A Path to Reconciliation

Key Resources for Embedding Truth and Reconciliation into Your Organizational Practices

Today is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a day to honour the healing journeys of residential school survivors and their families. It is also a time to engage with friends, family, and colleagues in meaningful discussions about the history and legacy of the residential school system.
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Last week, during a training session, a client from outside Canada asked us to help them understand the significance of this day and provide resources for building better communications around it. Based on that conversation, we’ve curated a list of tools and resources to help organizations deepen their understanding of truth and reconciliation and begin embedding these principles into their values and practices.

• APTN News produced a video highlighting the story behind the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation. Journalist Tina House takes viewers through the history of the horrific institution of residential schools, how Canada is trying to reconcile, and how survivors are coping. The video is under 25 minutes in length and can be accessed for free on YouTube.
• BDC offers a free training course called “The 4 Seasons of Reconciliation” to provide entrepreneurs with foundational knowledge about Canada’s Indigenous peoples and our shared history. The multi-media course is three hours in length and can be taken at your own pace. Start the training at BDC.
• Launched in 2019, the NETWORK created the Indigenous Ally Toolkit to educate non-Indigenous individuals and groups on how they can use their privilege to listen, shift power dynamics, and take concrete steps towards (Re)conciliation-Action. The Toolkit provides insights on how workplaces and organizations can be good allies and terminology NOT to use. Download your copy of the Indigenous Ally Toolkit.
• The Indigenous Knowledge Circle of the NBCKC developed their toolkit for Respectful Collaboration with Indigenous Peoples to help organizations seeking to learn how to do things differently, how to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past, and how to embed reconciliation into their conservation and stewardship work. This is a must-read guide we recommend for all organizations to read, from nonprofits to startups and large-scale businesses. Download Beyond Conservation: A Toolkit for Respectful Collaboration with Indigenous Peoples.​

​No matter when you choose to engage with these resources—today, next week, or next month—we encourage you and your team to reflect on how you can implement the recommendations and insights into your daily work and life. A meaningful step toward reconciliation starts with education, awareness, and open dialogue.