Decolonizing ENGO-First Nation Partnerships
Decolonizing ENGO-First Nation Partnerships will build ENGO staff awareness and literacy about the structure of settler colonialism to avoid reproducing it in partnerships with Indigenous communities. Dr. Damien Lee of Gimiwan Research and Consulting has developed and will lead delivery of seven, 3-hour weekly virtual sessions, held over two months to cohort participants (max: 60) twice each year for 2024, 2025 and 2026. Topics will include:
• Settler Colonialism 101
• Positionality
• Inherent Indigenous Governance 101
• Building Better Relations
• Understanding Territorial Sovereignties
• The Nonprofit Industrial Complex
Vision2030 offerings will be posted HERE. To receive email announcements, SIGN-UP here. ENGO Ethical Space Collective
Five large conservation NGOs have been exploring the relevance and value of Indigenous-led area-based conservation through this land-based learning community since the fall of 2023.
The collaboration is co-facilitated by Chloe Dragon-Smith (BEBE[A]SKI & Conservation Through Reconciliation Partnership) and Don Carruthers Den Hoed (UBC Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability) who are developing a curriculum that combines an e-residency, virtual workshops and land-based gathering.
This peer community of practice helps environmental non-profit organization leadersunderstand ethical space and the systems change required for reconciliation within, among,and beyond ENGOs.
The goal is to launch an 8-10 month program by spring 2025 beyond the founding organizations to additional employees to learn about ethical space and contribute to deep systems change in the ENGO sector.
This work is being piloted by staff teams from World Wildlife Fund Canada, Nature Conservancy of Canada, Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, Ducks Unlimited, and Nature United/The Nature Conservancy. We thank them for their leadership in this area and for being a part of this leading edge collaboration.
