Université du Québec à Montréal
IN-48: Innovation B

This is the sum of the projects promoting indigenous cultures at UQAM with an emphasis on the last three years (2017-2020): sharing with First Nations and services to indigenous students, training and awareness resources that confers innovative status.

More than 35% of the Aboriginal population who move to large cities in Quebec do so for the purpose of pursuing post-secondary studies. Each year, UQAM works with members of the First Nations and aims, through its projects, to ensure better living together and support for them. The impact of this commitment is as follow:

Since 1990, the Circle of First Nations of UQAM was established. UQAM is the first French-speaking university organization dedicated to supporting Indigenous students in urban areas. It allows meetings between natives and non-natives, in addition to promoting and disseminating culture.
URL link: Accueil | Cercle des Premières Nations de l'UQAM (cpnuqam.ca)

Since 2010, the Media School, supported by the UQAM Community Service and the Wakiponi mobile, has been offering training to young aboriginals in order to perfect their knowledge of cinematographic techniques. For ten years, it has offered First Nations training and development workshops in video editing, graphic animation, sound design and mixing, in the premises of the Media School located on the central campus. Participants must carry out their projects from A to Z under the supervision of a teacher and lecturer at the Media School. This training allows young people to acquire practical and rewarding knowledge, to carry out a positive activity in order to counter the serious problems frequent in their community.

https://www.actualites.uqam.ca/2015/cinquieme-edition-formation-uqam-wapikoni-mobile
http://www.wapikoni.ca/a-propos/qui-sommes-nous

See 2019 graduate students;
http://www.wapikoni.ca/actualites/nouvelles/formation-uqam-2019-creativite-talents-et-sujets-inspirants

In 2017, UQAM created the first summer school intended exclusively for indigenous women leaders. The school acts as a space for exchange, dialogue and learning, where women analyze their place in governance structures, allowing participants to return to their community better equipped and stronger from this network of women. invested in the future of their community.
URL link: Une école d’été pour dirigeantes autochtones | Le Devoir : https://www.ledevoir.com/societe/504603/une-ecole-d-ete-pour-dirigeantes-autochtones

In 2018, UQAM launched a short program in Native Studies that allows non-Native students to be made aware of First Nations realities as well as to meet the training needs of Native students
URL link: Programme court de premier cycle en études autochtones (0791) | UQAM | Université du Québec à Montréal : https://etudier.uqam.ca/programme?code=0791

Also in 2018, UQAM reserved four places in its law undergraduate program. Through this measure, the university is helping to increase accessibility to higher education for Aboriginal and Inuit students.
URL link: Étudiants autochtones | Département des sciences juridiques | UQAM: https://juris.uqam.ca/etudiants-autochtones/

In 2018, UQAM established a training on historical, legal and cultural indigenous realities. The purpose of the training is to help teachers determine the best teaching strategies to adopt with First Nations students.
URL link: L ’UQAM prend en compte les besoins de ses étudiants autochtones | Radio-Canada.ca (https://ici.radio-canada.ca/espaces-autochtones/1120320/uqam-premieres-nations-alexandra-lorange-montreal) et URL link: https://parcoursimpact.uqam.ca/projet/uqam-partage-avec-les-premieres-nations/

Indigenous Student Services and outreach resources:
The Niska room is dedicated only to indigenous students in order to allow them to come together to discuss and support each other in their studies. Three computer stations and a telephone line are also available.

A reception and integration advisor from UQAM's Student Life Services is available. The latter offers information, listening, support and support to students experiencing difficulties during their university career. The counselor also organizes social and cultural activities to allow students to connect with their cultures, break through isolation and create a support network and she can plan learning support workshops, in addition to a dedicated Facebook page.
URL link: Vous êtes étudiant autochtone - Services à la vie étudiante (https://vie-etudiante.uqam.ca/etudiantautochtone/nouvelles-ressources.html#local-niska)

In 2020, UQAM launched a EDI website that addresses, among other things, indigenous people. The purpose of this is to make tools available to all that make non-Natives aware of the realities of First Nations. A toolkit for allies to indigenous struggles is available on the site as well as a book on debunking myths about indigenous peoples.
URL link: https://edi.uqam.ca/ressources-additionnelles/bonnes-pratiques/
URL link: https://vie-etudiante.uqam.ca/etudiantautochtone/nouvelles-ressources.html

Valuing Indigenous cultures brings together research and work by university professors with the aim of participating in the revival of Indigenous cultures. These 2019 initiatives are as follows:

Following a study that determined the obstacles faced by Indigenous artists, 15 proposals including concrete solutions are put forward in order to lead to a better recognition of the practices of creators from autochthony.

Cultural contribution to ancestral Aboriginal arts in Canada through the virtual exhibition Des images dans la pierre. L'art rupestre au Canada.

Determination of concrete actions to be implemented in order to promote the perseverance and academic success of First Nations students.

Recognition of the arts through a review of Aboriginal artistic productions of the past three years which demonstrates the extent of the Aboriginal artistic contribution in connection with Quebec culture and society.
URL link: Valoriser les cultures autochtones | Parcours Impact | (https://parcoursimpact.uqam.ca/projet/valoriser-les-cultures-autochtones/)

Others websites :

https://vie-etudiante.uqam.ca/etudiantautochtone/nouvelles-ressources.html#local-niska

https://parcoursimpact.uqam.ca/projet/uqam-partage-avec-les-premieres-nations/

https://edi.uqam.ca/ressources-additionnelles/bonnes-pratiques/

https://vie-etudiante.uqam.ca/etudiantautochtone/nouvelles-ressources.html

https://parcoursimpact.uqam.ca/projet/valoriser-les-cultures-autochtones/

https://parcoursimpact.uqam.ca/projet/langues-autochtones-un-tresor-immateriel/