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The DreamMakers Council: CCDI and Indigenous Works collaborate to advance Indigenous inclusion and reconciliation in Canada

Posted in : Blog
Posted on : September 18, 2023

How are organizations moving towards reconciliation and building organizational cultures that support Indigenous inclusion? In late 2021, the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion (CCDI) and Indigenous Works (IW) launched an innovative CCDI-IW Partnership which brings more focus on Indigenous inclusion in the workplace called the DreamMakers Council (or DM Council). By combining our resources and research, we bring our mutual Employer Partners new models and training solutions to meet this goal. Currently with close to 50 DM Council organizations, participants build community with other like-minded organizations to increase understanding of organizational strategies and efforts to advance Indigenous inclusion in the workplace. 

In 2022, we interviewed five members of the DM Council to create case studies that were presented at the DM Summit in December 2022. The Summit allowed members to meet each other and discuss their experiences virtually. It was a success as members shared highlights of their key learnings on their organizational journey toward truth and reconciliation. Many of the case studies emphasize the importance of ongoing learning and making meaningful action which is demonstrated in the snippets below.

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Quotes from the DreamMakers Summit report

“The leadership team at Atuka has acknowledged that being a Canadian company comes with a responsibility to Indigenous communities and reconciliation. As a company of knowledge seekers, Atuka is committed to ongoing learning to continue on the path to reconciliation.”

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“Reconciliation starts with truth. One way that Farm Credit Canada is trying to move toward reconciliation is by understanding the history of the organization itself. This truth telling enables FCC and its employees to deepen their shared commitment to a different path forward.”

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 “Through engagement surveys, Home Hardware is gaining a better understanding of the diversity of their workforce and priority areas. They are moving away from asking, “are we responsible?” and are instead asking, “how do we take action in a meaningful way?” 

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“To support BC Hydro’s move toward true and lasting reconciliation with Indigenous People, BC Hydro acknowledges past wrongs, listens to Indigenous perspectives and seeks shared understanding with First Nations communities and governments.”

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“Definity advocates for ongoing learning on IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility) and Indigenous inclusion to avoid performative activism. They share a monthly IDEA calendar with employees and post a personal reflection on truth and reconciliation to support growth and learning year-round."

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The DM Council has already fostered a group of organizations that are making positive changes to their workplaces. It is an amazing opportunity to build community and find the support that your organization needs to further your own goals of reconciliation.

To find out more about joining the DreamMakers Council, please reach out to mail@ccdi.ca and contactus@iworks.org with ‘DM Council’ in the email subject line.