Mino Bimaadiziwin Homebuilder Program’s Impact on Sustainable Livelihoods Among Youth in Garden Hill and Wasagamack First Nations: An Evaluative Study

• Published in: Canadian Journal of Nonprofit and Social Economy Research
• Main Authors: Oni, Babajide, Martin, Donna, Bonnycastle, Marleny, Wood, Norman, Thompson, Shirley
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: University of Alberta Libraries 2023
• Subjects: Indigenous; housing crisis; healthy homes; Native reserves; sustainable livelihoods; Indian Act; First Nations; autochtone; crise du logement; maisons saines; réserves autochtones; mode de vie durable; Loi sur les Indiens; Premières Nations; Indian
• Online Access: https://anserj.ca/index.php/cjnser/article/view/554; https://doi.org/10.29173/cjnser554

The Mino Bimaadiziwin Homebuilders postsecondary education pilot project built Indigenous youth capacity and houses in two remote Anishinini reserves—Garden Hill and Wasagamack. To evaluate this community-led project, a sustainable livelihood assessment holistically measured the impact on 45 of the 70 (64%) Homebuilder students and the community. The community benefited by gaining three culturally appropriate houses built from local lumber and employment opportunities for Anishinini instructors. A longitudinal survey found five of the six livelihood assets improved statistically and significantly, including satisfaction with social relationships, cultural awareness, income and ability to pay bills, housing safety, and human development. Students reported better relations with their families and neighbourhood. Most (85%) of the 70 Homebuilder students earned postsecondary certificates either in forestry, homebuilding or both while obtaining a training stipend, which elevated their incomes. These positive outcomes occurred despite project underfunding, the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, climate change events, and inequitable housing policies under the Indian Act. Based on this project’s success, we recommend investing in Indigenous-led postsecondary education in community homebuilding projects. However, to attain equitable housing and human rights, a plan is needed to overturn the Indian Act, which keeps Indigenous people as “wards of the state” and their land in trust. Le projet pilote en éducation postsecondaire Mino Bimaadiziwin Homebuilder a permis d’assurer la formation de jeunes autochtones et la construction de maisons dans deux réserves anishinini isolées—Garden Hill et Wasagamack. Afin d’évaluer ce projet mené par la communauté, une approche holistique priorisant un mode de vie durable a servi à mesurer son impact sur 45 des 70 étudiants (c’est-à-dire 64% de l’ensemble) participant au projet ainsi que sur la communauté. Cette dernière a bénéficié du fait qu’elle a obtenu trois maisons culturellement ...