Executive Summary
Through funding received from the Ontario Council on Articulation and Transfer (ONCAT), this report outlines research and recommendations for pathways that reflect Indigenous entrepreneurship Vocational Learning Outcomes (VLO).
In collaboration with Mohawk College, Algonquin College as the lead institution researched and analyzed outcomes from more than a 100 Ontario post-secondary programs in order to propose new Indigenous outcomes that support and connect with entrepreneurship programming. Ontario institutions such as Algonquin and Mohawk Colleges can in turn use this information to support further enhancement of their respective entrepreneurship programs that also aim to target a growing Indigenous learner population.
The benefits of entrepreneurship are well documented as determining factors of economic vitality at all levels of society. Developing pathways that combine both Indigenous and traditional entrepreneurship outcomes gives learners the essential skills and independence they need to start new and innovative business ventures that support sustainability within their communities. Moreover, offering learners the opportunity to achieve Indigenous learning outcomes can be an extension of traditional practices that can help strengthen self-identity and culture.
Designed in three phases, the project methodology focused on a content analysis of approved VLOs and ministry-approved program content: 1) a review of the literature and environmental scan, 2) an evaluation for reciprocal pathways, and, 3) development of Indigenous entrepreneurship outcomes. Content analysis methods provided the participants valuable opportunities to analyze and validate relevant outcomes.
The program comparison and analysis revealed a variety of differences between Ontario credentials and their related outcome sets. Most programs had content specific to traditional business, entrepreneurship or Indigenous cultural studies. None had specific outcomes related to Indigenous entrepreneurship. The project provided an opportunity to propose outcomes that reflect Indigenous entrepreneurship and that would be distinct from traditional entrepreneurship found in the business programs reviewed. These outcomes would have the potential to inform the development of a bridging program between credentials.
The model used to Indigenize entrepreneurship outcomes was the medicine wheel. As part of Indigenous cultures across the centuries, the circle shape of the medicine wheel represents the interconnectivity of all aspects of one’s being, including the connection with the natural world. The medicine wheel provided a foundation from which to Indigenize traditional entrepreneurship outcomes. Overarching outcomes that align with the four directions that are distinct from traditional entrepreneurship were developed. Going forward, these outcomes can inform a bridging program reflecting Indigenous entrepreneurship.
It was apparent that understandings about Indigenous entrepreneurship pathways are diverse and complex. The vision that this project was aiming for simply had not been realized in the Ontario post-secondary system. Modifications of the project scope allowed for additional reflection and analysis that was required to better understand the complexities. Ultimately, the deliverables produced in this project offered a deeper understanding and practical information required in order to advance Indigenous programming and pathways that support learner mobility in Ontario.