Fostering future leaders
Indspire
Indspire is a national charity that invests in the education of Indigenous people for the long-term benefit of these individuals, their families and communities, and Canada. Their Building Brighter Futures: Bursaries and Scholarships program provides funding to eligible First Nations, Inuit and Métis students who are attending post-secondary institutions across Canada.
The NWMO is funding a series of post-secondary scholarships designed to help reduce barriers to education and support Indigenous youth as they pursue their academic and career goals. Several of the awards focus on supporting students from Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation and Treaty 3. They have been named in honour of respected Indigenous Elders and leaders from Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation in northwestern Ontario and Peguis First Nation in Manitoba who made lasting contributions to their communities and the NWMO’s learning journey. These awards include:
- Elder Dorothy Parenteau Memorial Scholarship
- Chief Esther Pitchenese Memorial Scholarship
- Elder Paul Watts Memorial Scholarship
- Elder Gordon Williams Memorial Scholarship
- Empowering Future Generations Scholarship
For the NWMO, investing in Indigenous youth is a key element of our broader corporate citizenship and Reconciliation efforts.
Outland Youth Employment Program
The Outland Youth Employment Program (OYEP) is a national network of education, training and work opportunities for high school-aged Indigenous youth. This six-week work-integrated learning experience provides training and education in a supportive space that replicates various natural resource work environments.
As part of OYEP, youth build practical skills in trades, construction, forestry, energy and environmental science while also receiving traditional teachings about land, stewardship and community. This experience brings together two ways of learning and understanding the world: Indigenous Knowledge and western science.
The NWMO has partnered with OYEP to provide funding to support bringing the program back to the Ignace area in northwestern Ontario. Through this partnership, we have provided learning opportunities such as tours and events aimed at helping youth understand new career pathways.
Science North
Science North has a mandate to deliver high-quality, interactive and hands-on science programs for students from kindergarten to Grade 8. Science North’s educational programs correspond with the Ontario science and technology curriculum strands and topics. Programs are selected in collaboration with each school according to their specific interests and needs. Each program includes pre- and post-workshop activities for the teacher to use in the classroom to prepare for the workshop and supplement the learning derived from it.
The NWMO provides funding to support the delivery of Science North’s outreach programs to Indigenous and non-Indigenous elementary schools in several northern Ontario communities. Through our partnership, Science North has delivered programming to over 50,000 students since 2012 and sent out 5,000 STEM kits for students to use at home during the pandemic.
Scientists in School
Scientists in School is a leading science education charity dedicated to sparking children’s interest in science, technology, engineering, environmental stewardship and mathematics through hands-on discovery. Scientists in School programs are award-winning, inquiry-based workshops for kindergarten through Grade 8 students. These child-centred workshops bring together creative, curriculum-aligned content, trained presenters and specialized materials and equipment that are often lacking in schools.
The NWMO provides funding to support Scientists in School programming in Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick. Through our partnership, over 2,000 workshops have been delivered to 49,000 young scientists.
Shad
The Shad program is an intensive one-month development program for high-achieving secondary school students with strong academic records. The four-week program, held every July, exposes students to topics of study related to science, engineering, mathematics, technology, business, entrepreneurship and innovation. In addition to sponsoring the program, the NWMO also holds interactive presentations with Shad students about Canada’s plan for used nuclear fuel.
The NWMO has provided bursaries to top science and technology students from Saskatchewan, Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick to participate in Shad’s summer educational program. Since our partnership began in 2015, we have reached over 6,000 students through this program.
