Supporting the next generation

One of the challenges in our region is to support the next generation of First Nations planners. There is currently no comprehensive training program dedicated to this approach in Quebec.

That’s why we partner with our mentors to offer learning opportunities adapted to our local realities. Here are some of our recent collaborative initiatives.

Intensive training program

Since 2020, we’ve been part of a national working group whose mandate is to create CCP training content. In 2021, we were finally able to offer our first intensive training camp to a cohort of 17 people representing 10 First Nations. Due to the pandemic, the camp was held online, but that didn’t stop us from offering 50 hours of training! Participants explored the fundamentals of CCP: Indigenous planning traditions, strength-based and relationship-based approaches, planning stages, community mobilization and more.

Karonhienhawe Linda Delormier, Jeff Cook and Catherine Béland were our lead instructors. Elders and guest experts provided additional insight throughout the camp.

The next steps for 2023–2024 are to update the training content, translate it into French and hold a second training camp.

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"The camp was a safe space to share and learn."

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"It was great, I met some amazing people. Excellent communication, and the guest speakers were outstanding."

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"I enjoyed getting to know everyone and connecting with them. The trainers and speakers were great, they had so much knowledge to share. When I have more experience in the field, I hope to be able to help in turn by sharing my experience at future training camps."

Training the trainers

In January 2023 we joined a committee that is developing a course to prepare mentors to lead the intensive training camp all across Turtle Island. The committee is made up of First Nations planning experts Karonhienhawe Linda Delormier (Kahnawà:ke), Delphine Metallic (Listuguj), John MacArthur, Sandra Martin Harris (Gitxsan) and Catherine Béland (FNQLSDI). Jeff Cook (Beringia Planning) coordinates the committee and Gwen Phillips (Ktunaxa) is our mentor. Areas of expertise on the committee include support and guidance, trauma-informed approaches, data collection and analysis, teaching, healing, leading workshops and group discussions, community and strategic planning, and more. The committee plans to offer its first training session in the fall of 2023.