ACE-WIL is pleased to recognize Renee St. Godard, a geography co-op student at UVic who has won an IMPACT 2020 prize for her story about facilitating learning for reconciliation training for BC Parks Staff. Renee worked closely with her supervisor, Heather Davies, Director for Indigenous Relations for BC Parks.
Renee submitted this story about her experience:
In my co-op term I coordinated and facilitated over 50 colleagues in an 8 week training session on “Reconciliation”. With the province’s adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, learning what reconciliation is and how it is entangled in our everyday lives (personal and work-related) is vital to achieving it. It was an extremely profound project to have been able to participate in and facilitate and I am thankful that I was able to provide a safe space for questions and discussion to my co-workers. Reconciliation and all that it is comprised of is not an end goal, it is a journey, a path on which we learn and make mistakes, ask questions, and learn new things about ourselves, our neighbours and our province. It is a project I will always remember.
“I got together with a group of around 50 park staff. We talk about the Indian act to what it means to be a settler, to reconciliation with indigenous peoples and a whole bunch of other topics as well. I’ve heard a lot of really good feedback from the participants saying they’re getting a lot from it personally and also professionally.” says Renee.
When asked about the special skills that Renee brought Heather explains “That sort of younger perspective on how to engage with people in exciting ways and to integrate technology in that, I think has been a real asset to our team.”
The project has certainly left a lasting impact on staff and certainly Renee. “Knowing that the projects I’ve done have made some small impact on somebody, that’s a really good feeling.”
Congratulations Renee St. Godard & Heather Davies!
Read & watch the other IMPACT 2020 Stories
If you’re an ACE-WIL Member, you can also view all 70 story submissions on the project page: