Indigenous Community and Social Development

Description

In this program, students focus on the planning, evaluation and administration of social/health care programs and services within Indigenous communities and organizations. Students study business and community development, health and well-being, language and culture while integrating cultural, social and health issues relevant to Indigenous peoples in Canada.

Cultural teachings and smudging are integrated daily throughout each academic semester in social activities, individual program courses, and Traditional Teacher/Elder visits.

Please note: Indigenous includes First Nations, Metis, Inuit and Non-Status People.

Career Opportunities

Students are prepared for administration and front-line staff positions within organizations such as community health centres, school boards, post-secondary institutions, social service organizations, healing lodges and mental health centres.

Program Learning Outcomes

The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:

1. create a personal vision based on one's identity to maintain personal wellness and to support others in their wellness journey;

2. practice cultural safety and awareness through an exploration of Indigenous culture, language, traditions, and healing when coordinating activities within an organization or community;

3. practice Indigenous cultural traditions to promote sustainable practices in the community;

4. analyze the social, economic and generational factors that impact and influence the health of Indigenous people and communities to provide the necessary support with compassion and empathy;

5. recognize mental health and Indigenous perspectives of illness to support and connect individuals and communities with appropriate forms of assistance;

6. support individuals and families in a variety of settings using Western and Indigenous counselling philosophies and approaches;

7. apply entrepreneurial strategies to support community growth and social development;

8. prepare presentations, proposals, and documents to support workplace or community projects;

9. use a variety of strategies to assist Indigenous people to build healthier individuals, families, and communities;

10. examine the effects of historical and contemporary legal and political decisions on Indigenous people in order to promote positive community growth and social development;

11. practice accountability, professionalism and ethical behaviour when working within the community and workplace.

Practical Experience

All co-operative education programs at Georgian contain mandatory work term experiences aligned with program learning outcomes.  Co-op work terms are designed to integrate academic learning with work experience, supporting the development of industry specific competencies and employability skills.

Georgian College holds membership with, and endeavours to follow, the co-operative education guidelines set out by the Co-operative Education and Work Integrated Learning Canada (CEWIL) and Experiential and Work-Integrated Ontario (EWO) as supported by the Ministry of Colleges and Universities.

Co-op is facilitated as a supported, competitive job search process. Students are required to complete a Co-op and Career Preparation course scheduled prior to their first co-op work term. Students engage in an active co-op job search that includes applying to positions posted by Co-op Consultants, and personal networking.  Co-op work terms are scheduled according to a formal sequence that alternates academic and co-op semesters as shown in the program progression below.

Programs may have additional requirements such as a valid driver’s license, strong communication skills, industry specific certifications, and ability to travel. Under exceptional circumstances, a student may be unable to complete the program progression as shown below. Please refer to Georgian College Academic Regulations for details.   

International co-op work terms are supported and encouraged, when aligned with program requirements.

Further information on co-op services can be found at www.GeorgianCollege.ca/co-op

Program Progression

The following reflects the planned progression for full-time offerings of the program.

Fall Intake

• Sem 1: Fall 2025
• Sem 2: Winter 2026
• Work Term 1: Summer 2026
• Sem 3: Fall 2026
• Sem 4: Winter 2027
• Work Term 2: Summer 2027

Articulation

A number of articulation agreements have been negotiated with universities and other institutions across Canada, North America and internationally. These agreements are assessed, revised and updated on a regular basis. Please contact the program co-ordinator for specific details if you are interested in pursuing such an option. Additional information can be found on our website at https://www.georgiancollege.ca/admissions/credit-transfer/

Admission Requirements

• Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent or mature student status
• Grade 12 English (C or U)

Mature students, non-secondary school applicants (19 years or older), and home school applicants may also be considered for admission. Eligibility may be met by applicants who have taken equivalent courses, upgrading, completed their GED, and equivalency testing. For complete details refer to: www.georgiancollege.ca/admissions/academic-regulations/

Applicants who have taken courses from a recognized and accredited post-secondary institution and/or have relevant life/learning experience may also be considered for admission; refer to the Credit for Prior Learning website for details:
www.georgiancollege.ca/admissions/credit-transfer/

Graduation Requirements

18 Program Courses
2 Communications Courses
4 General Education Courses
2 Co-op Work Terms

Graduation Eligibility

To graduate from this program, the passing weighted average for promotion through each semester, from year to year, and to graduate is 60%. Additionally, a student must attain a minimum of 50% or a letter grade of P (Pass) or S (Satisfactory) in each course in each semester unless otherwise stated on the course outline.

Program Tracking

The following reflects the planned course sequence for full-time offerings of the Fall intake of the program. Where more  than one intake is offered  contact the program co-ordinator for the program tracking.

Plan of Study Grid

Semester 1		Hours
Program Courses
COMP 1003	Microcomputer Applications	42
GNED 1010	Ojibwe Language and Culture 1	42
INDG 1000	Personal Growth and Development	42
INDG 1001	Indigenous Heritage, Tradition and Culture	42
Communications Course
Select 1 course from the communications list during registration.		42
General Education Course
Select 1 course from the general education list during registration.		42
	Hours	252
Semester 2
Program Courses
GNED 2055	Ojibwe Language and Culture 2	42
INDG 1002	Indigenous Community and Family Life	42
INDG 1003	Introduction to Psychology: An Indigenous Perspective	42
INDG 1004	Holistic Health and Healing	42
Communications Course
Select 1 course from the communications list during registration.		42
General Education Course
Select 1 course from the general education list during registration.		42
	Hours	252
Semester 3
Program Courses
GNED 2074	Ojibwe Language and Culture 3	42
INDG 2000	Indigenous People and Health Care	42
INDG 2001	Introduction to Counselling	42
INDG 2002	Indigenous Treaties, Rights and Laws	42
INDG 2003	Community Growth and Program Development	42
General Education Course
Select 1 course from the general education list during registration.		42
	Hours	252
Semester 4
Program Courses
GNED 2065	Ojibwe Language and Culture 4	42
INDG 2004	Community Administration and Human Resource Practices	42
INDG 2005	Family Counselling	42
INDG 2006	Indigenous Proposal Development	42
INDG 2007	Indigenous Cultural Safety and Awareness	42
General Education Course
Select 1 course from the general education list during registration.		42
	Hours	252
	Total Hours	1008

Plan of Study Grid

Co-op Work Terms		Hours
COOP 1046	Indigenous Education Work Term 1 (occurs after Semester 2)	425
COOP 2037	Indigenous Education Work Term 2 (occurs after Semester 4)	425
	Hours	850
	Total Hours	850

Graduation Window

Students unable to adhere to the program duration of two years (as stated above) may take a maximum of four years to complete their credential. After this time, students must be re-admitted into the program, and follow the curriculum in place at the time of re-admission.

Disclaimer: The information in this document is correct at the time of publication. Academic content of programs and courses is revised on an ongoing basis to ensure relevance to changing educational objectives and employment market needs. 

Program outlines may be subject to change in response to emerging situations, in order to facilitate student achievement of the learning outcomes required for graduation. Components such as courses, progression, coop work terms, placements, internships and other requirements may be delivered differently than published.