Engagement and Relationship Building with Indigenous Communities

This microcredential will focus on relationship building and engagement with Indigenous communities to work towards reconciliation. Participants will learn about respectful and appropriate communication and traditional/cultural protocols within Indigenous communities. Learners will build personal capacity for developing relationships and building mutual trust for long-term positive social impacts with Indigenous communities. Participants will engage with their peers through discussion forums and case studies. They will develop a community engagement strategy and communication plan based on an assigned project. 

Learners will learn how to effectively communicate with Indigenous communities, learn to implement a community engagement strategy and communication plan. By the end of this course of study, you should be able to: 

• Apply Indigenous perspectives, knowledge, and worldviews when working with Indigenous communities
• Explore approaches to develop relationships and mutual trust with Indigenous communities to work towards reconciliation
• Explain appropriate communication strategies and mechanisms for reporting back to Indigenous communities
• Use respectful and appropriate communication and traditional/cultural protocols when working with Indigenous communities
• Identify opportunities for partnerships, economic reconciliation, and social innovation with Indigenous communities
• Examine barriers and opportunities through relevant, real-world case studies to support relationship-building and engagement with Indigenous communities
• Identify the short, long-term, and intergenerational impacts when building relationships with Indigenous communities
• Identify ways to strengthen relationships with Indigenous communities in the future
• Develop a community engagement strategy to build mutual trust and relationships for a project with Indigenous communities
• Develop a communication plan to build mutual trust and relationships for a project with Indigenous communities

This microcredential prepares learner for the low-carbon economy by equipping them with the skills and knowledge needed to build meaningful and sustainable partnerships with Indigenous communities. As the world transitions to a low-carbon economy, collaboration with Indigenous communities is crucial, especially in sectors like clean energy, natural resource management, and sustainable development. Engagement and Relationship – Building with Indigenous Communities emphasizes the importance of long-term positive social impacts, mutual trust, and relationship-building. These elements are key to advancing social innovation and economic opportunities in a low-carbon economy, where inclusive and sustainable development is a priority.