InSTEM Programs
It’s May in the Kwadacha and Tsay Keh Dene First Nations with still over a month before summer vacation begins and students are launching handmade boats off the dock. It isn’t ordinary child’s play, and school hasn’t let out early. These are students discovering STEM concepts within the context of their cultural heritage.
Indigenous youth represent the fastest growing population in Canada, and yet they are sharply under-served in STEM education and not surprisingly underrepresented in STEM careers. The 2016 Statistics Canada census reveals that nearly 1.7 million people identified as Aboriginal – a 4.9 per cent share of the total population and an astounding 42.5 per cent increase since 2006.
Over the next decade, this population boom will result in a higher number of Indigenous youth entering the workforce. With a high school graduation rate of only 64 per cent and with 70 per cent of tomorrow’s jobs predicted to require STEM skills, limited access to STEM education will only further exclude Indigenous youth from pursuing some of the most rewarding and high-paying jobs in the country.
"Programs like this are really important, especially for aboriginal communities like ours that are isolated...We are a part of B.C., we're part of Canada, and our kids can learn the same things as kids out there. "
- Cathy Warren, Administrator, Aatse Davie School
"We learn more about our culture and science out here and we get to do more activities than we would get to in a classroom."
- Elisa, Student, Aatse Davie School (14)
"It's been really cool to watch the kids flourish in their own environment, seeing how they can integrate science and engineering into what they see every day."
- Nimaya, Geering Up Student Instructor
UBC’s Geering Up program aims to bridge the gap in STEM literacy by engaging Indigenous youth in both locally and culturally relevant learning opportunities and encouraging them to explore potential careers in science and engineering.
"The dream for every child is that they can reach their full potential. That they are literate in language and numeracy. That they have pride in their heritage and culture, and that they want to contribute to the community they live in - whether it's Kwadacha, BC, or Canada.
That's the ultimate goal."
- Andreas Rohrbach, Principal, Aatse Davie School
Our InSTEM Programs Need Your Support!
By making a general contribution or by supporting a week of camp you can help us deliver this vital programming. We can work with you to identify a community in your local vicinity and create mentorship opportunities for your staff.