It goes without saying that education plays an important role in helping prepare youth for the future. But, according to StatsCan, in 2021, only 53% of youth from the Indigenous community were able to attend some sort of post-secondary institution.
Students from the Indigenous community can often face unique challenges and systemic barriers when it comes to pursuing post-secondary education — such as pressures to prove their identity and achieve a minimum GPA, or stresses related to financial burdens and leaving their community to attend school.
With this in mind, TD Bank Group (TD) launched the TD Scholarship for Indigenous Peoples – a scholarship program with the goal of providing more students from Indigenous communities with the financial freedom and stability to explore and benefit from post-secondary education.
The scholarship program was created with the support of AFOA Canada, a not-for-profit organization led by Indigenous Peoples, and has 25 scholarships available to be awarded annually, each worth up to $60k over four years, to fund students’ education and living expenses.
Scholarship recipients will also receive summer internship opportunities with TD, allowing them to gain valuable work experience aligned with their career goals, as well as build their mentoring network.
TD recognizes the importance of bringing people, communities, and cultures together, as well as the work that needs to be done as part of society’s collective journey toward Truth and Reconciliation. With a long-standing commitment to diversity and inclusion, TD is committed to helping support community initiatives that promote a connection to the land, enhance education, and foster a sense of belonging.
“Education plays a huge role in preparing youth for their future in terms of career aspirations and personal and professional development,” says Joshua Cayer, Diversity Sourcing Partner – Indigenous Peoples, Diversity & Inclusion at TD Bank Group.
“As part of the Bank’s commitment to the Truth and Reconciliation Call to Action #92 for Corporate Canada, this scholarship program was built specifically to help address the issue of equitable access to education for students from Indigenous communities. We’re incredibly proud to launch this program and excited to see how this can make a difference for youth from the Indigenous community.”
Scholarships are available for members/citizens of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities. Applicants must be permanent residents of Canada who have applied for, or are currently enrolled in, a full-time, minimum two-year program with an approved post-secondary institution in Canada.
Applications are open now and must be submitted by 5 pm EST (2 pm PST) on January 16, 2023. For more information about the program, or to start your application, click here.
Source: news.google.com
