University College of the North (UCN) received four Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning (CEWIL Canada) grants for students in the Early Childhood Education (ECE), Health programs and Faculty of Arts, Business and Science. UCN faculty members in Arts, Business and Science also received a MakeWay Foundation Grant.
The CEWIL grants allowed UCN to support first and second-year students in the ECE diploma program by providing an honorarium for students who engaged in a non-paid practicum. This honorarium reduced financial barriers for students who worked full-time hours in schools with no income. Students in UCN's Health Faculty programs received an honorarium upon successful completion of their program. Supported by the MakeWay Foundation Grant, students in UCN's Faculty of Arts, Business and Science participated in land-based activities, including medicine harvesting. Faculty members received funding support to explore ways to improve food access and food sovereignty.
"UCN is proud to provide experiential learning experiences in many of its' programming," said Helga Bryant, UCN Vice-President Academic & Research. "It allows students to directly apply and practice their learning in a safe and moderated environment. CEWIL's recognition of UCN's efforts to provide practice-based work experiences and their support of UCN's students engaged in such experiences is tremendously appreciated."
CEWIL partners with post-secondary institutions, community members, employers, government, and students to champion work-integrated learning (WIL). WIL is a model and process of experiential education which formally and intentionally integrates a student's academic studies with learning in a workplace or practice setting. WIL experiences normally include an engaged partnership between an academic institution, a host organization/employer, and a student. WIL occurs at the course or program level and includes the development of learning outcomes related to employability, personal agency, and life-long learning.
