tools for WIL program developers and practitioners to assist in relationship-building with employers and students, or as helpful springboards for internal program development.
Self-Locating & Self-Identifying
Many employers have introduced special hiring programs for Indigenous people and request that Indigenous job-seekers identify themselves in their applications.
To make use of these programs, students might be asked to add a note to their cover letter, include a diversity statement, or complete a questionnaire.
This resource was created to not only assist students in their decisions to disclose on job applications (or not), but also to affirm and suggest boundary-setting strategies with respect to personal privacy.
Addressing Tokenism
Recognizing and celebrating Indigenous talents, skills, and knowledge, many employers have committed to creating diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplaces.
Sometimes, however, these diversity initiatives fall short of creating the supportive and safe environments in which Indigenous WIL students thrive.
This collection of resources encourages employers to go beyond an ‘add and stir’ approach to diversity and inclusion, featuring strategies and conversation prompts to better recognize and counter tokenism in the workplace.
Partnership & Representation
The representation of Indigenous student success is an important part of student and employer recruitment. Communications teams should work with Indigenous students and employers to celebrate and share positive stories of work-integrated learning (WIL).
In addition, its important that WIL Coordinators can collaborate with existing peer networks on campuses to increase Indigenous WIL recruitment and better support community relationships, initiatives, and goals.
Accessibility
The Co-op and Indigenous Third-Party Sponsorship Funding information sheet provides an overview summarizing what band offices and educational advisors may need to know about co-op at post-secondary institutions.
This resource breaks down guidelines for the Post-Secondary Student Support Program (PSSSP) as it relates to co-op and WIL opportunities, helping students approach funding partners with requests for financial support.
The Job Posting Example and Application Breakdown information sheet outlines how to read through a job posting and create tailored resumes and cover letters. Questions are posed for students to bring to co-op coordinators to assess the flexibility of job placement opportunities.
Calls to Action
In 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission published 94 Calls to Action tasking governments and institutions to amend their policies and practices to redress the harms of the Indian Residential School (IRS) system.
This collection of resources responds to these Calls to Action as well as to the findings of a literature review conducted May-Sept 2021.
Oriented towards WIL program development and better employer relationships, these resources outline the Calls to Action immediately relevant to WIL, provide recommendations for Indigenous WIL, and offer worksheets for enhancing and measuring employer responses to the TRC.
Video Collection: the Resources in Action
Who are the LE,NOṈET Campus Cousins?
Follow the stories and experiences of three Indigenous students who participated in the Campus Cousins program at UVic.
Peter, Yvonne, and Boston speak to the skills they gained as Cousins and share how they’ve come to build communities and connections on their campus.
Employer Response to TRC’s Calls to Action and Indigenous WIL Initiatives
Coastal Restoration Society (CRS) demonstrates their commitment to reconciliation and decolonization by including First Nation perspectives of environmental stewardship.
Two Indigenous Students, Hannah and Anakin, who have been hired by CRS, talk about why their work placements have been so meaningful.
Career Coaching: Self-identification & Tokenism
In this two video series we explore how WIL practitioners can work with Indigenous students who are facing dilemmas of tokenism and discrimination in the work place, and navigating self-identification and self-location.
WIL practitioners utilize resources from the Indigenous WIL resource hub to help coach Indigenous students on next steps.
Wren’s Co-op Experience
In this fictionalized three part video series, we join Wren, who is in the midst of a co-op work placement that has her dealing with unforeseen challenges.
Wren’s friend suggests she reach out to her co-op coordinator, Erica, to request access to resources and additional support.