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Community Engagement

The Urban Indigenous Education Centre (UIEC) collaborates with families, communities, and partner agencies/organizations to centre Truth, Reconciliation, and Indigenous Self-Determination.  The UIEC focuses on creating and maintaining close relationships with multiple community partners to decolonize educational structures through membership in the Toronto Aboriginal Support Services Council and representation on various Indigenous focused agencies and committees in Toronto and the province. 

The UIEC aims to increase opportunities to work with Indigenous community partners, including Indigenous Elders, Knowledge Keepers, artists, and scholars. Such partnerships support a deep commitment to ensuring Indigenous students and families have access to cultural knowledge and experiences through community cultural  events organized by the UIEC, as well as opportunities to enact self-determination through membership in the Urban Indigenous Community Advisory Committee. 

Indigenous Community Resource Guidebook

The UIEC has developed a comprehensive resource guidebook to help Indigenous students and their families learn about and connect with community resources in the Greater Toronto Area and online. Within this resource guidebook, students and families will find a variety of resources related to food security, housing and shelters, health and wellbeing, mental health, culture, financial aid and employment training, accessibility, support for Black-Indigenous and Afro-Indigenous students, supports for 2SLGBTQ+ students, and legal aid. All resources and services listed are meant to help First Nations, Métis, and Inuit students and families access supports as needed to achieve a balance of emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual well-being. Access the Indigenous Resource Guidebook here. 

Events

The Urban Indigenous Education Centre coordinates Indigenous cultural events across the Toronto District School Board, including the Kâpapâmahchakwêw  – Wandering Spirit School Pow Wow, the SouthEast Scarborough Pow Wow (at Eastview Public School), film festivals, and various drum socials in TDSB schools. 

For more information on upcoming events, please visit the Events webpage.

Educational Partnerships

The Urban Indigenous Education Centre has successfully established partnerships with 29 Indigenous partners who can support schools with their responsibilities in enacting the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action. 

Indigenous Partners offer learning opportunities that have been reviewed by the Urban Indigenous Education Centre Partnership Committee. 

For individuals or organizations interested in becoming an Educational Partner with the Toronto District School Board through the Urban Indigenous Education Centre, please contact Tessa Sill, Community Liaison, and Robert Durocher, Centrally Assigned Vice Principal at the Urban Indigenous Education Centre. 

Urban Indigenous Community Advisory Committee (UICAC)

The Urban Indigenous Community Advisory Committee (UICAC) meets monthly to make recommendations on setting the direction of Indigenous Education in the TDSB. The UICAC works to prioritize the Board’s commitment to Truth and Reconciliation Commision of Canada: Calls to Action and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples through all aspects of Board processes, procedures, and policies, including governance, facilities, and curriculum. 

If you are a community member  who would like to attend a meeting, please contact Tracy Mackenzie, Community Liaison at  the Urban Indigenous Education Centre.

For a complete schedule of meetings and to read the minutes from previous meetings, please go to the UICAC scheduling website by clicking this link.