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ᐃᔦᔅᑯᐐᐤ ᐁᑎᑑ ᐁ ᐃᔥᐹᔨᒡ ᒋᔅᑯᑕᒫᒉᐎᓐ ᒉ ᒌ ᐱᐦᑯᐦᑕᒫᓱᐧᐃᑦ ᒋᔅᑯᑕᒫᒉᐅᓯᓇᐦᐄᑲᓂᔫ

Iyeskuwiiu Springboard to DCS

In-community Springboard to a Diploma of College Studies

Applications Closed

Applications open in February

Language of instruction: English

Ce program est aussi disponible en français.

This springboard is a one-year preparatory to college program offered in partnership with John Abbott College.

Prerequisites

Open to Cree beneficiaries living in iiyiyiu aschii with a Secondary V Diploma or in the process of completing it during summer school, before the session begins.

Delivery

Online courses with set class times. A five-day intensive Physical Education course is also offered on the land each semester. In-person tutoring.

Credits

Credits from courses completed are transferable to any English cégep in Québec, and will apply towards a Diploma of College Studies (DCS).

Student Supports

  • Access to a loaned laptop.
  • In-person tutoring in the communities.
  • Online support by the Indigenous Resource Centre and the virtual community.
  • John Abbott College student services available online.
  • On-site orientation at John Abbott College.

Financial Assistance

The Cree School Board provide financial support to qualified students, in accordance with our in-community financial assistance policy.

Financial assistance for the Springboards are provided independently from Post-Secondary Student Services and have an internal process.

Online courses from your home community
Created by Cree educators
For Cree students

Time Commitment

  • Two semesters, beginning in August and ending in April of the next year.
  • 14 class hours per week (3-4 hours per day, Monday to Thursday)
  • Approximately 14 homework hours per week.
  • In addition, there is a one five-day intensive physical education course each semester.

For more information, email

Program Content

Students will take up to nine (9) accredited CEGEP-level courses and will receive a certificate upon successful completion.

Contemporary Issues I and II

Explore issues that interest and impact Cree youth (topics selected from CNYC survey). Program includes modules on:

  • Health and healing;
  • The environment and relationship with the land;
  • Governance, and more.

This course was customized specifically for Cree students and is only available through this program.

Cree

  • Strengthen your language skills.

French

Available to students who have studied in French
  • Strengthen your language skills.
  • Students are registered at the appropriate level, based on their language assessment.

Preparation for College English

  • Effective reading and writing.
  • Learn the English reading and writing skills you need to succeed at college.

Humanities

Humanities I – Power and Influence in iiyiyiu aschii

  • Explore Cree history through the lens of knowledge transfer

Humanities II – World View

  • Learn how World View impacts the governance of the Cree Nation

Sub-arctic Literature

  • Build literacy skills for post-secondary.
  • Read and analyze local and regional resources.

Land-based Physical Education

  • Practice traditional skills on the land.
  • Two accredited, five-day intensive cultural physical education sessions.
  • One in fall and one in winter.

Application

Through SRAM

(Service régional d'admission du Montréal métropolitain)

Need help with your application? Contact us at:

Step 1 – Written component

Applicants must complete the written portion document to be uploaded with their SRAM application.

Download Written Portion Document for DCS

The written portion includes:

  • A motivation statement (one paragraph)
  • A short essay (250-500 words – topics provided in the document)

Step 2 – SRAM application

  1. Go to admission.sram.qc.ca and select "Apply for admission".
  2. Click on "Continuing education applicant".
    • If you don't have one, create an account with a valid email address (which will be part of your file) and a password. SRAM and the college will use this email address to communicate with you.
  3. Complete the application form, including the following details.
    1. Choice of College: John Abbott College
    2. Program: 081.06 Springboard to a DCS
    3. Particularity: IYESKUWIIU – for Cree students only
    4. Begins on: August 2025
  4. After submitting your application, you will see a prompt to upload your documents. This is where you will upload the written portion of your application.

John Abbott College

Since John Abbott College opened in 1971, it has been a significant part of English post-secondary education in Quebec and a pillar in the Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue community. Today, the College caters to over 6500 day students and more than 2000 Continuing Education students from Québec, Canada and abroad.

John Abbott College offers a wide range of career and pre-university programs specifically designed to give students the necessary tools to succeed in society. In addition to having a dedicated and knowledgeable teaching staff and quality facilities, the College goes above and beyond by offering outstanding services to its students, and all this from a breathtaking lakeside campus.

John Abbott College has always been a strong supporter of developing, in partnership, educational programs tailored for the Cree Nation. Starting in the 1970's with a Nursing program and continuing today with Iyeskuwiiu and the Cree Springboard to Nursing.