National Indigenous History Month: How the Fishing Lake Métis Settlement is Empowering Indigenous youth in partnership with Right To Play & Rogers

This National Indigenous History Month, we’re uplifting Indigenous peoples and providing opportunities for Indigenous culture to be celebrated. 

As a Rogers community, we come together during the month of June to celebrate and reflect on the wonderful heritage of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples during National Indigenous History Month. As a company, we recognize we are on a journey of reconciliation that surpasses just this month and are committed to working towards building a more inclusive workplace for the Indigenous community, our Indigenous team members and allies.   

Supporting youth of Indigenous heritage is a vital step in helping ensure that Indigenous history is never forgotten. Located in treaty six territory in the Lakeland area of northeast Alberta, Fishing Lake Métis Settlement is home to a Métis community of approximately 675 people.  One of eight Metis Settlements located in Alberta, the Fishing Lake Metis Settlement has a rich history and culture, and through a number of different partnerships and grant programs, works to support Metis youth and provides youth programming in community year-round to teach youth about their history and culture.   

A partner of the Fishing Lake Metis Settlement since 2019, Right to Play is a nonprofit organization that provides programming to empower equity deserving children through play. The goal of the Youth Leadership Program  is to increase the sense of agency in Indigenous youth, empowering them to participate meaningfully in the decisions affecting themselves and their communities.

Since 2008, Rogers has been a proud supporter of Right To Play. It’s through our strong partnerships with organizations like Right To Play that we can continue to support Indigenous youth to learn about their history, maintain stories of their past, and gain new skills.  

Through the Ted Rogers Community Grant Program, we have funded Youth Leadership initiatives in B.C, Alberta and Ontario over the past five years through the Promoting Life-Skills In Aboriginal Youth Program, helping to reach hundreds of Indigenous Children and Youth weekly through play-based learning. These funds directly support the Canadian Indigenous community directly by contributing to in person regular training for youth support workers and Youth-led activities engaging all levels of community.  

Visit here to learn more about Right to Play’s Indigenous Programs and to make a donation today.