Indigenous youth are ready to learn as national program heads to southern Alberta for the first time

LETHBRIDGE, Alta. — For the first time in its 24 year history, the Outland Youth Employment Program, or OYEP, has made its way to Lethbridge and southern Alberta.

OYEP is a six-week work experience and post-secondary exploration camp for Indigenous youth between the ages of 16 and 18.

"It's very exciting for us to be involved for the first time, for them to both come to the university and the college and that we can collaborate that way," said Brittany Lee, Lethbridge College’s advisor and recruiter for Indigenous services.

27 Indigenous youth from Treaty Seven and across central and southern Alberta are taking part.

The program has the learners, or rangers, heading out to try different types of jobs like trail building, tree planting and more.

Lethbridge College had environmental science activities set up today like assembling skeletons, dissecting grasshoppers and learning about local wildlife.

The college says programs like these for Indigenous youth are key.

"I think that's really important for them to be able to see the opportunities they have and the support they have at each of the college and university and that there's people out there that want to see them succeed," Lee told CTV News.

It's a great opportunity for the rangers to not only make new friends and relationships but also gain experience as they approach high school graduation.

"The experience I've gotten and the knowledge I’ve received is amazing," said first-time ranger, Rosen Re Cardinal.

"I've loved learning about tree planting and all that because that was actually really fun. I got my safety from here as well and I was really happy about that."

"I think it's really important, especially as someone who came from the very start at the bottom, it helped me a lot," added Ricki Starr, an ex-ranger and crew leader in training.

"Like it helped me with my leadership skills and who I want to be as a person."

Many of the crew leaders started out as rangers and are now doing their part to give back to the program.

"I knew from the first year that I really wanted to be a crew leader," added Starr.

"So now I've been working my way up from first year to second year to CIT for two years and then hopefully next year crew leader."

There's one more day of activities here in Lethbridge before they head off to their next stop.

To learn more about the Outdoor Youth Employment Program, you can visit their website.