b'RIVERS TO SUCCESSTHE NEW MENTORSHIP By Brandon MeawasigeMeeting students where they are in 2023 and beyondI n early 2020, Indspire launchedthat would bring together aAlong with the rest of the world, a pilot year of Rivers to Success,variety of voices to create a hubwe were forced to pause and a mentorship program createdfor Indigenous students to sharereimagine how our programming to support Indigenous students intheir own unique experiencescould be delivered. At the time, their educational journey. Dividedand benefit from those shared bythis was not a major disruption to into three streamshigh school,others just like them.our plans, as Rivers to Success had post-secondary and career transi- a major online component. What tionthe program is designedIn a perfect world, we would facili- it did change was the habits and to address non-financial barrierstate connections online that wouldexpectations of students who had experienced by First Nations,otherwise be unable to happen.their learning drastically changed Inuit and Mtis individuals withinThe executive from Toronto wouldand, in some cases, brought to a their learning environments. Bybe able to connect with the studentcomplete halt. providing events, resources, andfrom Alberta, and the new graduate access to mentorship, the goal offrom Nova Scotia would be ableOnline delivery, a major value-add Rivers to Success is to reduce feel- to attend an online networkingof the program, quickly transitioned ings of isolation and create a senseevent from home. Students fromfrom a luxury to a necessity. It was of belonging for students who arethe same campus could meet eachno longer something that set us other and build study groups orapart; it became the only option. often being asked to participatesocial circles. The program shouldThis brought us to a point of inflec-in institutions and processes thathave been augmented by thistion. What would our program have were not designed for them.on-campus activity and should haveto look like to meet Indigenous In the beginning, we imaginedserved as a helpful resource whilestudents where they are and having a mixture of online andeverything else was on the go.provide a user experience that in-person engagements forThen March 2020 came around,would keep them coming back?program participants. We saw theand COVID-19 entered the chat, asThe search for those answers program as a national resourcethe kids say.has resulted in two-plus years of 54indspiration2022'