Yukon College, Council of Yukon First Nations unveil Yukon First Nations 101 program with corporate pilot, Northwestel

By January 29, 2016News Release

For immediate release: Friday, January 29, 2016

Yukon College, Council of Yukon First Nations unveil Yukon First Nations 101 program with corporate pilot, Northwestel

WHITEHORSE – The Council of Yukon First Nations (CYFN) and Yukon College today unveiled Yukon First Nations 101, an online course built in partnership with the 14 Yukon First Nations with the focus on Yukon business, service providers, government, and non-government organizations to provide education on the history and culture of Yukon First Nations.

Northwestel is the first corporate partner to participate in the course, which was developed by CYFN and the Yukon College First Nations Initiatives department, and will be delivered by the College’s Northern Institute for Social Justice (NISJ). All Northwestel executives and people leaders will complete this program, with the goal of understanding and creating stronger partnerships, better serving our customers of the North.

“The Truth and Reconciliation Commission has called upon businesses and service providers to provide education to management and staff on the culture and history of First Nations people, and we are proud to work with the College and CYFN to complete this training,” said Paul Flaherty, President and CEO of Northwestel. “Northwestel is deeply committed to joining businesses and groups in the Yukon and across Canada in meeting this important objective.”

“Understanding Yukon First Nations past and present is a crucial and important piece of Yukon history,” said Grand Chief Ruth Massie. “Yukon First Nations 101 program represents a starting point to understanding our history and our story in the Yukon. I am proud to support this course and would recommend businesses and all service providers to encourage their employees to undertake this educational training.”

The four-hour program builds on Yukon First Nations core competency that all Yukon College credit students are required to undertake as of May 2016, and which 94 per cent of Yukon College employees have completed. The program will provide a broad understanding of six key aspects of Yukon First Nations: history, heritage and culture, governance, residential schools, contemporary topics and world views. Similar training has been coordinated by NISJ and delivered to front line Yukon justice, policing, social work, and health professionals on a contract basis.

“We are pleased to make this program available to any Yukon business or non-government organization or service providers that would like their employees to have a greater understanding and appreciation of Yukon First Nations,” said Joanne Lewis, NISJ Executive Director.

The online course is available to any Yukon business or non-government organisation at a cost of $89.99 per person. For more information about accessing the course please contact the Yukon College’s Northern Institute of Social Justice at nisj@nullyukoncollege.yk.ca or (867) 456-8590.

In 2015 Yukon College received an Indigenous Education Excellence gold award from Colleges and Institutes Canada for its strong commitment to First Nations partnerships and development of the core competency for staff and students.

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For more information:

Stephanie Brown
Communications Officer
Council of Yukon First Nations
(867) 393-9223

Adriann Kennedy
Manager, External Communications
Northwestel
(867)455-4209
akennedy@nullnwtel.ca

Michael Vernon
Communications
Yukon College
(867)668-8786
mvernon@nullyukoncollege.yk.ca