She’s spent her entire career working with at-risk children and youth.

But in her current role as an instructor for Red River College’s Youth Recreation Activity Worker program, Kerry Coulter gets to re-connect with many of those same kids as they prepare to make a similar difference in the lives of others.

“My students are youth with multiple barriers, so often times they’re kids I used to work with, but now they’re all grown up and seeking access to post-secondary [education], and a supportive environment in which to be successful,” says Coulter.

“It’s full circle. These students want to go back and be helpers in their own communities … They grow up, come to college, and are trained and educated in how to be helpers themselves.”

The recipient of this year’s RRC Students’ Association Teaching Award of Excellence, Coulter has been a Youth Rec instructor since 2002. Before that, she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Manitoba (and later, a Masters degree in Education from Central Michigan University), and worked for a number of child and youth care organizations, including Child and Family Services and adolescent treatment centre New Directions.

Each year, the College’s Youth Rec program trains 16 participants — many of whom face socio-economic barriers themselves — to work with inner city youth as recreational leaders. Graduates of the program often find jobs with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Winnipeg (a program partner) and other inner city youth agencies, or as childhood educators and teachers’ aides. Read More →

Do you have a knack for problem solving?

Are you an expert on management and business processes — or specialized trades such as hospitality, health sciences and construction — willing to mentor and instruct others on how to best improve their own practices?

Red River College’s Corporate Solutions department is seeking instructors and subject matter experts in a variety of fields — everything from leadership, analysis and conflict resolution to software, life sciences and sales management techniques.

Suitable candidates will be called upon to impart their expertise through classroom instruction, workshops and seminars, allowing Corporate Solutions to continue its tradition of responding to industry needs by providing made-to-measure solutions for corporate, government and non-profit clients.

“We are constantly looking for subject matter experts to work on contract, develop specialized curriculum and deliver customized solutions,” says Bill Rutherford, Corporate Solutions Manager at RRC. “Our contracts vary in length from a few days to several weeks. If you have specialized skills, love variety in the work you do and enjoy a fast-paced environment, we would love to hear from you.” Read More →

Red River College’s Corporate Solutions department, together with culinary instructors from the Paterson GlobalFoods Institute, partnered recently to welcome young people from a downtown youth centre to the new campus.

The March 12 event, a three-hour evening workshop exploring healthy eating options, drew 21 teens (aged 15 to 19) from Ka Ni Kanichihk Youth Centre on William Avenue. While at PGI, the group toured the newly-opened training spaces, learned more about the College’s School of Hospitality and Culinary Arts, and took part in some health-conscious cooking classes.

The teens prepared a meal that put a healthy spin on traditional favourites — sandwiches made with bannock baked in butter (instead of fried in lard), and homemade rice pudding with fresh berries.

Ka Ni Kanichihk means “those who lead”, a mandate the youth centre carries out by “inspiring youth who face multiple barriers and challenges to believe in themselves, their potential and their ability to achieve high goals through education, training and employment opportunities.”

Click here for more information on Corporate Solutions at RRC.

Welders from nearby Hutterite colonies aced their trades qualification tests in record numbers recently, thanks to training provided by RRC’s Corporate Solutions.

The welders were part of a group of 10 seeking formal industry accreditation as a means of increasing the manufacturing opportunities on their colonies. Though some have already worked as welders for decades, they still needed to go through the proper processes — including initial assessments and providing proof of prior experience — before completing their qualifications testing with Apprenticeship Manitoba, the Canadian Welding Bureau and the Manitoba Department of Labour.

Read More →