Drinking Water Internship Program in Indigenous Communities – World Water Day
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal #6 is to ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all by 2030.
According to Water First, sustainable access to safe, clean water in Indigenous communities continues to be a pressing need in Canada, with 18% of First Nations communities (111) affected by drinking water advisories.* The Assembly of First Nations continues to work with the Government of Canada on meaningful consultation to address safe drinking water.
To address this, Water First, Canada’s leading charitable organization dedicated to working with Indigenous communities to address water challenges through education, training, and meaningful collaboration, has graduated 35 Indigenous youth through a Drinking Water Internship program.** Awareness of the importance of skilled people (and education and skills training programs) is critical to addressing water challenges.
Drinking Water Internship Program
The Water First Internship brings valuable learning opportunities to our communities, while building local capacity and offering sustainability to current and future generations. This program is unique in that it incorporates skills workshops, hands-on training, on the job training, and traditional knowledge. – Debbie Recollet, General Manager Gezhtoojig Employment & Training.
In many communities, existing water treatment staff are doing a great job with available resources. However, communities have identified the need for more qualified local personnel to support solving water challenges. The Internship Program supports young Indigenous adults to become certified water treatment plant operators. This in-depth training program addresses community-identified needs to keep building local capacity. It also helps ensure sustainable access to safe drinking water in Indigenous communities for the long term. During this paid 15-month program, interns receive over 2,000 hours of hands-on skills training and experience—in the classroom, at local water treatment facilities and out on the land. This training helps the interns obtain four provincially recognized certifications.
Isaiah Tabobondung is a graduate of Water First’s Drinking Water Internship Program. Get a glimpse of Isaiah’s work at the local water treatment plant in Wasauksing First Nation near Parry Sound. He uses his skills to monitor water quality and flow levels and help provide safe, clean drinking water for his community.
Infrastructure and technology alone don’t provide clean and reliable drinking water; the people who run the systems are critical. Many Indigenous communities in Canada have identified the need for more young, qualified, and local personnel to support solving water issues independently and for the long term. However, there is a lack of locally available opportunities for young adults to gain relevant skills and experience. Through a 15-month paid internship, the Drinking Water Internship Program directly addresses this by supporting young Indigenous adults to become certified water treatment plant operators. This approach helps to ensure sustainable access to safe drinking water in Indigenous communities.
Water First has collaborated with more than 65 communities to support training future water treatment plant operators and water resource technicians and inspire a love of water science in youth.
Read more about the Internship program here.
Water First’s Communications & Development Specialist, Mason Sprout, explains that collaboration is a huge part of Water First’s work and helps us stay accountable to our partner communities. “Sustainable access to safe, clean water will take many things from many different people, including Indigenous Knowledge as well as western science. We try our best to be as honest and transparent in that, firstly, we do not identify, as a whole, as an Indigenous-led organization, and second, what we provide (water science skills training programs) is important to and being requested by communities across Canada. It’s also important to note that the ultimate goal is capacity building–not necessarily bringing western solutions to Indigenous communities, but instead listening to communities about the needs that are being expressed, such as a need for more local water operators and support communities in building that capacity and addressing those needs. All of this is to say that collaboration, honesty and humility are essential to us, especially the communities we partner with."
Strands of Success
These strands illustrate the approach to every move the organization makes and tell the story of how the strong, meaningful partnerships built at Water First are held together by interconnected relationships that flourish through mutual trust and the experience of long-lasting results.
The Strands of Success represent the essential qualities of Water First’s approach. Woven into the figure of a braid, the three strands:
Trust Building speaks to the respect, honesty, transparency, humility, and integrity fundamental to Water First’s work with communities.
Meaningful Partnerships represent Water First’s full and sincere commitment to collaborations built on open communication, mutual knowledge exchanges and common goals.
Lasting Results reflects how Water First strives for sustainable outcomes, with benefits remaining within Indigenous communities for the long term.
Foremost to Water First’s work are the respectful, reciprocal and meaningful partnerships we develop with Indigenous community members and program participants. Together, we create and sustain a rich, fertile space where knowledge, understanding and sustainable solutions can thrive.
“The partnership with Water First has allowed us to learn about the health of our lakes and fish on our traditional land. This knowledge will allow us to monitor and protect our resources for future generations.”
Indigenous Advisory Council
The Indigenous Advisory Council comprises water treatment and environmental water specialists, educators, community leaders and Elders. The council guides program development, program delivery in Indigenous communities and community engagement.
For all of us living on Mother Earth, water is essential and the essence of life. If we work together, as we do at Water First as Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples, we’ll all be in a stronger position to protect and ensure safe, clean water – both today and for future generations. Indigenous peoples bring important teachings and knowledge to the table, based on thousands of years of successfully stewarding water resources on Turtle Island, while non-Indigenous people have brought western science and technologies that offer additional tools and knowledge. We need both. Protecting clean water is for everyone to do, and we’ll do it best together – Jeannette Corbiere Lavell, C.M., Indigenous Advisory Council Member Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory.
Five Star Charity Intelligence Rating
Another reason to support Water First in its work is its 5 Star rating by Charity Intelligence (Ci), which conducts assessments of charitable organizations to promote transparency, accountability, and a focus on results in the charitable sector. Ci’s rating is based on financial transparency, results reporting, demonstrated impact, need for funding, and cents to the cause.
We couldn’t be happier to continue our support of Water First. Their mission and work are incredible, impactful, and meaningful,” says Ben Perry. “We encourage others to learn more about their actions and consider lending your support. Perry Group is a proud supporter of Water First in acknowledging that safe water needs skilled people. We hope our support of Water First will stimulate municipalities to learn more about Water First and understand how they can support too. So support World Water Day on March 22 and keep the conversation going.
So as you turn on the tap today, remember the 111 water advisory notices on reserves where that might not be possible. Donate or join the fundraising efforts.
#WorldWaterDay #SafeWaterNeedsSkilledPeople #WaterFirst
Photos supplied courtesy of Water First waterfirstngo. Photo credit Greg Allan, Wasauksing First Nation.
Note. *111 First Nations communities do not include Metis or Inuit. **figures to October 2022