NorQuest College, from our people to the way we teach, to our culture; inclusion and diversity are a priority at NorQuest College. Our doors are open to all, including those who are underrepresented such as Indigenous Peoples, new Canadians, adult learners, and persons with disabilities.
With 64 per cent of our students born outside of Canada and 103 languages spoken on campus, we offer a taste of the world. If you walk into NorQuest this week, you’ll see our annual Inclusion Fusion event in action with individuals participating in a collective art project, a community dialogue on Islam, a listening campaign exhibit featuring student participants from Black History month, and more.
And no matter where we are, we continue pushing these values. For example, our new campus addition, the Singhmar Centre for Learning, features many new spaces including a much larger Indigenous student centre with a ceremonial room and support staff including an Indigenous student liaison, Indigenous educational counsellor, Indigenous community engagement consultant, and resident Elder. And on the employee end, about two dozen staff and faculty participate in a Butterfly Moon Project every term where they are given an Indigenous perspective on Canadian and Edmonton history. In two years 60 per cent of NorQuest employees have taken some form of Indigenous awareness training. Our commitment to Indigenous Peoples continues with the recently launched NorQuest Indigenization Strategy.
Also in the Singhmar Centre for Learning is the 1000 Women Child Care Centre. Operated by the Intercultural Child and Family Centre, this facility is a brilliant example of our diverse and inclusive approach to learning. The centre provides culturally responsive child care services to NorQuest College students, employees, and the wider community. It embodies intercultural awareness with multi-ethnic staff who cater to the diverse backgrounds of the children they serve.
NorQuest College is a place where everyone is welcome, and where safety and respect are a priority. We recently updated our Respectful Workplace and Learning Environment Policy which applies to all individuals on the college premises. Our accompanying procedure outlines the process to file a complaint. Both are accessible on our public website, www.norquest.ca. Additionally, through our LearningResource Network, we offer employees a Workplace of Respect workshop where individuals learn more about respectful behaviours and those that do not reflect our values.
Our work, however, is not restricted to within the college doors. Through our Centre for Intercultural Education, we deliver workshops to help organizations reduce intercultural barriers. The centre continues to be recognized as a leader in applied research, resource development, and customized workplace training in the space of intercultural education. Over the last year, leadership training has been completed by industry leaders from ATB, City of Edmonton, and Enbridge.
And our work is being recognized, too. In 2017, NorQuest College received the Alberta Business Awards of Distinction Diversity Leadership Award. Also in 2017, NorQuest was recognized as one of Canada’s 10 Most Admired Corporate Cultures, winning in the Broader Public Sector Organization category. We were additionally thrilled to be a finalist for the 2018 Alberta Business Awards of Distinction under the Indigenous Relations – Best Practices Award of Distinction category.
