Creating a “sense of belonging” for Indigenous students: identifying supports to improve access and success in post-secondary education

Demographics

Of the 32 students participated in the survey, all but one (97%) self-identified as First Nations; one identified as Metis. Half of the respondents (n = 16) were between the ages of 21 and 30, one student was younger than 20, six students were beween 31 and 40, three were between 31and 40, and four were between 51 and 55. Data on age was missing for two respondents. Over half (n = 17) of all participants had previously attended community college and 11 of these students had completed their community college program. A quarter of participants (n = 8) had previously attended university and five of these students had completed a previous degree. Six percent (n = 2) had no previous post-secondary education.

All but one of the students (97%) were attending full-time. Of the students pursuing a 3-year degree, a quarter were enrolled in the Anishinaabemowin program at Algoma University. Of the 4-year students, 15% were enrolled in the Bachelor of Social Work program.

Funding

Sixty-nine percent of participants were receiving funding for First Nations; 13% were not receiving any OSAP (Ontario Student Assistance Plan) funding; 9% received First Nations funding in combination with OSAP; and 3% were funded by themselves and First Nations funding.

Twenty-eight percent of participants received $1,000 to $1,099 each month for living expenses; 13% received $1,300 to $1,399, 9% received $1,600 to $1,699, 9% received $800 to $899, 6% received $700 to $799, 6% received $900 to $999, 3% received less than $500 each month, and 19% of respondents did not receive any funding.

When asked about the amount of money they were provided for books, 17 students (53%) were given less than $500, 8 students (25%) were given $500 or more, and 7 students (22%) did not provide us with information.

Dependents

Approximately half (n = 15) of participants had dependents during their studies. On average, students who had dependents reported having 2.6 dependents; one respondent had one dependent, six respondents had two dependents, six respondents had three respondents and two dependents. There were a total of 39 dependents identified by the survey respondents. Of these dependents, 38% were 6 to 12 years old, 31% were 3 to 5 years old, 18% were 13 to 18 years old, 10% were 0 to 2 years old, and 3% were 19 or older. Forty-nine percent of dependents were male, 38% were female, and 13% did not provide information on the dependent’s sex; 74% of these dependents were in school and 5% were in daycare.

Academic support services

Respondents were asked to identify the types of academic support they received during their studies. Eighty-one percent received academic advising, 50% received personal support, 34% received mentorship, 31% received advocacy, 16% received external referrals, and 13% received other services such as employment or assistance in locating a physician. In addition, more than half (56%) of participants reported taking advantage of available scholarships and bursaries. Forty-four percent utilized writing skill support, 44% participated in language sharing, 38% received note-taking support, and 31% received personal counseling.

Participants were also asked what types of academic support they would benefit from in the future. Thirty-eight percent of respondents indicated that they would like more academic advising, 16% identified more writing skill supports, and 34% of students stated other supports. These other supports include disability support, cultural awareness, time management, research skills, cultural programs, library skills, native teachings, Indigenous academic theory, visits to the land, and support for student parents.

Culturally affirming events

Culturally affirming events were run by the AID, Shingwauk Kinoomage Gaming, and the Shingwauk Anishinaabe Student Association (SASA). These events received high attendance: Soup’s On (86%), cross-cultural events (84%), visiting elders (78%), the Annual Pow Wow (72%), and sharing circles (50%). Other types of events respondents specified attending included syrup-making, moccasin-making, pancake breakfast, research symposium, glove-making, jingle dress-making, trips to ceremonies, residential school gathering, moon ceremonies, and the ghost feast.

The most widely attended event was Soup’s On (86%). Throughout the autumn and winter semester, the AID and the SASA provide soup and bannock for students every week on Wednesday. The food is purchased by the student leadership and the meals assist all students whose budgets are very limited.

Other cross-cultural events were also widely attended (84%). These include maple syrup-making, moccasin-making, pancake breakfasts, residential school gatherings, research symposiums, stages of life presentations, glove-making, jingle dress-making, lodge-building, and participation in ceremonies.

The maple syrup-making event is held each spring. Both AID and SASA work with students to go out to tap maple trees for their sap using a bucket over a 4- to 6-week period. They boil the sap which becomes maple syrup, and the maple syrup is bottled.

The moccasin-making event invites students and faculty to make their own moccasins. The activity is put on by the AID office. All materials, including hide, sinew, needles, scissors, rulers, felt, marking pencils, are provided for the participants.

In the springtime, the university and local community members are invited to a pancake breakfast with members of the University community. The activity is hosted by the AID office.

The residential school gathering takes place each year in July. The Children of Shingwauk Alumni Association lead and plan a conference at Algoma University. Shingwauk Indian Residential School operated from 1873 to 1970. The current Algoma University campus is located in the residential school building and grounds (Algoma University, n.d.). Students, staff, faculty, administration, and other external participants are invited to present on a residential school topic to share with others.

Every second year, the Anishinaabe Inendamowin Research Symposium (AIRS) is held at the University. The symposium is a forum where students speak on topics that are directly related to Indigenous research. Students learn how to synthesize large volumes of data, to develop a presentation, and to share this presentation in front of people. All faculty and external students are invited to submit an abstract to the AIRS advisory board for approval. All community members are invited to the symposium.

At the stages of life event, an elder is invited by SASA to present. The medicine wheel is used as a tool from which to teach students about the spiritual, physical, emotional, and mental development of life stages.

The glove-making event session invited students and faculty to make their own gloves from traditional materials. All materials, including deer hide, sinew, needles, scissors, rulers, felt, tracing pencils, were provided for the participants. This activity was led by AID and SASA.

The jingle dress–making event invited students and faculty to create their own jingle dresses. Jingle dresses are commonly worn at powwows by women and girls. An orientation about the origins, and the significance of the jingle dress was first provided. All materials, including deer hide, sinew, needles, scissors, rulers, felt, tracing pencils, were provided for the participants.

During the lodge-building event, students participated in the building of a teaching lodge that is primarily used for teaching Indigenous ways of knowing and doing. Elders were invited to speak on various topics that are critical to understanding Indigenous spirituality and worldviews.

Students also fundraised to participate in Indigenous ceremonies beyond the Algoma community.

Each month when the moon is full, AID and SASA hold a moon ceremony together. The local women, including students, faculty, and community members, gathered to celebrate the sacred roles of women. All sacred medicines, berries, juice, a meal, a spiritual plate, a sacred fire, a gift for the conductor, and a positive mindset are essential in creating a safe, healing space to pray for everyone’s healing. All items were smudged. The Creator and ancestors were spiritually present, and attendees could ask for guidance and forgiveness for healing.

The AID office put on a ghost feast to honor the ancestors who have gone to the spirit world. The ceremony and feast were held at the end of October. A feast dish is created and put into a sacred fire. Words of gratitude, songs, and dance were held to commemorate the ancestors. In some ghost feast, the feast dish is laid at the base of a tree.

Many students (78%) also reported attending sessions with Indigenous Elders on campus to discuss an issue of their choice. The AID office sponsors the event. Medicines are available to use during these meetings. Elders also provided mental support for students who had to leave their communities to attend school.

Every first weekend in March, AID and SASA holds a powwow for students, faculty, staff and administration at the University, and the members of the community. This event was widely attended by respondents (72%). A Traditional powwow is where participants are invited and there is no competition between the dancers. All dancers are provided with an honorarium. A competitive powwow is where participants compete, and money is given. Students would plan annually for the event and everyone from the community, as well as American guests, are invited to attend.

Sharing circles are gathering places where students would share their ideas on a certain topic. The AID office hosted these events, which 50% of respondents reported attending.

Challenges experienced by students

Students identified difficulties in their studies that were always challenging and often challenging. Most commonly, students identified family support (47%), budgeting (44%), and balancing studies (44%) as challenges. Meal planning (19%), off-campus housing (19%), childcare (19%), distance from family (19%), loneliness (19%), difficulty accessing accommodations for special needs, and on-campus housing (16%) were also listed as challenging. Furthermore, 13% listed moving away from home to university as challenging.

Recommendations for student success

At the end of the survey, participants were given the opportunity to provide qualitative data and make recommendations that could help other students be more successful during their studies at Algoma University; 75% of participants provided suggestions.

Respondents listed various academic supports that would be helpful including more quiet study spaces on campus, increasing awareness of the learning center, support transitioning credits from community college, and assistance with communicating with professors. Students also mentioned that they would benefit from help with keeping up with readings, papers, and other academic tasks. Participants also emphasized that students would benefit from additional funding and scholarships.

Support was a key theme that emerged. Respondents stated that students benefit from developing community connections and accessing support. Other suggestions included helping students learn to budget, providing childcare on campus, and consistently have support from an on-campus Elder. Culturally affirming education was another key theme. Students want their education to integrate Indigenous pedagogy, and they value readings, activities, and assignments that are culturally relevant. Similarly, students mentioned the benefits of social events for Indigenous students and recommended creating space for social gathering.

Participants also made various suggestions pertaining to self-awareness. They recommended that students be honest about their challenges, be aware of lateral violence within the community, develop a flexible mindset, and improve organization skills at home and school. Finally, participants noted that more opportunities for employment, such as help obtaining summer work, would be valuable.

Experience with AID

Participants were asked about their experiences with the AID. Approximately three quarters (78%) of participants responded that they had a positive experience with AID. The following positive comments were provided verbatim by multiple participants: “Amazing, supportive”; “Friendly and accessible people. Easy to talk to one-to-one”; “It was the best. They are the ones that really give students a sense of belonging”; “Informative, educational and was caring”; “Mostly good. However, I miss most programs/events due to the times they are offered”; “Enjoyed visits from elders”; and “Liked the support and availability of workers.”

A small portion of participants had negative experiences (6%) and 16% of respondents indicated unknown. Participants who had negative experiences provided the following verbatim responses: “Not good. Adversarial at best. Frustrated in appeasing the University Admin . . . against students”; “Both good and bad. At times too institutionalized—they forget the “Anishinaabe.”

Why did you choose Algoma University?

Participants were asked why they chose to attend Algoma University. Some reflected on the small class sizes and presence of a First Nations association on campus. Many emphasized the appeal of the Anishinaabemowin Shingwauk Program (47%). Students valued the ability to study Indigenous languages and cultures during their university education. Others referenced specific programs such as the Bachelor of Social Work program (19%), Sociology program (19%), Community and Economic Social Development program (19%), and Law and Justice program (19%).

Funding

Most respondents (69%) were receiving funding from First Nations sources. This can include money from the Post-Secondary Student Support Program (PSSSP), a federal program that provides Indigenous students with funding for post-secondary education across Canada. Individuals must apply for this program, which grants First Nations post-secondary students a maximum of $53,000 for an academic year. In exceptional circumstances this amount can reach $90,000. However, this funding was capped to 25,000 students in 1996. Meanwhile, the high school graduation rates for Indigenous students continues to increase. This points to the increasing need for additional funding for post-secondary studies. Among Indigenous youth aged 20 to 24, 70% had completed high school in 2016, up from 57% in 2006. This increase in high school graduates means less than half of post-secondary students are funded by the PSSSP (Assembly of First Nations, 2020). Furthermore, there are limitations to who can apply for this funding, which can be dependent on the First Nations of origin (Government of Canada, n.d.). While some students have access to Band Support Funding, some streams of funding are also becoming less available (Indspire, 2022). In 2012, Indigenous students reported having two to three sources of funding for post-secondary education. In 2017, most Indigenous students reported having only one funding source. The common sources were savings (28%) and government student loans (28%) (Indspire, 2022).

Students were asked to identify difficulties in their life that were always challenging. A quarter of respondents identified budgeting. Half of respondents receive between $1,000 and $1,699 each month for their living expenses. The average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Sault St. Marie, Ontario is approximately $1,200. The cost of undergraduate tuition at Algoma University is approximately $3,400 per term, with each term lasting around 12 weeks (Algoma University, 2024). This sum does not include the cost of books or school supplies. A large portion of respondents report not receiving any funding for living expenses (19%) or books (22%). A survey of 527 Indigenous students conducted in 2020 found that a lack of finances due to unaffordable housing and childcare expenses impacted their ability complete their programs (Walton et al., 2020). It can be incredibly difficult for Indigenous students to obtain housing to attend university. In a study conducted in 2020, a student reported waiting 4 years for subsidized Native housing, even though he was given priority as a single father (Walton et al., 2020). Our sample was biased to include only those currently in university and therefore did not include those who had to withdraw due to inadequate funds. Future research would benefit from a more in-depth investigation of the implications of inadequate funding.

Transition off-reservation

Indigenous students identified the lack of family support (25%) as a difficulty that is always challenging. Existing data support these findings. The transition from the reservation to university is daunting for many students. Students can struggle with cultural differences and finding support services in the city (Walton et al., 2020). Seventy-one percent of Ontario Indigenous university students report having a difficult time moving away from family, and 50% report difficulties balancing responsibilities (Restoule, 2023). A fear of losing their connection to their home communities is another major concern for Indigenous university students (Bonnycastle & Prentice, 2011). Students fear estrangement from their family and losing their social support network when moving to a large urban community (Deonandan et al., 2019).

Students shared that they would appreciate more readings, activities, and assignments that are culturally relevant, as well as small group discussions rather than lectures. Students emphasized the value of social support. For example, suggestions included hosting more social events, creating space for social gatherings, and continuing to ask students what they want to see. Existing research suggests that students want their education to integrate Indigenous pedagogy including experiential and hands-on learning that allows for the application of theory (Walton et al., 2020). Integrating Indigenous culture on university campuses removes barriers for students to engage fully with Indigenous studies and shows the contemporary strength and resilience of Indigenous peoples (Gupta & Makomenaw, 2022). They also show Indigenous students that institutions of higher learning are a space where they belong.

Parenthood and childcare

Nearly half (47%) of survey participants reported having dependents. On average, students who have dependents had 2.6 dependents. Forty percent had two or three dependents. The majority (74%) of these dependents were in school. These findings are in keeping with previous research studies which found that while 11% of all post-secondary students are parents, the rates are more than triple among Indigenous students (Bonnycastle & Prentice, 2011). Approximately 80% of parents in the current study are enrolled full-time. Three out of four Indigenous university students are female and nearly one-third have children (Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation, 2005). Female post-secondary students with dependents often feel overloaded by the multiple roles they must fill and struggle with balancing their obligations to school and to their family (Moreau, 2016). Indigenous parents attending university are also more likely to have difficulties finding housing, which can contribute to difficulties balancing domestic obligations and studying.

Indigenous student supports

Resource centers for Indigenous students are fundamental enablers of success (Timmons, 2013). Survey respondents reported receiving various interpersonal supports through the AID at Algoma University. These supports included academic advising and mentorship. For Indigenous students, mentoring can reflect an intergenerational tradition of passing on knowledge (Pidgeon et al., 2014). Mentorship programs can also boost resilience and increase school engagement for Indigenous students (Rawana et al., 2015).

Most students attended culturally affirming events. The events were run by a combination of the AID, the SASA, and Shingwauk Kinoomage Gaming, an Indigenous education institute and partner of Algoma University. Culturally affirming events in post-secondary institutions can help Indigenous students feel less alone and more welcome. They can also enhance the perception of Indigeneity among non-Indigenous students (Rawana et al., 2015). Many Indigenous students also fear losing their culture and traditions when studying at university (Deonandan et al., 2019). Incorporating culturally relevant activities on-campus is a way of addressing this concern. Cultural events also facilitate social engagement and connection to Indigenous peers, which enables academic success (Montsion, 2018).