Making post-secondary education affordable for Indigenous youth

Ottawa – When young people have access to the supports needed to complete their studies and achieve their career goals, then communities, the economy and all of Canada thrive. That is why the Government of Canada continues to make meaningful investments in youth through its comprehensive array of youth programming.

Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages, Randy Boissonnault, announced an additional $6 million for Indspire for their Building Brighter Futures: Bursaries, Scholarships and Awards program. This funding, provided through the Supports for Student Learning Program, will allow Indspire to offer scholarships and bursaries to 2,400 Indigenous students across Canada so they can pursue post-secondary training.

The Supports for Student Learning Program funds organizations that help students to stay in school, continue their studies, and gain new skills that will help them succeed in their education. The program aims to reach students who may face greater barriers to education, such as Indigenous students, visible minority and racialized students, students living with disabilities, students living in a low-income household, and students identifying as 2SLGBTQI+. Funded activities may include:

• tutoring sessions;
• mentoring programs;
• mental and social well-being services;
• bursaries and scholarships; or
• opportunities to study or work outside Canada.

Indspire is a national Indigenous-led registered charity that invests in the education of Indigenous peoples for the long-term benefit of them, their families and communities, and Canada. For more than 35 years, Indspire has empowered thousands of Indigenous students to dream big for the future and achieve their highest potential in and outside of their educational pursuits.

In collaboration with Indigenous partners like Indspire, the Government of Canada is ensuring that First Nations, Inuit and Métis can fully contribute and share in Canada’s economic success, which is a critical part of advancing reconciliation and self-determination.