Student Supports, Services, and Opportunities
Visiting Elder Program
Meet Greg Loft!
Greg is a Haudenosaunee elder and proud member of the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte in Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory. He has worked in the counselling field for over 40 years and with a diverse background in social service work, supporting many people throughout many walks of life.
Since 2014, Greg has been involved in Aboriginal Approach Resolution (AAR) and mainstream Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) throughout Canada. He is identified by his community as a Fire Keeper and, over time, has been recognized as a Traditional Counsellor.
Greg visits CISS every last Wednesday of each month and is available for virtual one-on-ones as needed.
Please check our events calendar to check see his schedule or email us to book a session at cissinfo@yorku.ca.
Academic Writing Support
Meet Brenda Blondeau!
Brenda provides guidance and one-on-one tutoring with any and all writing support you may need! Come for the snacks, stay for the latest in non-AI writing instructions. Whether you just started, are halfway done, are near the end, or are unsure how to start; Brenda will work with you to help guide your process for your assignments and papers to make sure you're set up for success. Please note that Brenda cannot provide a grade or indicate what grade you may receive, as she is not a member of the teaching team for your courses.
Brenda is available in person at CISS (246C):
September 1st -18th: Wednesdays from 12-3pm
September 21 - October 1st: Mondays and Wednesdays from 12-3pm
October 1st - December 1st: Mondays and Wednesdays from 12-4pm
Virtual bookings can be made available upon request. Brenda is also available in the Writing Centre on Thursdays and Fridays. To meet with Brenda, feel free to drop in during her office hours or send her an email to book a private 1-on-1 appointment at blondeau@yorku.ca.
Indigenous Spaces at YorkU
Miinkaanensing: Indigenous Reading Room
Miinkaanensing (pronounced mee-ni-kahn-en-sing), York University Libraries’ Indigenous Reading Room. Located in Room 202E of the Scott Library, Miinkaanensing is a new space that offers Indigenous students and researchers a quiet, safe environment to engage with Indigenous resources, especially as research into Indigenous topics is often characterized by depictions of trauma and colonial violence.
CIKL
Located on the 3rd floor of York Lanes, Rooms 347-353B, CIKL is a thriving research centre that supports Indigenous and decolonizing scholarship and works to facilitate knowledge that re-centres Indigenous knowledges, languages, practices and ways of being, and hosts a weekly smudging program on Tuesdays.
Maloca Community Garden
Maloca Community Garden is a land-based Indigenous and community space located along the Black Creek Watershed at York University. Led by Director Phyllis Novak and guided by Two-Spirit Métis Earth worker Joce Two Crows of Sweetgrass Roots Collective, Maloca integrates Indigenous ecological knowledge and regenerative agriculture into a living laboratory for learning, sustainability, and community care. Through practices such as Three Sisters planting, food sharing, and land-based gatherings, Maloca fosters meaningful connections to the land while honouring the Indigenous histories and responsibilities rooted in this place.
Get involved at Maloca! Students can participate through volunteer opportunities, student placements, and seasonal land-based learning activities. No experience is necessary, just an interest in learning, community, and environmental stewardship.
Skennen’kó:wa Gamig
Located at 35 Nelson Rd., Skennen’ko:wa Gamig is a dedicated cultural space on the Keele campus that hosts programming and is available for various events, ceremonies, gatherings, teachings, gardening and community. It is an informal centre for Indigenous community life at York where community members can feel they are not within the city.
