News

This past year, St. Lawrence Institutional Development Counsellor Jacinthe Ruel has had the privilege of visiting several Indigenous communities as part of our student recruitment efforts. She has recently travelled to Kawawachikamach, Pessamit, and Wendake. While we were unable to send a representative to a recent career fair in Manawan, some of our materials travelled there with our partners from other Quebec City Cegeps.

 

Kawawachikamach

In November, Ruel took a trip to the North to visit the Naskapi community of Kawawachikamach. This visit, organized by the Central Quebec School Board, sent representatives of several postsecondary institutions to Kawawachikamach, located near the Labrador border, with the aim of inspiring and building connections with the youth in that community.

Ruel gave a presentation about St. Lawrence and took part in a career fair, both at Jimmy Sandy Memorial School. She had the opportunity to meet several youth and their families and to get them excited about the possibility of studying at St. Lawrence. Ruel had the privilege of meeting Noah Swappie, Chief Executive of the Naskapi Development Corporation and former Chief of the Naskapi Nation, and Theresa Chemaganish, former Chief of the Naskapi Nation, both of whom discussed the importance of building community and supports for Indigenous youth undertaking postsecondary studies away from their communities.

In undertaking the long voyage from Quebec to Kawawachikamach, Ruel felt keenly how difficult it must be to study so far from home. She stresses that the distance underscores our responsibility to create a welcoming environment and foster a strong sense of belonging and community for Naskapi students in Quebec.

You can learn more about the Naskapi Nation of Kawawachikamach here.

 

Pessamit

In March, Ruel travelled to Pessamit to participate in the 2nd edition of the Career Fair organized by the Conseil des Innus de Pessamit and coordinated by Suzie Bacon Hervieux and Sarah Simon-Vollant, from the Council’s Student Services. The name of the event, Tuta Tshipakassun, means “shape your future”. This expression is deeply rooted in Innu traditions, where securing one’s future is about taking action to support oneself and one’s family, which, as it was explained to Ruel, carries a different connotation from the Western concept of a career.

The fair began with an opening ceremony, including prayers and traditional dances. Over the two days, around 100 high school students and numerous community members visited the fair, exploring educational and career opportunities. Many returned for a second visit, showing great enthusiasm and curiosity.

Representatives from various Cégeps, universities, and vocational training centers from all over Quebec were present. Ruel was proud to showcase the initiatives that Quebec City’s Cégeps have implemented to foster a sense of community for out-of-town Indigenous students through sociocultural activities, volleyball games, wellness days, a recognition gala, and more.

Ruel says she was met with a “warm and generous welcome” and had “many insightful exchanges” with the people she met in Pessamit. A discussion with Guylaine Bacon, a member of the community and specialized education technician at Cégep de Baie-Comeau, highlighted the importance of recognizing the diversity within Indigenous identities, not only across nations but also within the same communities, avoiding monolithic, reductionist and stereotypical views.

You can learn more about Pessamit here.

 

Wendake

Ruel also attended the second edition of the Wendat Nation’s Sënhotonwah! Job and Training Fair on January 30, along with other educational institutions and local employers.

The event, held at the Hôtel-Musée des Premières Nations in Wendake, opened with a speech by Chief René W. Picard. It was a great opportunity to discover the businesses and organizations of Wendake and their partners, to hear from some Champlain alumni whose journeys are truly inspiring, and, as a bonus, to enjoy an amazing culinary experience inspired by Indigenous heritage and crafted by La Traite!

You can learn more about the Wendat Nation here.

 

Manawan

On January 23, training centres, CEGEPs, and employers presented their programs and services to the Otapi Secondary School in the Atikamekw community of Manawan, an event that was organized by the Services éducatifs de Manawan CDAM. Although we were unable to attend, colleagues from other CEGEPs in the region represented us at the Manawan Career Day, highlighting the activities of the Indigenous Student Regroupement of the Quebec City CEGEPs.

 

We thank the Naskapi, Innu, Wendat and Atikamekw nations for welcoming our representatives onto their ancestral lands. We look forward to continuing to build strong, meaningful relationships and to welcoming youth from these communities to St. Lawrence in the years to come.