Strengthening engagement in learning for remote Indigenous communities

Bullfrog Power honours and acknowledges the truth of Canada’s dark history and ongoing legacy of colonization and its lasting impacts

We recognize our duty as settlers on this land, to listen and learn from Indigenous voices. With these learnings, along with the findings of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), our team strives to empower Indigenous communities across Canada through our community-based renewable energy projects and now through our support of TakingITGlobal’s Connected North program.

TakingITGlobal’s mission is to empower young people to understand and act on local and global challenges

Their aim is to foster creative confidence, intercultural understanding, and social entrepreneurship in millions of young people. Connected North, one of their key programs, provides live, interactive virtual learning experiences and access to educational resources for students and teachers in remote communities. Through the program, resources are customized to be relevant to the unique cultures, local contexts, and priorities of each school. The program currently operates in over 190 schools (both on-and-off reserve), serving over 32,000 Kindergarten-Grade 12 students and more than 1,100 teachers.

Bullfrog Power has partnered with TakingITGlobal to help fund the Connected North program

Bullfrog’s levers for change are within the energy industry, the number one source of polluting greenhouse gas emissions.¹ Transitioning Canada’s energy systems to renewable energy requires a full transformation. This means new energy sources, new infrastructure, and new skills in our workforce.² One of the main pillars of a just energy transition is ensuring equity.³ Equity is about giving people what they need to achieve the same outcome, recognizing that everyone starts from different places, and has different requirements.

To feel the importance of equity, imagine you’re thirteen years old and it’s your first day of school. The teacher starts off the year by explaining the syllabus, which calculator you’ll need, what textbook to buy, and some tips for doing well in the course. You sat down in the front row, hearing and seeing everything. Your classmate with poor eyesight, who didn’t have her glasses, sat in the back row. Your other classmate next to you fell silent and his posture sank, knowing his parents couldn’t afford the newest version of the textbook or the expensive calculator. And so, the figurative race begins...

Equity in mind, a skilled workforce depends on youth entering school and being appropriately supported throughout. Just under two-thirds (63%) of all First Nations youth had completed high school, compared with 91% of the non-Indigenous population.⁴ There are many factors that contribute to this disparity. Among them are the legacy of colonialism, low-income (after-tax) households, living in rural areas, and the impact of intergenerational trauma.⁵ There is a tremendous amount of listening, acknowledgement, healing, and policy change that needs to work together for this disparity to narrow.

As reported by the TRC, the absence of culturally relevant curricula and inadequate funding has immensely impacted the education success of First Nations youth, particularly those living on reserve.⁶

By offering new resources and experiences through live, interactive, and state-of-the-art technology, Connected North is eliminating barriers for students and teachers in remote communities. One of the main barriers is the cost of commuting long distances.⁷ They work to ensure equity of access to the opportunities, resources, and experiences that are not locally available.

Some of these learning opportunities include topics such as renewable energy. For example, the “Green Conscience” session with UOttawa Adventures, where students explore how they can minimize their carbon footprint, learn the difference between renewable and non-renewable energies, and how energy can be transformed.

Connected North sessions are tailored to requests shared by the teacher and based on the interests and needs of the students and First Nations, Métis, and Inuit. Role models are involved wherever possible as critical sources of knowledge and inspiration.

The Bullfrog Power and the Connected North communities are grounded in our shared mission to support changemakers for a better future. Remote Indigenous communities across Canada, that have been supported by the wilderness for millennia, are uniquely vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.⁸ With Canada warming twice as fast as the global average, Indigenous territories are braving a rise in extreme weather events like wildfires.⁹ Declining food stocks are a major cause of food insecurity for First Nations, in part caused by environmental pollutants, deforestation, and climate change.¹⁰ When we help youth access culturally-relevant learning experiences, we’re giving them the chance to explore their creativity, heal their trauma, and boost opportunities for success.

Feeling inspired? You can get involved

Connected North is always looking for new content providers, especially First Nations, Inuit or Métis professionals passionate about sharing their knowledge and journey with the students they serve. To learn more and apply to become a content provider, check out their Become a Connected North Content Provider page. If you’re interested in supporting the program and its continued growth to serve students in remote, Indigenous communities, learn more about ways you can help and donate.

If you’d like to learn more about the community-based renewable energy projects supported by Bullfrog Power, you can view our projects history here or contact us by sending an email to customerservice@bullfrogpower.com.

Sources

1. International Energy Agency (IEA). (n.d.). Canada: Emissions. IEA. Retrieved from https://www.iea.org/countries/canada/emissions#how-much-co2-does-canada-emit
2. International Renewable Energy Agency, IRENA (2023): World Energy Transitions Outlook 2023. www.irena.org/Digital-Report/World-Energy-Transitions-Outlook-2023
3. United Nations (UN). (2024). Energy. United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Retrieved from https://sdgs.un.org/topics/energy#description
4. Statistics Canada. (2023). Education indicators in Canada: Report of the Pan-Canadian Education Indicators Program, October 2023. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/81-599-x/81-599-x2023001-eng.html
5. Statistics Canada. (2023). Education indicators in Canada: Report of the Pan-Canadian Education Indicators Program, October 2023. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/81-599-x/81-599-x2023001-eng.htm
6. Statistics Canada. (2023). Education indicators in Canada: Report of the Pan-Canadian Education Indicators Program, October 2023. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/81-599-x/81-599-x2023001-eng.htm
7. Statistics Canada. (2023). Education indicators in Canada: Report of the Pan-Canadian Education Indicators Program, October 2023. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/81-599-x/81-599-x2023001-eng.htm
8. National Collaborating Centre for Indigenous Health. Climate Change and Indigenous Peoples’ Health in Canada. 2022, www.nccih.ca/Publications/Lists/Publications/Attachments/10367/Climate_Change_and_Indigenous_Peoples_Health_EN_Web_2022-03-22.pdf
9. United Nations Environment Programme. (2023). Climate crisis alters their lands: Indigenous peoples turn to courts. Retrieved October 16, 2024, from https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/climate-crisis-alters-their-lands-indigenous-peoples-turn-courts
10. Shafiee, M., Keshavarz, P., Lane, G., Pahwa, P., Szafron, M., Jennings, D., & Vatanparast, H. (2022). Food security status of Indigenous Peoples in Canada according to the 4 pillars of food security: A scoping review. Advances in Nutrition, 13(6), 2537-2558. https://doi.org/10.1093/advances/nmac081