Indigenous charity Indspire and the Telus Friendly Future Foundation announced last week a four-year, $500,000 partnership to support indigenous post-secondary students through Indspire’s Building Brighter Futures bursaries and scholarships program and the Telus Student Bursary program.
With matching funding from the federal government, this partnership promises to deliver $1 million to empower indigenous youth, by offering up to 320 Telus Student Bursaries to First Nations, Inuit and Métis students who are enrolled in their first undergraduate diploma or degree program at recognized post-secondary institutions across Canada, a Telus press release said.
Award recipients will gain access to a suite of resources including Telus Internet and Telus Mobility for Good programs (where available), 24/7 mental health support through Telus Health, mentoring, internships, and career development opportunities, according to the press release.
“We believe in a world where all youth have fair and equal access to the resources they need to thrive,” said Nimmi Kanji, executive director of the Telus Friendly Future Foundation, in the press release. “As an organization committed to Indigenous Reconciliation, we are proud to continue our work with Indspire and offer the TELUS Student Bursary to help address the barriers to education many Indigenous youth experience.”
“We’re proud to work with a partner that shares our commitment to reconciliation and equity in education,” said Jocelyn Formsma, president and CEO of Indspire, in a statement. “The TELUS Student Bursary is more than financial support: it’s an investment in the next generation of Indigenous leaders, changemakers, and professionals.”
Applications for the Telus Student Bursaries made available through this partnership can be submitted annually through Indspire’s Building Brighter Futures program.
