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Community Learning
The Innovative Learning Centre
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The Innovative Learning Centre is focused on closing the graduation gap. The programs offered are grounded in the philosophy of connecting elementary and secondary students to their school community so that students remain engaged in their school and learning community, with the hope that each student will graduate from high school and enroll in post secondary school.
Programs
Enbridge Eco-Kids on Campus
The Eco-Kids on Campus program began in the 2007-2008 school year. The Innovative Learning Centre now runs this program three times a year for a total of more than 30 weeks per year that students from local elementary schools attend classes at The University of Winnipeg. While they are on campus, professors and teachers from the Faculty of Science, the Collegiate, and guest speakers deliver the grade six science curriculum. Students have the opportunity to participate in a wide range of hands-on scientific and environmental experiments and activities including dissecting squid, experimenting with gravity and magnetic fields, and measuring their own ecological footprint.
“Our investment in the Enbridge Eco-Kids on Campus program goes right to the heart of our commitment to building sustainable communities,” said D'Arcy Levesque, Vice President, Public & Government Affairs, Enbridge. “By providing young people the opportunity to participate in enrichment programming that keeps them interested in learning and exploring the world, we are inspiring a new generation of students to start thinking about university as a real possibility for their own future.”
The Enbridge School Plus Program is program established by Enbridge in partnership with the Assembly of First Nations to encourage First Nations youth to stay in school, by funding enjoyable extra-curricular programs to which those students would not otherwise have access, enabling them to pursue higher education and secure better jobs in the future.
Enbridge Eco-Kids on Campus Background
The Enbridge Eco-Kids on Campus Strathcona School Video, 2011. It was produced by the classroom teacher, Mario Cueto.
The Strathcona Elementary School Grade 6 class prepared this 4 minute video in, A Tap on the Shoulder (2008), about their experience.
Eco-U Summer Camp
The University of Winnipeg Eco-U Summer Camp is one of the Community Learning initiatives offered at The University of Winnipeg. In the last six years, more than 5,000 children have attended. Children come from more than 40 inner-city and north end schools, making it the largest free day camp for children in inner-city Winnipeg.
Since its inception in 2007, The University of Winnipeg
Eco-U Summer Camp has worked very closely in partnership with the Winnipeg Aboriginal
Sports Achievement to develop and deliver the program. In partnership with the staff at WASAC, the
junior (high school) and senior (university) camp leaders hired by the
University to organize and implement the summer camp programs are
highly trained and instrumental to the success of the programs. The camp leaders are for the most part inner-city
youth, regarded as role models by the children who attend the programs. The youth employed by the camp are high
school and university students who are gaining valuable work experience as well
as being highly trained throughout the school year in preparation for summer
employment.
The children participate in engaging science and environmental activities with a focus on Indigenous science. The camp aims to address summer learning loss and the barriers to participation commonly facing inner-city children and youth: participants attend Eco-U Camp free-of-charge, transportation is provided to get the participants to the camp site, and a nutrition program provides two healthy snacks and a lunch to every participant. The University of Winnipeg is able to provide the camp programming as well as transportation, nutrition, supplies, T-shirts, re-usable water bottles, and canvas bags for each participant as a direct result of active private and public sector fundraising.
Each year since its inception, the number of children who have registered and participated in the Eco-U Summer Camp has grown. The camp employs a unique recruitment process to register participants. Eco-U has developed relationships with more than 40 inner-city elementary schools in Winnipeg and Eco-U representatives visit each school to deliver classroom presentations and give each eligible student, primarily between the ages of 7-12, the opportunity to register. As registrations are received from as many as four times the number of spots available, a recruitment strategy has been developed and implemented in which teachers, principals, school social workers, etc. are given the opportunity to identify the children who would most benefit.
The youth leaders are hired through their high schools and the University after attending training sessions throughout their school year in courses such as first aid and CPR, Level 1 coaching, Level 1 refereeing, conflict management and leadership development. The youth participate in school-based training throughout the school year and at the end they are employed for the summer with Eco-U. Essentially we work holistically with the youth 12 months a year and focus on staying in school, receiving training, and summer employment.
Eco-Kids Summer Camp 2012 Video
2012 Eco U Summer Day Camp Schools:
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Shine On
The province of Manitoba supports the Shine On initiative,
which aims to increase high-school graduation rates, and college and university
enrollment. Aboriginal and inner-city students access quality learning at The
University of Winnipeg through school-based, after-school and weekend and
summer camp activities to help prepare them for post-secondary learning.
- Workshops on the prerequisites needed to prepare for post-secondary education and post-secondary funding/bursary opportunities;
- Career counseling opportunities and information on course options;
- Tour of The University of Winnipeg and events with specific faculties and departments;
- Leadership development activities such as St. John’s Ambulance first aid and Level 1 coaching certification; and
- Eco-Kids programming, this includes hands-on scientific and environmental experiments.
In addition, Aboriginal students enrolled at the University serve as role models and senior leaders to the high school students. Participating students are guaranteed full-time summer employment in the field of community development.
Shine On is a partnership between the Manitoba government, The University of Winnipeg and the Winnipeg School Division. Since 2007, Manitoba Education has contributed $395,000 to the Shine On initiative.
For further information on the activities of the Innovative Learning Centre please contact:
Gerri Zacharias
To donate to the Innovative Learning Centre, click here.
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