Community Partner Feature: Urban Society for Aboriginal Youth (USAY) and RIEL Institute for Education & Learning

This September, we would like to highlight the work of two of Mosaic PCN’s community partners, who also happen to be neighbours of Mosaic’s Head Office in The Park at Willowglen. Both organizations are doing important work with Indigenous communities in and around Mohkinstsis (also known as Calgary).

Urban Society for Aboriginal Youth (USAY) is a non-profit organization that was founded in 2001. They deliver programs and services for Calgary’s Indigenous youth aged 12 to 29. Their programming is designed to enrich the lives of Indigenous youth by helping them become engaged citizens in their Nations and within Canada by fostering self-empowerment, cultural pride, and a positive identity.

USAY’s programming is created in relationship with Indigenous youth, partners, and Elders. Some of these programs include Indigenous Pride, Moh-kins-tsis Healing Network, and the Indigenous Youth Employment Program. They have also developed Virtual Reality games to showcase Indigenous culture and stories.

Another one of Mosaic’s community partners, located in the same building as our Head Office, is the RIEL Institute for Education & Learning.

Founded in 2000, RIEL Institute is a non-profit that provides education to Indigenous people to support their participation in the workforce. With the institutional and societal barriers faced by Indigenous people in mind, RIEL Institute has cultivated a supportive atmosphere that builds self-esteem, cultural knowledge, and pride.

Guided by a vision of belonging for all Indigenous people in society, academic excellence, and holistic education, RIEL offers a number of certification programs, tutoring, career exploration, Elder involvement and counselling, Medicine Wheel Training, and basic needs referrals. They also offer programming for children including Little Buffalos Early Learning & Childcare Centre and Aboriginal Head start.