F or most Canadians, high school education is a given, and many expect to graduate from high- school and then follow up with further studies. For the country’s Indigenous youth, however, things are not quite so simple. There are unique challenges that stand in their way, be it struggling in a learning envi- ronment that fails to take into account their Indigenous experience or having to uproot themselves from their commu- MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN EDUCATION nities, loved ones, and cultural comfort zone to complete their studies. Despite these obstacles, there are more Indigenous youth today pursuing a higher education than ever before. Out west, for example, British Columbia recently celebrated a record-high gradu- ation rate of 63 per cent for Indigenous students – up from 54 per cent just six years ago. This progress is being made, in part, thanks to an assorted mix of Making a difference A g r o w i n g n u m b e r o f p r o g r a m s a d d r e s s t h e u n i q u e n e e d s o f I n d i g e n o u s y o u t h p u r s u i n g a h i g h e r e d u c a t i o n grants and programs that are making education – in all its diverse forms – more accessible to Indigenous youth. They are changing the future prospects of Indigenous young people all across Canada, often in a very profound and tangible way. The Martin Family Initiative (MFI), estab- lished by The Right Honourable Paul Martin, P.C., in 2008, is one example of an organization making a difference. By Matthew Bradford 10 A CCAB PUBLICATION 2019