The mission of the Native Education Centre (NEC) is to provide a culturally appropriate and supportive environment for Aboriginal learners. The site makes an interesting point of defining Aboriginal learners as both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal. The college (centre) is located in Vancouver, BC. NEC programs include Wholistic Healing, Technology (including both Digital Media , and Business), Social and Economic (including Tourism and Land Stewardship) Development, and Educational Outreach programs working with First Nations and Aboriginal communities.
The website includes a Success Stories link. It is interesting to read the stories of graduates and hear about their aspirations and their work. Many, if not most of the graduates seem to be First Nations. Their stories reflect strong commitments to giving back to their communities.
Browsing some of the program offerings, such as the FirstHost tourism seminar, also seems to give a feel of a community atmosphere both in the college and its curriculum. For more depth into the college community, download the NEC calendar to read the story of the totem pole that stands outside the NEC, and to learn about the annual student welcoming ceremony and the protocols of the Longhouse that the ceremony follows. One begins to imagine ways that our current standardized curriculum could learn from this community approach.
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