By Nisha Lewis and Julia Blackburn, Sept 26, 2023
NPower Canada is committed to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, and supporting all individuals who face systemic barriers to employment. As women who have worked in the nonprofit sector for over 20 years, we have witnessed and experienced the challenges and injustices that marginalized people face in our society. We have also seen the resilience, potential, and success of people who are given the opportunity to overcome these barriers and transform their lives.
As CEO and COO of NPower Canada, we have a unique opportunity and responsibility to advance the cause of Truth and Reconciliation with Indigenous communities in Canada. We recognize that the history and legacy of colonization, residential schools, and systemic racism have caused immense harm and trauma to Indigenous peoples, cultures, languages, and lands. We acknowledge that these harms continue to affect the lives and well-being of Indigenous peoples today, and that they require urgent and meaningful action from all levels of society. And, we acknowledge that it is our responsibility to enact this urgent and meaningful change, but also, that we are not the experts.
As we deepen our commitment to collaborating with and supporting First Nations, Metis and Inuit communities, NPower Canada has embarked on a project with Mokwateh, an Indigenous consultancy organization that provides unique insights to help their clients foster meaningful relationships with Indigenous communities and partners across Canada. Through our engagement with Mokwateh, we hope to more fully understand NPower Canada’s unique position as a Canadian workforce development strategy, and assess our organization’s readiness for Reconciliation Action planning and to identify learning and engagement opportunities. The assessment will be conducted via in-depth interviews with members across our organization, including board members and other stakeholders, and assessed against current thought leadership, literature, and emerging best practice.
After the assessment and research is completed, NPower Canada will work with Mokwateh to develop a roadmap to implementation of a Reconciliation Action Plan that demonstrates our continued commitment to reconciliation efforts and outlines our on-going responsibility to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion, and delivering education and career development opportunities to Indigenous and non-Indigenous students.
NPower Canada is committed to creating a positive and lasting impact, and embarking on this journey with Mokwateh so that our organization can better work with and serve First Nations, Metis and Inuit job-seekers and communities. In building relationships with Mokwateh and collaborating with other Indigenous peoples and organizations, we are engaging in a process of continuous learning, reflection, and application of progressive actions, and we encourage you to consider what steps you, and your organization, can take towards reconciliation.
