Presenter : Josée Lapalme 

 - Researcher 

Institution : University of Montreal and New Pathways Foundation

The New Pathways Foundation’s Indigenization Social Innovation Laboratory has partnered with Kiuna College to implement a participatory budgeting approach with and for students. The objective was to provide an opportunity for young First Peoples to express their needs and aspirations to obtain a budget and support for the deployment of projects serving their community. They had to decide how the participatory budget would be deployed in the community and submit projects through a vote. The presentation will show how the implementation of the participatory budget enabled young people’s voices to be heard and supported in the submission of eight projects and the deployment of two of them, including an intergenerational project and a commemoration project. We will also talk about the effects of these projects in their study environment. Finally, we’ll discuss the challenges and benefits of this practice for young people, in terms of commitment, skills development and self-confidence.