The release of The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada's 94 "Calls to Action" in 2015 has proven to be a watershed moment in the history of the relationship between Canada and Canadian Indigenous Peoples. Many institutions at many levels began struggling with the process of reconciliation within the framework of their day-to-day operations and mandates.

Post-secondary institutions are on the front lines of this change process in our country. A very high proportion of colleges and universities have some kind of "Indigenization" strategy which they are either developing or struggling to implement. This discussion paper will highlight some of the critical realities and obstacles that make the process of "Indigenization" so very challenging. We will go on to suggest ways of working through these challenges, and of supporting and nurturing the processes of growth and development that need to happen in order to reach the goals of a reconciliation agenda.

The observations in this discussion paper are rooted in practice. We have worked with a variety of post-secondary institutions over many years, as instructors and researchers, as the developer and implementer of programs oriented to the learning needs of Indigenous students and communities, and as consultants supporting the institutional learning and change processes required for success in meeting the goals of deep reconciliation (or what many refer to as "Indigenization") within the academy. We have also worked as helpers and allies of Indigenous communities in every part of Canada over several decades in support of nation building and community development processes. From this "other side of the fence" perspective, we have had the opportunity to see first-hand what Indigenous people need in their attempts to build effective partnerships with the institutions and programs that are supposed to serve them.

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By: Michael Bopp, PhD, Four Worlds Centre for Development Learning;
Lee Brown, PhD (Interior Salish and Chickasaw), Director, Institute of Aboriginal Health and Faculty
of Education, UBC (retired);

Double the value of your donation! (if you hurry)

Our Himat 2017/18 Annual Funding Appeal

Dear friends,
By reading the attached Himat Update, you can quickly see what the project is accomplishing, which is a lot. Our annual budget to support all these activities is $75,000 a year (which is approximately the salary of one senior manager working in an international nongovernment organization in Pakistan today). With the same amount of money, we support our team of five highly skilled development facilitators, our quick-win seed grants, our study-action circle training program (which has now reached more than 10,000 people), our ultra-poor project that is reaching the most vulnerable members of society, and so much more.

Please consider what you can contribute. Of course, we need your money, and also your help in reaching other potential donors.  We would love to hear from you if you want to talk about it.

Your donation can be matched if you hurry. All donations received between now and December 31, 2017 will be matched (i.e. doubled) by a generous donor until the $10,000 he has put on the table is expended.
The Alberta Treasury Branch (ATB) has a matching program that will add 15% to any donation contributed through its charity to the Himat project. A catch, however, is that they have a cap of $20,000 a month. There are likely donors from many projects trying to use this service. Therefore, to ensure that your contribution receives this match, it would be best to contribute on the first few days of the month. For more information on how to do this, go to the website https://atbcares.com/.

How to Contribute

1. Make an online donation through ATB Cares (https://atbcares.com/). Click on the Donate tab. Put in Himat as your Cause. You will receive your charitable donation receipt from them, but please provide your name and address in the comments area, so we can thank you.

2. Send a cheque made payable to the International Centre for Development Learning and mail it to Box 395, Cochrane, Alberta T4C 1A6. Please ensure that we also receive your full name, mailing and email address so that we can send you your tax receipt.

3. Do a bank e-transfer and send us the information at anyone@fourworlds.ca.

4.  Make a credit card payment over the phone by contacting us during office hours at 403-932 0882. 

5.  Cash? What’s that? 

To Contact Us:
Postal address: Box 395, Cochrane, AB, T4C 1A6
Email: anyone@fourworlds.ca
Telephone: 403-932-0882 (office) or 403-852-8283 (after hours)   
                                     
With our utmost gratitude for your support,
Michael and Judie Bopp
For the Himat team