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Regina Learning Circle

October 30th, 2009 Learning Circle Update

Since June 17th, 2009, when the first Regina Learning Circle convened, the School of Business and Public Administration (SBPA) at First Nations University of Canada has helped to coordinate two rounds of task group meetings that took place in July and October of 2009 and a second Learning Circle meeting that took place on September 2, 2009. The Regina Food Bank has continued to provide a space for the meetings, coffee and assistance setting and cleaning up.

The task groups that were created focus on four areas: 1) Communications 2) Funding 3) Affordable Housing and 4) Skills, Training and Youth (i.e. Capacity Development). The task group meetings that met on July 13th and July 14th and October 15th and 20th discussed the major challenges in these four areas and what projects the Learning Circle might want to address in the future. The September 2nd Learning Circle also discussed what projects and funding opportunities the Learning Circle could pursue in order to continue the Learning Circle.

The most recent set of task group meetings explored the following project ideas:

• Creation of a database with an inventory of all Urban Aboriginal Economic Development programs and services.
• Creation of a one-stop shop Learning Circle website that would provide information about the group and their programs and services available to the Urban Aboriginal community in the areas of housing, business development and capacity development.
• The development of an effective lobby group that would address Urban Aboriginal Economic Development issues and eventually influence policy development in all levels of government.
• It was suggested that the Learning Circle approach a local community development corporation (CDC) to discuss how the Learning Circle might be able to partner in both an advisory and action-oriented capacity with the CDC, providing both project ideas and human capital to the projects. Essentially, the Learning Circle would work through the CDC to accomplish goals and would take an integrated approach to community economic development by focusing on housing, business development, capacity development and communications.
• The capacity development task group discussed three different areas it would like to get involved with: Misconception Training offered to all of Saskatchewan because there is a need for awareness, Essential Skills Training, and Financial Literacy Training.
• Maintain the network of people currently participating in the Learning Circle and continue to partner on internal projects. The relationships that have been developed through the Learning Circle continue to provide areas of collaboration amongst members. For example, the SIEF and SMEDCO Business Service Office recently provided resources to and spoke with Aboriginal youth who participated in the SBPA’s Aboriginal Youth Entrepreneurship Camp. These types of collaborations are growing.

The SBPA has also been meeting with the Regina Urban Aboriginal Strategy (UAS) group and the Office of the Federal Interlocutor to see how the Learning Circle and the UAS might be able to work together in the future. In addition to the UAS, they have also met with others regarding ongoing projects in Regina, such as the North Central Shared Facility project and a video series targeting high school students and adult learners, which would have an impact on the urban Aboriginal community.