Paul Martin surprised at speed of growth of his Aboriginal education programs

by Roderick Benns

When he gets a chance to reflect it surprises former Prime Minister Paul Martin that his Aboriginal Youth Education Program has grown so much, so fast.

As of the 2013 – 2014 school year, the program is being offered in 26 schools, in seven provinces, and the Northwest Territories. The innovative program teaches Aboriginal youth about business and entrepreneurship. Finishing high school is also encouraged so that the dream of post-secondary school remains within reach.

“It surprises me that we were able to grow at the speed that we have. But in retrospect, I should not have been surprised – because the needs are so great,” Mr. Martin says.

He tells Leaders and Legacies that the program has attracted incredibly knowledgeable people who have helped bring the program to life, along with the help of dedicated teachers and other school leaders from across the country. Aboriginal leaders have been keenly involved as well.

“Aboriginal Canadians are very strongly involved in the battle to educate their young people,” he adds.

In fact today Mr. Martin is in southern Alberta to announce another school is on board. The Kainai Board of Education, Kainai High School and Blood Tribe just announced a new partnership with the Martin Aboriginal Educational Initiative and sponsor Scotiabank to launch the entrepreneurship program at Kainai High School.

The program also teaches students aspects of business and personal financial literacy. This includes the knowledge and process needed to develop a budget, learning how to do banking, how to make spread sheets and make financial projections.

Teaching strategies include classroom instruction, simulations, competitions, conferences, guest speakers, field trips to businesses and mentors. The program is closely monitored and the success is determined through both quantitative and qualitative measures. Students learn how to create a product or service-based business. Funding is provided to enable qualified students to start a micro-business.

Mr. Martin says getting more Aboriginal young people ready for a career in business makes good economic sense, too.

“Aboriginal youth are the fastest-growing segment of the population and will be key drivers of the Canadian economy.”

In addition to the entrepreneurship program, Mr. Martin’s overall initiative also includes an accounting mentorship program, a banking mentoring program, an initiative with Free the Children, model school projects, and a one-of-a-kind website devoted to promising practices in Aboriginal education.

Mr. Martin says that although the long-term results in his business program won’t be seen for a while, he has seen promising signs as he tours the country. In one instance, he says, a young boy who was extremely shy went through a profound change after spending some time in the youth entrepreneurship program.

“This boy wouldn’t even talk to anyone one on one, let alone a crowd,” says Mr. Martin. “Six months later, he had created a plan, he learned about marketing it, and he stood up and gave a presentation about it to 300 people – and I was in that audience.”

Mr. Martin says he believes the reason the boy was able to do this was simple.

“No one had given him the opportunity before.”