Fleming College partners with Kenjgewin Teg to offer Practical Nursing program on Manitoulin Island

PETERBOROUGH —  Fleming College is pleased to partner with Kenjgewin Teg to offer Practical Nursing training to Indigenous learners on Manitoulin Island, Ont. (Mnidoo Mnising). The two institutions recently signed a five-year agreement to offer Fleming’s Practical Nursing program through Kenjgewin Teg, an educational institute on Mnidoo Mnising that provides Indigenous culturally-relevant learning.

“Fleming College is committed to Truth and Reconciliation and as a post-secondary institution, we have an opportunity and an obligation to incorporate Indigenous knowledge into our curriculum,” said Maureen Adamson, Fleming College President. “Fleming College is honoured to partner with Kenjgewin Teg and support the principles of Truth and Reconciliation that will create positive change in healthcare.”

Kenjgewin Teg will act as the service provider to offer Fleming’s Practical Nursing program, tentatively scheduled to start in Spring 2021. Theory curriculum will be delivered virtually, while clinical learning will be on-site at other key local partner locations including the Manitoulin Health Centre, St. Joseph’s General Hospital Elliot Lake, Mnaamodzawin Health Services Inc. and Noojmowin Teg Health Centre.

“Going forward, our local Mnidoo Mnising and surrounding communities will continue to see more opportunities in health and wellness programs at Kenjgewin Teg as we continue working together with valued partners like Fleming College and other Indigenous institutes who support culturally-relevant training and education hosted closer to home,” said Stephanie Roy, President of Kenjgewin Teg.

“Manitoulin Health Centre is excited to support a locally grown Practical Nursing program,” said Paula Fields, Vice President Clinical Services & Chief Nursing Officer at the Manitoulin Health Centre. “Recently, due to COVID-19 and additional opportunities for nurses, we have found a shortage of local nursing staff. It is beneficial to offer a program locally as graduates will have ties to the Island and be aware of the unique diversity of the patients that we serve, resulting in positive outcomes for patients. It is really a win-win for the students and our Manitoulin Island communities.”

“Especially, and even more so at this time during a global pandemic, this new partnership will allow us to provide ongoing support and help meet the ever-growing needs of not only our local and regional First Nation health sector organizations but will also help Ontario’s health sector too by supporting goals of hiring diversity of both Indigenous people and Indigenous perspectives in healthcare,” said Natasha Abotossaway, Kenjgewin Teg’s Health and Wellness Programs Coordinator.

In 2015, Fleming College signed the Indigenous Education Protocol for Colleges and Institutes Canada. This partnership highlights Fleming’s commitment to underscoring and prioritizing the importance of structures and approaches required to address Indigenous peoples’ learning needs and support self-determination and socio-economic development of Indigenous communities.

Kenjgewin Teg is one of seven members of the Indigenous Institutes Consortium in Ontario recognized under the Indigenous Institutes Act, 2017. Kenjgewin Teg is dedicated to lifelong learning by providing an Anishinabewin community-based approach to education, training and business support services and opportunities.

Maureen Adamson, President of Fleming College and Stephanie Roy, President of Kenjgewin Teg are both pleased to see a new agreement officially come into effect. Additional team members who were instrumental in bringing this to fruition from Kenjgewin Teg include Beverley Roy, Director of Quality Assurance, Natasha Abotossaway, Health and Wellness Coordinator, and Elder Josh Eshkawkogan; and the team members from Fleming College are Elder Shirley Williams, Elizabeth Stone, Academic Chair of Indigenous Studies at Fleming College, Nick Stone, Chair of Fleming School of Health & Wellness, and Molly Westland, Dean of Fleming School of Health & Wellness.

About Fleming College
Fleming College respectfully acknowledges that we are situated on Michi Saagiig Anishinaabeg lands and territory. Located in the heart of Central Ontario, Fleming College has campus locations in Peterborough, Lindsay, Cobourg and Haliburton. Named for famous Canadian inventor and engineer Sir Sandford Fleming, the college features more than 100 full-time programs in Arts and Heritage, Business, Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences, General Arts and Sciences, Health and Wellness, Justice and Community Development, Skilled Trades and Technology, and Continuing Education. Fleming College has more than 6,800 full-time and 10,000 part-time students, and 75,000 alumni.

Web: flemingcollege.ca

Facebook: facebook.com/flemingcollege
Twitter & Instagram: @FlemingCollege

About Kenjgewin Teg

Kenjgewin Teg is located on Mnidoo Mnising (Manitoulin Island, ON) and is one of seven members of the Indigenous Institutes Consortium in Ontario recognized under the Indigenous Institutes Act, 2017. Kenjgewin Teg is dedicated to lifelong learning by providing an Anishinabewin community-based approach to education, training and business support services and opportunities.

For more information, please contact:
Amar Shah
Communications Officer, Fleming College
amar.shah@flemingcollege.ca

705.749.5530 x 1370

Beverley Roy
Director of Quality Assurance, Kenjgewin Teg
beverleyroy@kenjgewinteg.ca