Nurturing Interconnectivity
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Creating inter-program connections
Our long-term vision is to provide opportunities for Indigenous school-aged students to see a future for themselves in the water sciences. By engaging with students year after year to learn about water health, our programming provides continuity and a deeper connection for the students with their land and water.
Profiling career pathways
Where possible, we have students visit local water bodies, speak with interns from other Water First programs, and arrange tours of local water treatment plants. It is through these experiences that students learn about the role they can play, as emerging scientists, in protecting their water resources.
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Collaborating with local educators
Our programs often begin in the classroom. There, certified instructors engage with students, school administration and staff on a range of water science concepts. Some examples are watersheds, point source pollution, and water quality analysis.
By adjusting the program content to reflect the school’s curriculum, the community's values, goals and concerns are incorporated. Overall, we create opportunities for students to consider how they use the land and water, the impacts on future generations. Ultimately, we hope to inspire youth to pursue a career in water science.
Community members join in
Local community members, such as Elders, knowledge keepers, water walkers or fishermen, are invited to join in and share cultural, social, and environmental insights. This allows students to interact with and deepen their understanding of local culturally significant knowledge beyond what Water First can provide.
Reciprocal learning creates a web of education that is valued at all levels of our program implementation. More importantly, exchanging knowledge — between students, instructors, teachers and community members — fosters connections.
Strong environmental impact, strong connections
When possible, our school programming is delivered in communities that have partnered with Water First on environmental projects, such as water monitoring, fish habitat restoration, or weather monitoring.
We create opportunities for students to meet with community members working on local environmental projects and see first-hand the powerful impact that these projects are having on their communities. By going into the field or receiving a presentation from a Water First intern, students can try out the tools and equipment and learn how they are used in locally significant projects.
Inter-program connections like these inspire students to pursue careers or education in water science as they can see the impact that community members are having on the health of their local waters.
Local water experts enhance content connections
Connecting with local community members working in the water sciences can have a profound impact on youth. We see immense value in delivering our school programming in communities that have participated in the Drinking Water Internship Program. This program trains Indigenous adults to become certified water treatment plant operators.
When possible, we create opportunities for school-aged youth to visit the local water treatment plant, to meet and learn from the operators, who may be graduates of the internship program! By seeing community members working to provide clean water, students deepen their connections to the content in the workshops, and can even see themselves in a similar position someday. They also strengthen their appreciation and respect for where clean water comes from and for the passionate work that goes into ensuring water is safe to drink.
