Presenters : Jo Anni Joncas, Diane Labelle, Jessie Lepage, Tanu Lusignan, Jean-Pierre Mercier, Julie  Rock 

 - Researchers 

Institution : Université de Sherbrooke 

Vocational training as part of a decolonial approach supports the self-determination of Indigenous peoples. This communication, based on the results of research conducted in collaboration with the First Nations Adult Education School Council (FNAESC), will explain how the approach of relocating vocational training to Aboriginal communities promotes their self-determination. The results of the research project by Jo Anni Joncas and her collaborators reveal the importance of partnership between vocational training centres and Indigenous communities in the design of vocational training programs. In fact, the success of these programs can only be guaranteed if they meet the needs expressed by the Indigenous communities for whom they are intended. The results of Jessie Lepage’s master’s research on this subject show how community-based professional training can empower Indigenous people. Jean-Pierre Mercier and Jo Anni Joncas’ research focuses on the new opportunities that vocational training offers Indigenous adults and their communities. Finally, Julie Rock’s doctoral thesis sheds light on the importance of integrating the language and culture of Indigenous communities into vocational training to strengthen their self-determination.