Employers
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world.
Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
–- Margaret Mead
The Aboriginal-Industry Partnership Guide for the New Economy
As they say in their intro: "Strong, viable partnerships don’t just happen. They need to be understood, properly developed and well maintained." This guide is a great place to start.
It provides information on: how to form partnerships; skills and knowledge needed by individual members and the group; and how maintain a successful partnership.
For more information, visit the Aboriginal Skills Group website.
Seeing the big picture
The Aboriginal Human Resource Council has a great website. It's for those who are new to Aboriginal workforce issues, and who want to see the larger picture. They have great materials aimed at helping employers build lasting workplaces of inclusion.
Some things to check out:
- you could start wth their Resources section, which has some great reading and info, such as Inclusion Hiring Tip Sheets, Success stories, such as that of Mike Deranger, Aboriginal Business Owner and Visionary Tradesman read Mike's story
- a Promising Practises section, which includes inspiring stories such as this one: Manitoba Hydro's Youth Program
- their Getting Started page includes an informative guiide to understanding the "Differences between traditional Aboriginal cultures and mainstream Western culture"
How the Quebec Cree avoided the fate of Attawapiskat
from cbc.ca
Here is an interesting story about Cree communities in northern Quebec who took control of their destiny -- where education is good, and homes are healthy, and how they fought to accomplish that. WATCH VIDEO
'How to' guide
This is a comprehensive toolkit from the Construction Sector Council that covers a lot of ground.
Their intro explains it best:
It presents a series of actions – with supporting details, tools and resources – to set up Aboriginal recruitment, employment, training or apprenticeship initiatives for sustainable employment in line with industry needs.
It addresses a range of interests – from the small employer in a rural location looking to hire and keep a few local Aboriginal tradespeople, to the large construction project requiring a formal multi-year partnership providing skill development to nearby communities.
The toolkit is the product of a partnership between the Construction Sector Council and Grand River Employment and Training (GREAT). See our Apprenticeship page for more info on GREAT.
Humankind has not woven the web of life.
We are but one thread within it.
Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves.
All things are bound together. All things connect.
-- Chief Seattle, 1854