Paddling Together
Workshop
An experiential workshop for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal folks which will deepen and inspire the vision of ‘community’ within organizations.
Traditionally we had many, many ways of treating one another which affirmed our belief that everyone is a sacred gift. This workshop experience from the Village Workshop Series© will help awaken and deepen the participant’s understanding of traditional ways and values in ‘Village’. The workshop looks at how we can make our places of work more like a ‘Village’ and explores our personal and organizational roles in supporting the revival of those values that worked so beautifully for thousands of years. Together, participants will vision and commit to organizational goals and focus on lateral kindness.
Paddling Together has been inspired by Jann Derrick’s teachings regarding the Circle and many elder’s teachings. It is geared to solutions and is a great forum in which to ask questions.
Paddling Together Workshop
Learning outcomes:
Develop a cognitive and emotional understanding of traditional Indigenous values.
Experience a pre-colonial and a colonial organizational system.
Practice circle-based conflict resolution.
Develop a deeper insight into the depth of and the intergenerational effects of Colonization.
Learn methods for creating supportive cross-cultural relationships.
Objectives for the Visioning Day:
Networking and team building for collaborative groups of people.
Strategic planning, including vision, goals, agreed upon values and next steps in reconciliation.
Important note to workshop participants:
During this workshop, though we will not be addressing residential school and it’s affects in an in-depth way, the topic may come up. Participation in the workshop may trigger unresolved grief and loss issues for some. It is imperative that you know this in advance, so that you can make an informed choice about participating or not.
Please note Village Workshops are copyrighted. The Village©️ workshops should NOT be replicated or misappropriated. Facilitating may appear easy and it may be tempting to recreate versions of Village workshops by changing the stories slightly, etc. However, safety during these experiential workshops is a priority and it requires specialized and extensive education, training and years of Elder mentorship and guidance. The work (inspired by Jann Derrick’s Circle and the Box and the input of many, dear Elders who mentored and guided me) came to be through my own healing journey, and I have woven together that personal journey and the journey of healing of those I have worked with and walked beside during my 24 years of Counselling residential school survivors and their children and grandchildren. These boundaries have been set to maintain the integrity of the work.
About The Facilitator
Kathi Camilleri
A CULTURAL SAFETY PRACTITIONER, WORKSHOP FACILITATOR, KEYNOTE SPEAKER AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SPECIALIST
I am Métis with connections to Cree (York Factory) and Ojibwa through Turtle Mountain in North Dakota. Both My Marion and Laderoute ancestors settled for a time in St. Boniface, Manitoba and Olga North Dakota. I was born in Treaty 4 territory. I am a citizen of the Métis Nation of BC. My mom is a survivor of Canada’s policy of assimilation. My own healing journey brought me to do this work. I am Irish on my father’s side with connections to Moville, Donegal Ireland.
I created and facilitate the Building Bridges through Understanding the Village © workshop to increase cultural competency for organizations across Canada.
I have almost 28 years of leadership experience in facilitating, counseling, developing, directing and coordinating Aboriginal community-based programs. I have facilitated and managed culturally-based strategic planning sessions, conflict resolution and counseling strategies for groups and individuals, developed community workshops to create understanding and support for families who are experiencing the generational effects of the trauma of residential schools, and I have developed networking circles to bring service providers together and to increase cultural competency.
My work has been inspired by Jann Derrick’s teachings of ‘The Circle and The Box’ along with the input and teachings of many, dear Elders who often co-facilitate with me. I have certificates in Re-enactment Therapy for Trauma Survivors, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) for Trauma, and Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT), and hold a Master of Arts in Leadership. My thesis, Returning Home to the Values of the Village focused on the revival of culturally-based values in order to increase collaboration among staff within an Aboriginal service-providing agency.
Testimonials
“Chi Miigwetch, great thanks to you, Kathi, and all of the elders and organizers for delivering this amazing workshop. There was so much love, support, and wisdom in the room that it felt like an incredibly safe space to examine trauma and emotions around the impacts of colonization on our lives and families. I have been talking to many people all week about my experiences there”
“It was a deeply moving experience, and I can see that it is an incredible tool for education and healing.”
Contact
To learn more about Kathi or the workshops, or to book a workshop for your organization, please contact Kathi directly by email or phone.