Indigenous youth are ready to learn as national program heads to southern Alberta for the first time
For the first time in its 24 year history, the Outland Youth Employment Program, or OYEP, has made its way to Lethbridge and southern Alberta.
OYEP is a six-week work experience and post-secondary exploration camp for Indigenous youth between the ages of 16 and 18.
"It's very exciting for us to be involved for the first time, for them to both come to the university and the college and that we can collaborate that way," said Brittany Lee, Lethbridge College’s advisor and recruiter for Indigenous services.
27 Indigenous youth from Treaty Seven and across central and southern Alberta are taking part.
The program has the learners, or rangers, heading out to try different types of jobs like trail building, tree planting and more.
Lethbridge College had environmental science activities set up today like assembling skeletons, dissecting grasshoppers and learning about local wildlife.
27 indigenous youth from Treaty Seven and across central and southern Alberta are taking part.
The college says programs like these for Indigenous youth are key.
"I think that's really important for them to be able to see the opportunities they have and the support they have at each of the college and university and that there's people out there that want to see them succeed," Lee told CTV News.
It's a great opportunity for the rangers to not only make new friends and relationships but also gain experience as they approach high school graduation.
"The experience I've gotten and the knowledge I’ve received is amazing," said first-time ranger, Rosen Re Cardinal.
"I've loved learning about tree planting and all that because that was actually really fun. I got my safety from here as well and I was really happy about that."
"I think it's really important, especially as someone who came from the very start at the bottom, it helped me a lot," added Ricki Starr, an ex-ranger and crew leader in training.
"Like it helped me with my leadership skills and who I want to be as a person."
Many of the crew leaders started out as rangers and are now doing their part to give back to the program.
"I knew from the first year that I really wanted to be a crew leader," added Starr.
"So now I've been working my way up from first year to second year to CIT for two years and then hopefully next year crew leader."
There's one more day of activities here in Lethbridge before they head off to their next stop.
To learn more about the Outdoor Youth Employment Program, you can visit their website.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
CFL suspends Argos QB Chad Kelly at least nine games following investigation
The CFL suspended Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly for at least nine regular-season games Tuesday following its investigation into a lawsuit filed by a former strength-and-conditioning coach against both the player and club.