Reimagining skills training

There is a significant skill gap in the Indigenous housing system in Canada. While skills training programs do exist for First Nations housing managers, administrators and other planners, their use is low. This forces First Nations to rely on external experts and labour for things like design, management and governance.

The Reimagining Skills Training Solutions Lab will address this skill gap by identifying where current training systems fall short. It will then design Indigenous skills training that is effective and appropriate for First Nations communities. This prototype will be an important step towards promoting Indigenous housing innovation and changing housing outcomes for First Nations people.

Project scope and expected outcomes

Creating long-term sustainability

It is important that housing outcomes for Indigenous peoples in Canada are improved. Creating long-term sustainability, however, means that Indigenous peoples must have autonomy and control over their housing. This requires many different skills, but some are currently lacking among First Nations, even though training exists. This forces communities to rely on external consultants and labour, which can be expensive or unavailable.

Reconsidering skills training

The Reimagining Skills Training Solutions Lab will reconsider skills training in housing systems for First Nations communities. Ontario First Nations Technical Service Corporation (OFNTSC) will work with communities and partners over the Lab’s 5 phases:

• The Definition Phase involves Indigenous research methods and participatory action research. These will ensure that community understanding and need are at the centre of the process.
• The Discovery Phase includes target interviews and a literature review on different models of skills training in Ontario and Canada. These will expand understanding of existing training programs. A survey will be developed to expand the questions and data collection to all First Nations in Ontario.
• The Development Phase will use micro-labs to bring together stakeholders to create new programs, interventions and best practices for training. Macro-labs will work to develop consensus around a range of new ideas that can be developed in the next phase.
• The Prototype Phase involves several micro-labs that develop ideas from the previous phase into new or revised skills training programmes.
• The Roadmap Phase will see the lessons learned from the previous phases turned into a series of recommendations. These will be intended for policy-makers, service providers, governments and agencies, and Indigenous organizations.

Innovative, community-based solutions

The Lab also will produce a collection of products for different audiences. Summary reports, lab newsletters and a database about Indigenous skills training in Ontario will all be created and shared. The roadmap will also include an overview of the process and methodology that other groups can adapt and use. Together, they will share what has been learned about creating innovative, community-based solutions for First Nations in Ontario.