Media.Knet.Ca

Get your GED - Upgrading

Offered at Oshki-Pimache-O-Win Education and Training Institute in Thunder Bay. 

Commencing February 12th and ends May 11th.  March Break, Good Friday and Easter Monday no classes.  Monday to Friday from 10am to 4pm daily.

Apply within.  For any questions, please call 807-626-1880 or toll free at 1-866-636-7454

Would you like to continue with your education?  Would you like to do so without having to move away from home?  If so, Oshki-Pimache-O-Win Education & Training Institute might be the answer for you!

At Oshki-Pimache-O-Win we recognize that our students are often employed full time or reside in Northern communities.  Our special delivery methods allow students to remain employed and reside in their home community for the majority of their program.  We offer the following programs through a modular/distance education format:

• First Nation Business Administration Certificate (September intake)
• Aboriginal Community Services Worker Diploma (September intake)
• Native Early Childhood Education Diploma (September intake)
• Anishinabe Recreation Leadership Certificate/Diploma (September intake)
• Basic Radiography Worker Certificate (September intake)
• Indigenous Wellness & Addictions Prevention Worker Diploma (September intake)

The application deadline for September programs is April 15, 2007

All of these programs are delivered in partnership with an Ontario college.  This means that you will receive a level of education that is equivalent to, and even exceeds that found in mainstream schools and you will graduate with a college diploma or certificate!  Our staff and instructors have a passion for working with and teaching First Nations students.  You will not get lost in the crowd!

To learn more about our programs and their admission requirements please contact our Student Recruitment Officer, Loretta Sheshequin, toll free at 1-866-636-7454 or by email at lsheshequin@oshki.ca .

Oshki-Pimache-O-Win Education & Training Institute
106 Centennial Square, 3rd Floor
Thunder Bay, Ontario  P7E 1H3
Phone: (807) 626-1880
Toll Free: 1-866-636-7454
Fax: (807) 622-1818
E-mail: info@oshki.ca
Website: www.oshki.ca

Last week, Robert Munsch video conferenced from his hometown of Guelph with First Nation young students from four First Nations gathering together at the Eel Ground First Nation school. The entertaining one hour session is available online on the K-Net streaming server. Click here to watch this entertaining presentation by Mr. Munsch.

ABC Canada (www.abc-canada.org) press release:

Children's author Robert Munsch and families get ready to celebrate ABC CANADA Family Literacy Day, January 27

TORONTO, Jan. 19 - Robert Munsch, renowned Canadian children's writer and this country's best-selling author, joins families across Canada next week in celebrating ABC CANADA Family Literacy Day(R), January 27. Family Literacy Day, now in its ninth year, is the national initiative created by ABC CANADA Literacy Foundation and made possible by Founding Sponsor Honda Canada Inc. It celebrates families reading and learning together on a regular basis, engaging in numerous activities that help boost literacy skills in a fun way, including making up stories, singing songs, playing word games and puzzles, and measuring out ingredients for a recipe.

Robert Munsch, Honorary Chair of Family Literacy Day, will appear at a number of media and public events. "We're so pleased to continue to have Mr. Munsch's support in raising awareness of the importance of regular family literacy activities," says Margaret Eaton, ABC CANADA President. "He's a wonderful ambassador for creative and fun learning." Munsch will lead public-school children in Toronto in a storytelling time on January 23, and will appear for a public reading at the Port Moody Public Library in British Columbia on January 27.

Kids share ideas and read along with Robert Munsch
New this year, Munsch will be interacting with children and families across the country through two Corus Entertainment websites. In the weeks leading up to January 27, kids can post on the message board on www.ytv.com their own ideas for stories. Mr. Munsch has been reading their story ideas and will post his comments on the site on Family Literacy Day. Also, parents can submit audio clips of their children reading Mr. Munsch's story Mortimer on the www.treehousetv.com website. On January 27, the site will post a special compilation of kids reading the story, along with Mr. Munsch.

As a fitting end to a busy week of activities, Mr. Munsch will visit the home of the Blackley family in Port Moody, BC, where he will enjoy a Family Literacy Day party put on by the family and also attended by neighbouring parents and children. The Blackley's won the visit from Mr. Munsch in the national Munsch at Home contest, where families across the country who submitted descriptions of what they were doing for Family Literacy Day could win a visit from the author. "I really enjoy being a part of Family Literacy Day," says Munsch. "It's a natural with what I do, and this is an issue that makes such a dramatic difference in a person's life."

Hundreds upon hundreds of events across the country
While Robert Munsch is ABC CANADA's ambassador for Family Literacy Day, a legion of people in libraries, schools, literacy organizations and, of course, families participate in parties celebrating the day. Throughout the week leading up to January 27, these events are as wide-ranging as the imagination.

Consider these events:

- A roster of guests at the Regina Family Literacy Network, including Premier Lorne Calvert, Deputy Police Chief Troy Hagen and Saskatchewan Roughrider Matt Dominguez, will be reading children's stories throughout the day, and a city-wide 'Read-in' encourages people to register and read with a child between 1:30 and 1:45 on the afternoon of Saturday, January 27;

- The Dollard-des-Ormeaux Public Library on the west island, Montreal, is hosting separate English and French screenings of films from the National Film Board's Talespinners series, targeted to children age 4 to 8;

- Vancouver-based Literacy BC will host, at the Vancouver Public Library, its annual week of literacy-focused seminars and events leading up to the day, when there will be an afternoon of literacy activities for children age 5 to 12 featuring writers Bob Heidbreder and Melanie Jackson;

- Port Hope Public Library in Ontario will have the Victorian Operetta Society, cast of next spring's production of Into the Woods, read fairy tales, and will promote a collection of hockey books by having a pick-up hockey game in their parking lot with members of the Predators hockey team;

- Toronto Public Library features a number of storytelling and book-reading events in its many branches;

- Aboriginal storytelling in the Cree language for Inuit and Metis families and children at the Minwaashin Lodge in Ottawa includes activities such as families painting T-shirts with native images; and

- Wolfville Memorial Library in Nova Scotia is holding its 4th annual Library Sleepover for families with children age 6 to 11.

"We encourage all families to read and learn together," says Eaton. "The 15 minutes or so that you take each day to read go a long way to preparing your child for the challenges ahead, and for a lifetime of reading enjoyment."

Fundamental to ABC CANADA Family Literacy Day's success is the financial contribution made by its Founding Sponsor, Honda Canada Inc.

ABC CANADA also acknowledges the generosity of numerous corporate and media supporters enabling, among other things, the distribution of materials and public service announcements that bring literacy and learning messages to millions of Canadian families.

For information on FLD events in your area - Check with your local library, school or literacy organization. There are also a number of events posted at www.abc-canada.org/fld.

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ABC CANADA Literacy Foundation is the national charity committed to promoting family, adult and workplace literacy to the general public and to the private sector. ABC CANADA's focus is on public awareness programs, providing promotional support to local literacy groups, and conducting research to further the development of a fully literate Canadian population. For more information, visit www.abc-canada.org.

For further information: Media, please contact: Jim Pollock, Director of Communications, ABC CANADA Literacy Foundation: (416) 218-0010, ext. 126, or 1-800-303-1004, ext. 126, cell: (416) 524-8267, jpollock@abc-canada.org.

Ontario government press release ...

McGuinty Government To Make Major Investment In Youth Entrepreneurship

TORONTO, Jan. 19 - The Government of Ontario is providing over $1.5 million through the Youth Entrepreneurship Partnerships initiative to foster a culture of entrepreneurship amongst Ontario's youth, Minister of Small Business and Entrepreneurship Harinder S. Takhar announced today.

"Youth Entrepreneurship Partnerships provides Ontario's young people with opportunities to develop the critical business and life skills that are so important to their future," said Takhar. "It's important that our young people learn these skills early in life, so they will be ready to lead our businesses on the world stage and drive Ontario's economy forward for years to come."

Youth Entrepreneurship Partnerships provides grants to non-profit organizations for programs that promote the development of entrepreneurial skills in youths. Fourteen projects representing $1,597,000 in funding have been selected in the second round of proposals.

This second round of Youth Entrepreneurship Partnerships represents the largest amount of grant funding provided to non-profit organizations. In June 2006, $673,000 was awarded to six successful associations in the first round of the Partnership project.

"It's a goal of our government to support the skilled young people of Ontario by providing them with opportunities to learn, grow and succeed," Takhar said. "An investment in our youth is an investment in an even better Ontario for the future."

For more information on the Ministry of Small Business and Entrepreneurship's Youth Entrepreneurship Partnerships and other youth programs, visit: http://www.sbe.gov.on.ca/ontcan/sbe/en/youth_main_en.jsp

Since 2003, investments in infrastructure, postsecondary education, research and innovation and key economic sectors have helped strengthen Ontario's economic foundations and continue to build opportunity.

www.sbe.gov.on.ca

Backgrounder
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MCGUINTY GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCES FUNDING TO SUPPORT YOUTH ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Youth Entrepreneurship Partnerships provides grants to non-profit organizations to run programs promoting the development of entrepreneurial skills in young people.

The primary goal of Youth Entrepreneurship Partnerships is to influence the way Ontario youth think about entrepreneurship by:

• introducing enterprising principles to youth in school and in their early career
• creating excitement about entrepreneurship in all industry sectors - building a team of informal entrepreneurship ambassadors.

Through collaboration with key stakeholders and influencers including educators, community organizations, parents and private sector partners, programs will connect with diverse youth groups across Ontario.

Fourteen projects representing $1,597,000 in funding were announced on January 19, 2007, as the successful candidates of the second round. They are:

- East Central Ontario Training Board: Will receive funding over a three-year period to fund its "Community of Entrepreneurs" initiative. This project is a community-wide effort in support of rural and remote youth and students in Trans Hills, Havelock-Norwood and the North Kawartha region. It will provide young people with a range of entrepreneurial activities and resources, including camps, support services, and resource material.

- Heritage Skills Development Centre: MSBE will fund the centre to support its African-Canadian Youth Entrepreneurship project. Through educational and development opportunities, the project will facilitate the development of an enterprising culture among 150 marginalized African-Canadian youth in Scarborough.

- Enterprise Centre Sault Ste. Marie: MSBE will support the Entreprise Centre's production of Youth Initiatives DVD and Youth Network. The promotional DVD and web content will highlight programs and services related to youth entrepreneurship.

- The Learning Partnership: Will be provided funding over a three-year term to support the Province-wide expansion of the Entrepreneurial Adventure Program. This initiative aims to expand the existing program by developing a bilingual Entrepreneurial Adventure resource kit.

- Community Opportunity and Innovation Network Inc. (COIN): MSBE will grant funds over a three-year span in support of Peterborough's Rural Youth Entrepreneurship Program. The program will deliver COIN's Team Entrepreneurship training curriculum to 30 young people per year, assist with business plan development and provide support to post-secondary students to help create businesses.

- Youth in Motion: MSBE will support Youth in Motion to aid in the launch of its Freedom, Flexibility and Financial Rewards:
Entrepreneurship Has It All program. Youth in Motion will host two, one-day interactive learning courses in Toronto for 500 grades 7-10 students and 100 at-risk youth to promote entrepreneurship.

- Employment & Resource Services of Georgian Bay Area: MSBE will fund Employment & Resource Services of Georgian Bay Area over three-years to support its Tracks to Business program. This program will engage rural youth in the Collingwood area by exploring entrepreneurial concepts and helping to grow their own businesses through the creation of a "storefront" operation.

- Impact: The group was funded to aid the launch of its Impact Leadership Conference. The conference will be held in Toronto on November 17, 18 and 19. Three hundred students from across Ontario are expected to attend.

- Nbisiing Secondary School: MSBE will support the Nbisiing Secondary School "Company" Program. The program will facilitate the development of an enterprising spirit among Aboriginal youth in Nipissing and the surrounding Aboriginal communities by giving them a series of educational and entrepreneurial opportunities involving elders. The program will be offered in both the English and Ojibwe languages.

- The Business Centre - Nipissing Parry Sound: MSBE will provide the centre with a grant, spread out over a three-year span, to support its Business Centre in a Box initiative. The initiative will include a comprehensive toolkit, DVD, lesson plans and an interactive website to encourage youth to pursue entrepreneurship as a career. It will be distributed to grade 12 secondary school business class teachers in the Nipissing and Parry Sound area.

- Centre des jeunes francophones de Toronto: MSBE will grant funding over three years to support Ouvrir les portes de l'entrepreneuriat aux minorites ethnoculturelles. Through workshops, seminars and mentoring in the Greater Toronto Area, this French-language program will assist racial minority and ethnocultural francophone youths in the business planning process.

- Junior Achievement of Central Ontario: Will receive support for the expansion of the JA Titan project. This project develops students' entrepreneurial and leadership skills through interactive learning opportunities and web-based simulations. Students will work in teams to compete as companies in a fictitious market. In the first year of operation more than 100 JA Titan projects were launched in high schools across Ontario.

- Conseil de la Cooperation de l'Ontario: MSBE will fund the Conseil de la Cooperation de l'Ontario over three years to support the Jeunes Ambassadeurs Cooperatives. This French language program targets post-secondary youth, ages 18-29, across the province and encourages them to start their own cooperatives through a three-staged approach.

- Le Cle d'la Baie: MSBE will provide funding over a two-year period to aid the Programme partenariat jeunesse. This program will prepare rural francophone youths in Simcoe County for careers as entrepreneurs through workshops, training and mentoring sessions. The program will also help young Ontarians launch their own businesses under the guidance of their mentors.

Non-profit organizations interested in learning more about the Youth Entrepreneurship Partnerships initiative should visit the website at: http://www.sbe.gov.on.ca/ontcan/sbe/en/youth_main_en.jsp