The 2024 federal budget includes a $5 million contribution to YellowknifeSA国际影视传媒檚 Dechinta Centre for Research and Learning.
Kelsey Wrightson, the schoolSA国际影视传媒檚 executive director, said she and her team were thrilled to learn about the new funding when it was announced on Tuesday, April 16.
SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e feeling really excited,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淚 was sitting at my desk on Tuesday waiting for the budget announcement, and then when we got the news, I felt not only a huge amount of relief, but also the responsibility of being able to make sure that weSA国际影视传媒檙e continuing to deliver the programming that we know communities need, and that we know students are asking for.SA国际影视传媒�
Dechinta is an Indigenous, land-based initiative that provides accredited post-secondary education and research experiences in the North.
The school previously received federal funding through the Department of Northern AffairsSA国际影视传媒� Arctic and Northern Policy Framework, but the five-year term of that agreement expired on March 31, which made the newly-announced financial support extremely important.
SA国际影视传媒淲e were really waiting to hear if that funding commitment was going to be renewed or extended,SA国际影视传媒� said Wrightson. SA国际影视传媒淲e had been working really hard over the last few years to advocate and demonstrate the importance of Indigenous-led, land-based education. We knew that we had support from Minister Dan Vandal, we knew that we had support from MP Michael McLeod, and we were just hoping that that would be recognized within the budget.
SA国际影视传媒淚 was really, really excited to see that our work had paid off.SA国际影视传媒�
Wrightson hopes the money will help develop more university-accredited courses, accommodate more of the ever-increasing number of applicants the school receives and expand its programming into additional communities.
SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e really excited to be able to fulfill some of those commitments,SA国际影视传媒� she said.
The funding will also allow Wrightson and her team to plan further into the future.
SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檝e got a busy next six months ahead,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淭his funding commitment means that we actually can take a breath and start planning for what the next two years is going to look like.SA国际影视传媒�
When asked where she hopes Dechinta will be in two years, Wrightson said sheSA国际影视传媒檚 SA国际影视传媒渞eally hopeful that two years from now we will be planning for the next 10 years.SA国际影视传媒�
That will not only require funding, she explained, but SA国际影视传媒渢rust.SA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒淚t takes time to build strong relationships with community members,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淭he impact that weSA国际影视传媒檙e seeing from Dechinta programming is not just on the students who are participating, itSA国际影视传媒檚 on whole communities where weSA国际影视传媒檙e seeing Elders learning again about the joys of teaching, and weSA国际影视传媒檙e seeing families change and transform their relationship to education and what it means to go to school.
SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 going to take many, many years to really transform peopleSA国际影视传媒檚 educational experiences, and we have demonstrated that the best way to do that is to let communities lead, let Elders and the land lead, and really showcase the brilliance of Northern Indigenous communities and Northern knowledge.SA国际影视传媒�
Enrollment for DechintaSA国际影视传媒檚 summer 2024 programming has gone SA国际影视传媒渞eally well,SA国际影视传媒� according to Wrightson, with 29 students set to participate in accredited courses. She said the school has SA国际影视传媒渙nce againSA国际影视传媒� received far more applicants for its hide camps than it could possibly accommodate.
The executive director and her staff will head into their busy summer with renewed confidence in their work, thanks in part to the federal governmentSA国际影视传媒檚 support.
SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 an indication that the government has heard us and is telling us that the work weSA国际影视传媒檙e doing is valued, and valuable and important,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淭he more that we all hear that, the more confident we feel and the better we are able to do this work.SA国际影视传媒�
