STEM OUTREACH FOR INDIGENOUS YOUTH – LESSONS LEARNED IN OVER A DECADE OF PROGRAMMING

Abstract

With over a decade of conducting outreach programs for Indigenous youth, the Waterloo Engineering Outreach (WEO) office has gained insight and understanding through a reflective and analytical lens. We outline mistakes and lessons that we’ve learned over the years so others can benefit from our work. This includes the importance of community relationships, delivery and leadership styles, and balancing Western and Indigenous worldviews. The goal of sharing our practices is threefold: provide resources to any group planning to start their own outreach program, offer insight to Western educators to better support Indigenous youth pursuing science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), and highlight the necessity of cultural inclusivity and a communal approach in STEM education.