Douglas College FACS Indigenous Pathway

09/26/2025

On the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, we reflect on the legacy of Canada’s residential school system and the responsibility we all share in advancing truth and reconciliation.

Settler historian and Douglas College Instructor Carling Beninger researches why residential schools persisted for decades after the federal government announced integration in 1951. Her work underscores a vital message: Truth must come before reconciliation can happen.

“The history of residential schools is not just about the past – it’s about the present,” Carling says. “The intergenerational impacts are still being felt today, and the responsibility to respond belongs to all of us.”

➡️ Read the full story: https://ow.ly/bJ6Q50X36lm

Content warning: This article discusses residential schools. Immediate crisis support is available for survivors at 1 866 925 4419.

09/26/2025

https://www.createastir.ca/articles/national-day-for-truth-and-reconciliation-2025?fbclid=IwdGRjcANDtnhleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHu2O1xIZC3kU0NJz9MsycLhL5O_PiGVyJFmpE3smUVTBLciuoiTM_qRSIHbW_aem_AqBnzQdqf5f9qmUj2WfXww

Powwow dancers, concerts, films, and hands-on art as programming at several local venues takes place on and around September 30

09/26/2025

Content warning: this post discusses residential schools and child abuse.

As we prepare to mark Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30th, we reflect on the ongoing impact of residential schools on Survivors, families, and communities. And, we remember the children who were taken and never came home.

This is a chance to reflect, learn, and take action. We all have a role to play in ensuring the legacy of the residential school system is never forgotten.

Across Canada, there were 139 residential schools. In BC, there were:
• 18 Indian Residential Schools
• 112 Indian Day Schools
• 3 Indian Hospitals

From 1867 to 1996, the Canadian government forcibly removed more than 150,000 First Nations, Métis and Inuit children from their communities. Many children were taken and never returned home.

The crimes and abuses inflicted by these institutions have been well documented by:
• the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada's detailed analysis of records and testimony
• the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples in the 1990's
• Survivors, communities, and academic research

The residential school system inflicted physical, sexual, emotional and spiritual abuse against the thousands of children who were forced to attend over generations.

First Nations in BC are still searching for missing children who died at Indian Residential Schools and Indian Hospitals.

Survivors continue to tell their stories, often at great personal cost. Others still carry their truth quietly.

We all have a role in understanding our shared history and its impacts on First Nations, Métis and Inuit today. And we can’t get to a better future unless we acknowledge and learn from our past.

Every Child Matters is not just a slogan. It's a call to action. Links to ways you can participate in the comments.

09/25/2025

09/18/2025

08/11/2025

Three weeks until classes start and it's not to late to apply to the Indigenous Pathway! 📚📝

Indigenous Pathway classes will be online for Fall 2025! Classes will be synchronous online in the evenings. Continue to live and work in your community while earning transferable credits. Students who complete the four Indigenous Pathway courses can ladder into the Child and Youth Care program for Fall 2026.
Apply today!
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Please email any questions to : [email protected]

https://www.douglascollege.ca/programs-courses/faculties/applied-community-studies/indigenous-pathway

08/08/2025

A new four-day program rooted in Indigenous ways of knowing is launching at Douglas College, nurturing a sense of belonging for Indigenous youth and shifting how they experience post-secondary education before they start.

Fostering Indigenous Readiness for Education (FIRE) invites youth and young adults aged 15–21 to explore, reflect and connect with peers while getting to know a college that cares deeply about who they are and where they come from.

“FIRE is about creating a space where Indigenous youth feel cared for from the very beginning of their post-secondary journey,” says Jennifer Anaquod, Director of Indigenous Academic Initiatives. “Everything about this program is designed to help students feel welcome, supported and valued.”

Learn more and register: https://ow.ly/n7Q050WCkKh