The purpose of the study is to investigate factors to and barriers for Indigenous students from Aotearoa (New Zealand) and Canada's engagement and retention in education and employment.
By identifying the barriers and factors for Indigenous youth engagement in education, the hope is that youth can better engage in education, achieve their aspirations, and contribute to their own wellbeing and the collective well-being of their family, community, Tribe, Nation, and Clan. Education is, essential in actualizing an individual’s success in society. It will also provide a strong foundation for empowering proud First Nations peoples who are fully able to contribute to the development of their families, clans, communities, and nations (Assembly of First Nations, 2010, p. 4). Furthermore, Freire asserts (the) “oppressed must be their own example in the struggle for their redemption. (Freire, 2012, p. 54).