Transformative Reconciliation in Community Social Services

governance, policy, program, and practice

This program has been designed for Federation members to engage in transformative reconciliation through collaborative learning, design, and practice. We invite senior leaders to engage in difficult conversations in a supportive space to transform our practice and embody the calls to action. Our action-oriented design is ideal for leaders who are keen to create real-world approaches to reconciliation that are founded on decolonizing principles and Indigenous Knowledges in your local context. The program is designed to be inclusive of both Indigenous and non-Indigenous participants and Indigenous and non-Indigenous organizations. Everyone is welcome, if you are interested this is for you.

Cohort 5

Registration is open for Cohort 5. Start your application or contact us for more details.

Cohort 4

Cohort 4 is wrapping up. Please note that you will have access to the Cohort 4 webpage for one year. A warm thank you to everyone for their participation.

Contact Information

For more information about the program, registration, and/or eligibility, please contact Katherine Lim (katherine@fcssbc.ca), The Federation’s Engagement Coordinator.

“Throughout this course, we have learned and been guided to understand how we can decolonize our programs and what is required to do so. Being able to implement actions that will have a direct impact on reconciliation within our organization has been an exciting experience for me and I dare say my colleagues as well.”

-2020/21 Participant

Watch an Info Session

Watch a recording of a Transformative Reconciliation information session with program instructor Dr. Dustin Louie (2021). Learn about the program, about the instructor, what to expect, and more!

Program Goals & Intentions

This program was developed in partnership of the Federation staff team and Dr. Dustin Louie. It is a 12-month-long program with two sessions monthly: a 2-hour online learning and collaborative sessions and a regional 1-hour Indigenous witnessing session. Organizations should invite two participants (including at least one senior leader or board member—both participants will need to be identified on the application) to take part in the program. Participants will identify new or existing ideas for decolonization and indigenization that are tailored for their organization to refine in collaboration with like-minded leaders, and will have access to optional sessions with Dr. Louie to discuss the project and how to action their ideas.

Our Shared Goals

1. Create a strong foundation in reconciliation, decolonizing, and indigenizing.
2. Actively translate these theories into practice.
3. Safely explore our own positionality and responsibilities in this work.
4. Provide the tools to identify and disrupt colonial foundations of our practice and systems.
5. Learn local Indigenous Knowledges and embed them in our organization.
6. Develop a network of community practice support to sustain transformative reconciliation.

Connections will be made between organizations and individuals across the province and sectors to strengthen each other and create a symbiotic environment where bold approaches are nurtured and realized. Participants will be honoured and recognized for their completion of the program through ways that reflect local Indigenous practices in the acquisition of Knowledge.

Program Dates

The 2025 program runs from January to December 2025.
All sessions take place over Zoom.

Monthly Learning Sessions
The 2nd Wednesday of every month: 1:00–3:00 (PM)
Specific dates will be posted soon.

Monthly Witnessing Sessions
The 3rd Wednesday of every month: 1:00–2:00 PM (PST) Specific dates will be posted soon.

“Even if you are already an ally or strongly support reconciliation efforts or understand the history of indigeneity in Canada, this program goes deeper and feels more personal. There is so much to learn and it will certainly set you on course to be more curious and to yearn for more and better understanding. You will come away so profoundly impacted by the learnings of the program.”

– 2020/21 Participant

Program Fees

Federation Members & Partners *
$3,800 per organization (includes spaces for 2 participants)

Non-Members & General Public *
$6,000 per organization (includes spaces for 2 participants)

Bursaries

We are pleased to share that bursaries are available to support community social service organizations who are applying to participate in the Transformative Reconciliation program. If your organization is located in BC and you have a total annual budget of less than $7 million, you qualify for a bursary fee reduction of 50%. To request a bursary, please email Katherine Lim, Engagement Coordinator, at katherine@fcssbc.ca.

Participants

Transformative Reconciliation participants can access their private web pages with resources, recordings, contact info, and presentations here.

Cohort Five Page

Cohort Four Page

Cohort Three Page

About The Instructor

Dr. Dustin Louie is a First Nations scholar from Nee Tahi Buhn and Nadleh Whut’en of central British Columbia. He is a member of the Beaver Clan. Dustin’s educational background includes a degree in Canadian history, a Masters in International Relations, and a Ph.D. in Educational Research. The topic of Dr. Louie’s dissertation was Sexual Exploitation Prevention Education for Indigenous Girls. He has worked as a historian in a land claims law firm, studied Indigenous homelessness in Western Canada, worked internationally for non-governmental organizations in Uganda and Australia, and is now an Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Studies at the University of British Columbia and the Director of the NITEP Indigenous Teacher Education program.

As a tenured Associate Professor, he teaches primarily in courses related to Indigenous education, social justice, and educational philosophy. Further research interests include practical approaches to Indigenizing education, decolonizing education, Indigenous pedagogies, and critical theory. Dr. Louie is conducting research, educational design, and training with First Nations, schools, and organizations across Western Canada.

In addition, he has led work with school districts, private companies, government agencies, and non-governmental organizations in reconciliation, decolonizing, and indigenizing projects. Dr. Louie’s research has been published in The Canadian Journal of Education, The Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Education, and Critical Education, among other places.

Training Payment and Cancellation Policy: Transformative Reconciliation (Online)

1. Applicants accepted into this program will receive an emailed invoice with payment remittance details. If payment is not received within 30 calendar days after the start of the training, applicants will be invoiced an additional $25.00 administration fee.

2. There will be no refund issued if cancellation occurs after the orientation session. Relevant dates for each training will be posted on the training registration page.

3. Accepted applications are transferable to a different person for the same training, prior to the training beginning. Please contact The Federation office for assistance with this, and to discuss who would be a suitable replacement, given the goals and commitments of the program. Accepted applications are not transferable to another type of training.

4. Organizations cannot rotate attendance and send different representatives over the course of this one-year training. The participants that registered are the participants who are permitted to participate. If a registered participant is no longer able to participate in the program, please contact The Federation office to discuss who would be a suitable replacement, given the goals and commitments of the program.