dechinta overview
DESCRIPTION
An Overview of Dechinta Bush University Centre for Research and Learning Northwest Territories, CanadaTRANSCRIPT
Dechinta
Mission
To support a new generation of leaders and researchers by providing accessible and practical learning and development experiences, respectful of traditional ways, in a taiga bush environment
Vision
Dynamic, sustainable and self-determining communities where human capacity is rooted in indigenous knowledge and values
Dechinta
• Is a single semester university-‐credited program
• Provides university level experience to students in an environment that respects culture and northern needs.
• Provides a unique land-‐based learning opportunity for both northern and southern university students
Why Dechinta ? The NSERC-‐SSHRC 2000 Task Force on Northern Research report From Crisis to Opportunity urges Canada to rebuild its university-‐based Northern research capacity in order to help Northerners cope with the unprecedented social, physical and environmental challenges currently facing the region.
The report calls for new partnerships between universities and Northern communities and the direct involvement of Northerners in research and training.
The Recent Northern Policy and Governance Conference in Yellowknife made 4 key recommendations, one of which was to increase support and funding for Dechinta.
Why Dechinta ? There is a need to reduce the barriers between
Northerners and university education
• The majority of Northern high school graduates do not pursue postsecondary education
• Contributing factors include:
• The cost of postsecondary education • Lack of confidence / fear of failure • Distance between home and postsecondary institutions • Lack of support for students away from home and family • Family obligations and responsibilities
Why Dechinta ? Within the Aboriginal population in the NWT:
• 15.4% hold a high school diploma • 25.1% hold other certificates or diplomas • 4.6% hold university degrees
(NWT Bureau of statistics, 2004)
These statistics do not accurately represent the highly diverse skill set and true capacity of northerners. Unaccredited expertise within the Northern population exists in areas such as land-‐based traditional knowledge, community governance, business and economy.
Why Dechinta ? • There is a need for a university that will respect and honour Northern and Indigenous knowledge and skills
• There is a need to create a university environment that includes land-‐based teaching and knowledge in the Northern context
• There is a need to increase Northern research capacity.
Dechinta Offers • University Credited Courses, developed and delivered by Northern experts , elders and leading professors
• Inclusive programming for student’s children and families
• Land-‐based experiences and educational opportunities
• Environmental monitoring & field research training
• Leadership development and mentoring
• Youth programming
• Northerners who are interested in doing a semester or full-‐year university course
• Northerners who are interested in specific, short, intensive courses
• Southern and Northern business and community leaders who want to foster increased understanding, awareness and partnerships
• Southerners who want to increase their awareness and understanding of the challenges and opportunities in Canada’s North
• Researchers doing subarctic and arctic research
Who would attend Dechinta?
Dechinta Bush University Dechinta courses will be delivered in a taiga bush environment. Field Schools boast higher student success rates, provide integrated community and
educational experience and are noted amongst students and teachers to offer life changing educational
experiences.
Dechinta Bush University
The Dechinta curriculum will be housed in a sustainable-off grid centre. A self-governing community formed by
students, professors and elders will engage in hunting, gathering and sustainable living practices under the
guidance of resident Elders and experts.
Dechinta Bush University
This community-based model supports a whole-person, healthy educational experience for all participants. Child-care and family-living are an integral aspect of Dechinta, and complimentary programming will be offered for the families of our students.
The Dechinta site offers… • Central lodge with commercial kitchen, central meeting
room for 45 and a number of "breakout" learning areas
• 3 types of all-‐season accommodation for 50+ guests (lodge, cabin and tent frame), Dene tipi and cultural area.
• Modern conference amenities including high speed wireless internet, satellite and Vonage phone system, LCD projector, Northern library and photo collection.
• Sustainable Design and Systems: Composting Toilets, Solar energy, battery bank, passive solar, compost, garden and green house.
• Helipad, 2 summer float plane landing docks, 14 boats and motors, 5 snowmobiles, canoes, sea kayaks and a variety of four-‐season activity equipment.
• A three month lease at cost to demonstrate the sustainability of a permanent community owned program.
Traditional Knowledge will be inherent in every course, respecting the information that our elders hold as well as the manner in which they share it. As such, a key component of the curriculum is the development of personal, emotional and spiritual attributes as they pertain to leadership, community, respect, cooperation and vision.
Each student will be paired with a mentor to provide support throughout the duration of the program and continued guidance following program completion.
Dechinta CurriculumThe Dechinta Curriculum is designed to give students a strong grounding in a broad range of Northern issues and a deep understanding of how those issues are interrelated.
DechintaProgram Description
Pilot Semester: 16 Indigenous Northern Students
• Land Claims and Law
• Political History
• Language and Culture
• Environmental Monitoring
• Community Research Methods
• Boreal Ecology
• Creative Writing
• Journalism
• Self-‐Governance
• Sustainable Building and Energy
• The North in a Global Context
• Traditional Nutrition
• Mining and Exploration: Business, Environment and Regulation
Dechinta Pilot Goals
• Refine co-‐teaching method
• Explore Dechinta site suitability
• Test curriculum content
• Clarify long-‐term goals
• Provide feedback on subject matter and delivery method
Dechinta Long Term • Transition from single-‐semester program to multi-‐level delivery
• Develop research-‐station capacity
• Maximize opportunities for hosting research and post-‐graduate studies
• Establish independent degree-‐granting capability
• Assume ownership and control of program site
Dechinta Benefits How will Northern communities benefit?
Northern communities will benefit from increased capacity and skill level of community members who attend the program
Northern communities will see more university graduates and increased southern awareness of Northern and Indigenous issues, values and culture.
Employment will increase as community members teach and lead at the School.
Communities will play a key role in designing and delivering relevant curriculum and teaching methods for northern and southern students using northern expertise.
Dechinta Benefits
Canada will benefit from having quality post-‐secondary education focusing on northern issues from a northern perspective.
Dechinta will support dialogue and discussion of pertinent domestic and international policy. Investment in northern research and building the capacity of northerners to direct their own research and policy will build a stronger Canada.
An increased Canadian awareness of Northern and Indigenous knowledge, leaders and thinkers will build bridges between the north and the rest of Canada, broadening national pride and putting human faces on northern issues on a global level.
How will Canada Benefit?
Dechinta Next Steps • Continued Fundraising
• Continued Curriculum Development
• Language • Leadership • Governance • Land Claims and Law • Land and Resources • Diversity and Change
• Co-‐teaching Gatherings
• Pilot Semester
Dechinta Partnerships The University of Alberta-‐ Canadian Circumpolar Institute and Faculty of Native Studies
Walter and Duncan Gordon Foundation
INAC SINED Program
Institute for Circumpolar Health Research (AHRN YK)
Indigenous Cooperative on the Environment
Kopykat North
Dechinta Contact
Kyla Kakfwi Scott Program Manager
(867) 445-‐1897
www.dechinta.ca