Page 28 - Building Bridges to Success for First Nation, Métis and Inuit Students – Developing Policies for Voluntary, Confidential Aboriginal Student Self-Identification: Successful Practices for Ontario School Boards

• Building Bridges to Success for First Nation, Métis and Inuit Students
that the TDSB was successful in building a committee that is inclusive, reflects the diversity of Aboriginal peoples, and is effective, and suggested that this committee is a good model for other school boards to consider.
BUILDING POSITIVE PARTNERSHIPS
It was felt that the board itself was very supportive of the initiative and that board representatives had a good understanding of the issues affecting Aboriginal students. The board also recognized that there were many issues that were common to many different groups of students. Therefore, while one approach may not be appropriate for all students, the board is able to identify and build on common issues across groups while still respecting the diversity of students across the district.
REACHING THE “SILENT MAJORITY”
One of the key challenges in consulting on an initiative such as this, particularly in a large urban centre, is reaching out to the large “silent majority” of Aboriginal families, those who may not necessarily come forward to self-identify and discuss the issues. The member indicated that the board was successful at reaching out and engaging in discussions with the broader Aboriginal community, but that it is difficult to know to what extent it was able to reach out to Aboriginal families.
CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS
Based on experience with the TDSB initiative, the member made the following recommendations for school boards to consider in developing their own Aboriginal student self-identification policies:
1. It was stressed that, when conducting the consultations, it is important
that boards understand what consultation means to First Nation, Métis, and Inuit peoples. It is important that it be an open discussion and that boards be prepared to hear the comments and concerns of the participants, recognizing that one size does not fit all. As well, the consultations should be approached as an ongoing process, not just a meeting. Through this process, the board will be able to build trust with the communities, which is crucial to the success of the initiative.
24