In past years the Aboriginal Student Program has assisted program participants in finding employment over the summer. This has included workshops of resume writing, interview presentation, and job related behavior. This past summer, the program tried a different model. In association with EM Media (a local society of video and film producers that support and encourage independent production) the program set up a media program that was intended to provide participating youth with an understanding of what is involved in media production, what is being done locally in the way of video production, and what range of career opportunities exist in this domain. The program began during the winter school term with a series of tours of local radio and television production studios as well as several workshops with EM Media to introduce the youth to the language and activities of media production.

The actual activities undertaken over the summer are listed below and provide a clear picture of the broad range of experiences provided by this new program. Youth participation rates were consistently high. Participation logs indicate that virtually all of the 19 participants were present at the media program each day over the summer. It is clear from this strong participation rate that the youth were committed to the program.

Participants were asked to complete a general survey developed by program staff at the start and again towards the end of their involvement with the media program (at the beginning and at the end of the summer). The survey contained a number of questions asking the participants' about their overall level of confidence (attitude) regarding their participation in the program and about their feelings of efficacy regarding program activities (their sense that they would be able to succeed and do well on the tasks and activities required of them as part of their participation on the media program).