Green Shield Canada and Indspire launch partnership to increase access to post-secondary education

March 24, 2022 – Green Shield Canada (GSC) and Indspire are embarking on a transformational $300,000 partnership that will help Indigenous students pursue education and careers in health-related disciplines.

As Mila Lucio, GSC’s Executive Vice President of Human Resources and Social Impact, explains, “At GSC, it is part of our mission to create a positive social impact in our communities, and we have a strong commitment to supporting equity and the principles of reconciliation. That is why this opportunity resonates so strongly with us, and we are thrilled to be partnering with Indspire to increase access to education for Indigenous students.”

GSC will be contributing $300,000 towards Indigenous education over the course of the three-year partnership, with 75% of the funding directed to student scholarships (the “GSC Indigenous Student Awards”) and the remaining 25% supporting student workshops and events like Soaring, Indspire’s Indigenous Youth Empowerment Gathering. The scholarships are aligned with GSC’s core focus on enabling Better Health for All, and will support students in health-related programs, including psychology and mental health counselling, social work, health sciences, medical school, dentistry, and health services or health promotion.

Mike DeGagné, President and CEO of Indspire, outlines the impact of this partnership: “Contributions like this one have an impact that goes far beyond the individual receiving the scholarship, as Indigenous learners reinvest the benefits of their education back into their communities. We see this trend regularly, and it is particularly pronounced and especially impactful in the context of health care initiatives like this one supported by GSC.”

The next application opens online on May 1, 2022, and the application deadline for the bursaries is August 1, 2022. Those interested should apply for the bursaries directly through the Indspire website.

About Indspire

Indspire is an Indigenous national charity that invests in the education of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people for the long-term benefit of these individuals, their families and communities, and Canada. With the support of its funding partners, Indspire provides financial awards, delivers programs, and shares resources so that First Nations, Inuit, and Métis students will achieve their highest potential. In 2020-2021, Indspire provided more than $20 million through 6,245 bursaries and scholarships to First Nations, Inuit, and Métis students across Canada.

About Green Shield Canada

GSC is Canada’s fourth-largest health and dental benefits provider, and is uniquely structured as a social enterprise with the purpose of making it easier for people to live their healthiest lives. From coast-to-coast, GSC’s service delivery includes drug, dental, extended health care, vision, hospital, and travel benefits for groups and individuals, as well as administration and benefits management services. Supported by outcomes-based sustainability strategies, advanced technology, and exceptional customer service, GSC creates innovative programs for four million plan participants nationwide.

GSC believes all Canadians should have access to services they need to improve their health and well-being, but for too many that’s not a reality. With a focus on filling gaps in the Canadian health care system in oral and mental health, GSC will invest $75M in oral and mental health initiatives by 2025 to drive measurable improvements in health outcomes for Canadians – and support a commitment to Better Health for All.