A conference June 7-8 (Tuesday and Wednesday) in Duncan aims to help individuals and businesses hire Indigenous employees.
The workshop, Sharing Knowledge/Building Relationships: Aboriginal Experience in the Cross-cultural Workplace, is held at VIU’s Cowichan Campus hosted by a variety of universities and agencies and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.
“This is a first for us at the Cowichan Campus,” said Warren Weir, Cowichan Campus academic administrator.
Using Indigenous methods of respectful discussion, the conference wants to help business owners understand what aboriginal workers experience in the workplace, exploring how to increase workplace well-being and satisfaction, and decrease turnover.
The conference also includes dinner and a cultural celebration on Tuesday, June 7 starting at 5 p.m. at the Quw’utsun’ Cultural and Conference Centre.
Keynote speaker Kelly Lendsay, president and CEO of the Aboriginal Human Resource Council, leads a galaxy of important speakers.
The discussions that take place at the conference will help guide collaborative research and interventions to address common challenges faced by Indigenous and non-Indigenous employees and employers.
“We’re planning to engage community stakeholders in a dialogue that’s national in scope and promotes further educational activities and research,” said Weir.
The cost for the event is $250, with a reduction to $150 for elders and students.