Good News

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Rebooting Back to School for Aboriginal Youth

400,000 Aboriginal children head back to school this fall

September 3, 2015

Back to school marks an exciting time for children nationwide. For many of the more than 400,000 Aboriginal children in Canada, back to school means return to the very centre of community life. Schools are a place to explore curriculum and actively absorb traditional knowledge, while serving as an important gathering place for the community at large. Too often, back to school often also means a return to institutions that struggle to provide the tools required for 21st century learning. The Assembly of First Nations has identified lack of access to technology as a significant challenge in more than 50% of on reserve schools (Chiefs Assembly on Education, 2012).

Since 2010, OLPC Canada has helped to bridge the digital divide for Aboriginal youth by providing educational technology to Aboriginal education programs. The need for educational technology is highlighted by our wait list for the program. At present we have requests for technology from more than 150 communities representing more than 15,000 Aboriginal students. It is our goal to provide a technology rich educational environment for an additional 1,000 students this fall, at a cost of $100 per student.

Please consider adding student or classroom sponsorship to your fall shopping list, or simply spread the word about this important initiative by sharing this newsletter. Thank you for your continued support. We very much look forward to putting your donation to work for Aboriginal students across Canada.

Warm regards,

Jennifer Martino
Executive Director
OLPC Canada

TD donates $100,000 in support of tech boost for Aboriginal education: More than 1300 students to benefit

July 7, 2015

For hundreds of Aboriginal youth attending camp this summer, learning will have a decidedly technological flair. Thanks to an ongoing partnership between One Laptop per Child (OLPC) Canada, TD Bank Group and Fronteir College, educational tablets have been provided for more than 900 Aboriginal youth in northern Alberta, Ontario and New Brunswick. Eight First Nations were selected to receive child friendly educational technology as a part of a national initiative to bridge the digital divide for Aboriginal youth. The $100,000 gift from TD has provided tablets to youth particpants of Frontier College Aboriginal Literacy Summer Camps, which will remain in First Nations communities as a permanent donation to local schools. An additional 450 youth will benefit from edtech donations to elementary schools in Nunuvut.