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The social and educational disengagement of Indigenous youth, who see education and training as irrelevant to their lives and experiences, is a looming crisis for many Indigenous communities in remote Australia. This paper is an exploration of a youth program in Canada, the Junior Canadian Rangers (JCRs), that addresses a similar crisis in that country. The Canadian program is of national importance to Canada in the context of not only community stability and capacity development but also border security, marine management in coastal areas and in search and rescue services. While Australia has a Defence Force Cadet program that operates in a limited number of Indigenous communities, it is a more traditional and much smaller cadet program. This paper suggests there is value in adapting some of the components of the Canadian program in Australia. The paper begins with an analysis of the educational disengagement of young Indigenous people in remote Australia. Then, as background for a description of the JCR program, the paper provides a brief comparison of Australia and Canada, outlining a few of the cultural, historical and geographic similarities. The paper goes on to provide a detailed overview of the JCR program, its aims, history, structure and pedagogical underpinnings. The paper closes with some discussion of the value of the program for Canada, the potential value of some version of the program or its elements for Australia and some insights for Australia from the Canadian experience.

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With the continuing high levels of Indigenous youth unemployment and low levels of school attendance among Indigenous youth, Indigenous communities and education systems are seeking new approaches to increase Indigenous youth participation in education, training and employment. This priority among Indigenous and government stakeholders is not restricted to Australia but also applies internationally among many Indigenous peoples. One potential source of employment is the natural resources sector. This paper reviews the wide range of strategies currently being used to encourage Indigenous youth engagement in natural resource management as a way of achieving better educational outcomes and improving employment opportunities. Examples from Australia and North America are presented. These examples highlight the importance of both Indigenous knowledge and western science when developing suitable educational programs, and the role such programs can play in the intergenerational transmission of Indigenous knowledge. The review draws attention to the complexity involved in establishing clearly articulated pathways for Indigenous youth to enter and then retain employment in the natural resources sector and its management.

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