The Rideau Hall Foundation’s ITE initiative is a national, long-term effort to support the recruitment and retention of 10,000 First Nations, Inuit, and Métis teachers and to promote the systemic changes necessary in leading to more sustainable Indigenous teacher employment opportunities in all areas of the country.
The Rideau Hall Foundation’s Indigenous Teacher Education (ITE) initiative is a national, long-term effort to ensure every Indigenous student in Canada can learn from teachers who share their cultural identity, language, and worldview. Learning from their own people within the context of their communities, histories, and knowledge systems, helps students build pride, belonging, and long-term success.
In collaboration with Indigenous-led groups and the National Advisory Committee on Indigenous Teacher Education (NACITE), the initiative aims to recruit, train, support, and retain 10,000 First Nations, Inuit, and Métis educators, including teachers, language instructors, and education assistants. These educators are key to creating inclusive, culturally grounded schools that reflect Indigenous values and strengthen student achievement and community well-being across the country.
Why it Matters
Indigenous educators are changemakers who open doors for youth to see themselves as future leaders. They shape inclusive, community-rooted learning environments and strengthen the ability of Indigenous communities to guide their own futures through education. Despite their vital role, Indigenous educators remain underrepresented especially in rural and remote areas. The ITE initiative is supporting Indigenous-led and community-community driven organizations that are working to change this by investing in programs, policies, and partnerships that ensure Indigenous educators are seen, supported, and celebrated across education systems nationwide.
Our Vision
Guided by a National Advisory Committee of Indigenous leaders and education experts, the Indigenous Teacher Education (ITE) initiative supports systemic transformation through three interconnected priorities: Grow, Nurture, Bloom.
Investing in Indigenous-led education programs creates pathways for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis youth to pursue teaching. Providing mentorship, resources, and culturally rooted knowledge plants seeds of transformation, reshaping learning environments. Funding supports Indigenous-led, community-driven, innovative, scalable programs that remove barriers, improve retention, and drive systemic change in education.
Supporting educators, programs, and systems that nurture Indigenous learners and teachers through funding Indigenous-led research, capacity-building, policy change, and knowledge-sharing. By cultivating safe and supportive learning environments, these initiatives create space for educators and students to grow together with confidence and respect. This work helps First Nations, Inuit, and Métis learners feel valued and succeed, addresses gaps in teacher education, and promotes lifelong learning.
Amplifying Indigenous voices, stories, and successes in education through national gatherings, mentorship networks, and public storytelling honours the contributions of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis educators. These efforts build momentum for ongoing transformation in education and cultivate a collective strength that inspires Indigenous youth to reach their full potential. Regional and national events create opportunities to champion education leaders, innovators, and visionaries who share wise practices and influence systemic change in teacher education.
Our Commitment
The ITE Initiative is grounded in respect, reciprocity, and the sovereignty of Indigenous knowledge systems. We are honoured to support the work of Indigenous educators, institutions, and organizations to ensure every Indigenous learner is supported by the strength of their own culture, and every educator is empowered to do the work that matters most. Together, a future is being nurtured where Indigenous-led education is not the exception, but the foundation.
Artwork by Joseph Lane
Connecting the 7 Directions
This piece is for community—for all of us. It’s a call to sit together, to listen deeply, and to recognize the beauty that arises when we learn from one another. As we speak, reflect, and share knowledge, the images in the smoke become clearer. And when we truly see them, we begin to understand that healing isn’t something we wait for—it’s something we create, together. – Joseph Lane
Highlights from the National Summit on Indigenous Teacher Education 2025
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For more information, contact: indigenous.autochtone@rhf-frh.ca
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