OCNews

Jewell Gillies of Okanagan College’s Student, Graduate & Co-op Employment Services Office will be co-facilitating BCcampus’ upcoming Fall Indigenous Series entitled “Pulling Together.” 

This 6-part online series, open to all employees in post-secondary in B.C., is designed to assist participants in understanding, from a traditional Indigenous perspective, that every season has work to be done as it pertains to reconciliation. It will also encourage you to consider how we fit our post-secondary education, policies and protocols into the seasons to best reflect Indigenous ways of knowing and doing. 

“The goal of this series is to fuel understanding and dialogue about embracing reconciliation and working together to create equitable space for Indigenous peoples in our institutions as learners, colleagues and community members. We shall explore our respective roles and how we gather our knowledge and bring that wealth home to our community,” notes Gillies.

Participation will entail three-hours asynchronous study and reflection, with one synchronous session each Thursday from 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., Oct. 1 to Nov. 5. Register here before 4 p.m. on Friday, September 18.

Sessions are open to all employees in post-secondary. Gillies and co-facilitator Marlene Erickson, Director, Aboriginal Education at College of New Caledonia (CNC) will be utilizing the Leaders and Administrators Guide of the Pulling Together handbook as reference materials.

Gillies is a member of OC’s Aboriginal Services team and is currently seconded to Student, Graduate & Co-op Employment Services to coordinate Indigenous Student Initiatives.