Indigenous and Intercultural Awareness Course

Course Description

The Indigenous Intercultural Awareness Course is made up of seven modules delivered in two parts by expert facilitators. The purpose of this program is to provide local employers and employees the background and tools needed to recruit, train, retain, and support local Indigenous community Members.

This custom course was developed in partnership between the British Columbia Institute of Technology, Lil’wat Nation, and the Whistler Institute.

Course Deliverables

Upon course completion, students will be able to:

Discuss and understand the historical importance of the local territory.
Describe Lílw̓at7ul culture, traditions and social norms in both a historical and modern context.
Identify and apply what makes a safe and inclusive learning/work environment.
Identify and analyze barriers to employment faced uniquely by Indigenous peoples.
Demonstrate cultural self-awareness as it relates to the participant’s work environment.
Employ cultural empathy and communicate effectively in intercultural work settings.
Facilitate a discussion on how to manage and approach a challenging intercultural work scenario.
Acquire intercultural tools and strategies to support the retention and development of their employees.
Develop an organizational plan in support of indigenization and diversity efforts.

Course Format

Part 1: Lílw̓at7ul Nation History, Traditions, Culture (one day, 7 hours)

Part 2: Indigenous & Intercultural Awareness at Work (two days, 12 hours)

This two-day course is intended to assist local employers and their staff to recruit and retain employees from the Lílw̓at7ul Nation and create a welcoming workplace for employees from many cultures. Part 1 is a pre-requisite for Part 2.
1. Cultural competency
2. Cross-cultural leadership
3. Review
4. Practical workplace tools

Student Testimonial

“In August and September 2022, I had the privilege of completing the two-part course Lil’wat Nation Indigenous & Intercultural Awareness, offered by the Lil’wat Nation, the Whistler Institute, and British Columbia Institute of Technology. As a settler living and working in Lil’wat territory, I can’t express how valuable this learning opportunity was. Instructor Yvonne Wallace is warm, engaging, and highly knowledgeable. Her teaching style seamlessly integrated Lil’wat storytelling into an academic format, and she created a safe space for learners with very different starting points. Having completed a number of more “general” Indigenous-lead training sessions over the past several years, I can’t emphasize enough the impact of learning through a local lens, from an educator who belongs to a Nation with whom we interact every day.” Course Participant

About this Course's Development

This program was developed in partnership between the British Columbia Institute of Technology, Lil’wat Nation, and the Whistler Institute. The inspiration for this accredited course was to equip employers and employees to better work together, and understand our Indigenous neighbours’ strengths and challenges. By generating greater understanding and strengthening relationships, the team aspired to increase employment of local Lil’wat Nation community members in Whistler. In 2018, the Whistler Institute received a letter of support from Lil’wat Nation’s Political Chief for our work on this course, and a resource group from the Nation was formed to provide advice and guidance throughout this course’s development. 18 employer representatives and subject specialists shared their knowledge on the subject, and 43 Lil’wat Nation members shared their input, too.

The goal of this program is to build long lasting, sustainable relationships between communities. Participants will develop greater understanding of our Indigenous neighbours, and leave with a road map to implement practical changes within the workplace that will better equip their business to recruit and retain Indigenous individuals, while assisting in their journey towards reconciliation.