A study showed students involved in a local aboriginal youth program perceived themselves to do better in school and had greater self-esteem.
Researchers from the study, called Helping Build an Extended Family, announced their findings at École Gron Morgan Public School on Thursday. The study showed 85 per cent of First Nations students saw themselves doing better in school and had greater self-esteem when involved with the Urban Aboriginal Strategy: Neighbourhood Capacity Building Project.
The study researched the four elementary schools that offered UAS/NCBP, which were École Gron Morgan, Sherbrooke, McKeller Park and Algonquin. The study looked to see if UAS/NCBP made an impact on student success. About 10 students at each school participated in the research study. The $8,000 study was funded by Lakehead Public Schools.
Tammy Bobyk, executive director for Shkoday Abinojiiwak Obimiwedoon, said the high level of academic self-concept meant more First Nation students appreciated, liked and acknowledged the importance of doing well in school.
"When you think of the impact that has we would correlate that to the success of the Neighbourhood Capacity Building Project," Bobyk said. "While we were trying to prove that NCBP had an effect on student academic achievement that was something difficult to prove because there are many other variables that contribute to that."
Another part of the research showed that parents became more involved in their child’s schooling when involved with the UAS/NCBP. Bobyk said before the project began, few parents would come out to parent/teacher interviews or community events. She said parents could relate to the youth outreach workers who worked with their children everyday.
Nathaniel Moses, a youth outreach worker with the Neighbourhood Capacity Building Project, said students looked up to him as a role model and team leader.
In the past nine years, Moses worked with students in recreational activities and provided a familiar face while working at École Gron Morgan.
He said parent involvement in student success continued to be important.
‘It goes far when both teams are on the same side," Moses said. "With our program and anyone that assists us students will go far once they see our role."
Carolyn Carlson, principal at École Gron Morgan Public School, said the two youth outreach workers helped to engage children in the school and encouraged them to work harder.
"It’s a wonderful program that I’m sure École Gron Morgan could not do without," Carlson said.
Sherri-Lynne Pharand, superintendent of education with Lakehead Public Schools, said teachers had talked already about the success of the program but the study helped to solidify that claim with hard facts. She said the study would help to give other schools the opportunity to have the program.
"Student success is important to us," Pharand said. "Students need different things and one of the most important thing they need is self-esteem. They need to feel valued and feel good about themselves because when they do that it well translate to working hard in school and academics and being successful."
