This graduation coach will help black youth in Windsor-Essex succeed and achieve
Venus Olla said her focus is to connect with students and offer them support
Graduating high school and finding a successful career afterward can be challenging for many young people, and for some, the challenges go directly to the colour of their skin.
That's why the public school board has hired Venus Olla to help young students who identify as black, African or Caribbean.
"My main focus is connecting with the students, really understanding the students, and getting to know the students and really supporting them," said Olla.
As a mother of four, woman of colour, and an immigrant herself, Olla said she has "lived-in" experience which helps her in the new role for the Greater Essex County District School Board.
"In terms of them knowing that if they need something, they can contact me and I'm going to be there."
Olla said there are systemic barriers which face young people of African and Caribbean descent once they finish high school and offering individualized supports increases their odds for success. She also will be working with parents.
"Well the graduation coach initiative is basically helping students from black, African and Caribbean descent actually successfully transition from high school into their chosen pathways after high school," said Olla, explaining that specialized programs like this one help identify the unique needs of students.
"Why students in those communities in particular — well because research is showing that students of black, African and Caribbean descent are not graduating to the same kind of rates or to the same quality of children path after high school."
According to Statistics Canada, young black males and females aged 13 to 17 in 2006 were less likely than their counterparts in the rest of the population to have a post secondary certificate, diploma or degree in 2016.
The study also showed that young black males were nearly twice as likely as other young males to be not in employment, education or training in 2016. The discrimination experienced by the black population could explain some of the results of the study. For example, in 2014, 13 per cent of black Canadians, compared to six per cent of their non-black counterparts, reported experiencing discrimination at work or in the context of a hiring process
"A lot of the reasons that have been identified are the systemic barriers that they encounter both in school and outside of school.," said Olla. "And that's what we're just basically trying to address with the graduation program."