Program

The program for the Gathering will involve a combination of keynote speakers, panel discussions as well as break out dialogue space where best practices and case studies will be used to catalyze discussions for building strategies for change:

• The first day of the program will explore healing, justice and the creation of a new environment of respect in Alberta and Canada and will highlight reconciliation and centre dialogue on strategies to build new relationships based on respect and collaboration.
• The second day of the program will explore the well-being of children and families in Alberta and Canada through exploring the state of Aboriginal children in Alberta and strategies for improved child welfare and education.
• The third day of the program will focus on community based strategies for change through dialogue and will launch the 100 Dialogues, 100 Actions Campaign.  Training will be integrated to support constructive dialogue processes in communities using the Common Ground process advanced by the Alberta Native Friendship Centres’ Association as well as on youth dialogues in s that lead from relationship building to collaborative action for change.
• An evening session will also highlight and explore the potential for building a larger coalition of non-Aboriginal and Aboriginal allies to promote provincial, or even national, level collaboration for change and to support the advancement of the United Nations Indigenous Declaration of Human Rights.

Circle Alberta: From Action to Change

Thursday, October 21^st : Healing, Justice and Creating a New Environment of Respect

7:30 – 9:30 am	Registration Open
8:30 – 9:30 am	Pipe Ceremony and Opening Prayers
9:30 – 10:00 am	Opening Remarks and Welcome including update from Phase I Conference Chairs – Lewis Cardinal, Elexis Schloss
10:00 – 11:30 am	Opening Keynote: Creating a New Environment of Respect through Healing and Justice Maggie Hodgson
11:30 am – 1:00 pm	Lunch Break and Entertainment
1:00 – 2:30 pm	Road to Reconciliation Panel Discussion Rev. Cecile Fausak, Liaison Minister: Residential Schools General Council Office, The United Church of Canada Reverend Canon Travis Enright, Vicar, St. Paul Cathedral
2:30 – 3:00 pm	Break
3:00 – 4:30 pm	Dialogue Breakouts
	A: Breaking it Down to Build it Up – Building Relationships between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Youth Kyle Dube, Executive Director YOUCAN
	B: Strategies for Creating Respectful Workplaces Crystal Kosa
	C: Building New Relationships and Becoming Effective Allies Mike Kroening, John Reilly, and Leona Carter, City of Edmonton
4:30 – 5:00 pm	Day Wrap Up and Check In

Friday, October 22^nd : Supporting our Children and Families

8:00 – 9:30 am	Registration Open
9:30 – 9:35 am	Opening Welcome Lewis Cardinal and/or Elexis Schloss
9:35 – 10:15 am	Opening Keynote: The State of Aboriginal Children and Families in Alberta: Spin or Reality? Dr. Jean Lafrance, Associate Professor – Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary
10:15 – 10:30 am	Break
10:30 am – 12:00 pm	Breakouts
	A: Promoting Health in Aboriginal Communities Lynn Sutankayo, HIV Edmonton
	B: Promoting Healing and Change in Child Welfare Bernadette Iahtail, Executive Director, Creating Hope Society
	C: The Importance of Cultural Retention among Children and Youth Deborah Lloyd, Medicine Hat High School (History in the Hills)
12:00 – 1:00 pm	Lunch
1:00 – 2:30 pm	Creating New Paths in Aboriginal Education: Edmonton Catholic School Board’s Experience Cindy Olsen and Betty Lafferty, Edmonton Catholic Schools
2:30 – 3:00 pm	Break
3:00 – 4:30 pm	Breakout Dialogues
	A: Creating Respectful Classrooms Nora Shea and Patti McLeish
	B: Innovative Models to Education for Aboriginal Youth (K-12) Trish Randolph- Beaver, FNMI Services Branch, Alberta Education
	C: Innovative Models to Education for Aboriginal Youth (Post-Secondary and Advanced) Vivian Ayoungman, First Nations Adult Education Consortium
4:30 – 5:00 pm	Day Wrap up and Check In
7:00 – 9:00 pm	Evening Reception:  Building a Coalition of non-Aboriginal and Aboriginal Allies to Advance the Indigenous Declaration of Human Rights Hugh Braker

Saturday, October 23^rd : Community Based Dialogues and Strategies for Change

8:00 – 9:30 am	Registration Open
9:30 – 9:35 am	Opening Welcome Lewis Cardinal and/or Elexis Schloss
9:35 – 10:30 am	Successes and Challenges in Community Dialogue Models Panel Discussion Alberta Native Friendship Centres’ Association
10:30 – 11:00 am	Break
11:00 am – 12:00 pm	Breakout Dialogues
	A: Case Study – Slave Lake Dorothy Wright
	B: Case Study – Red Deer Tanya Schur
	C: Case Study – Rocky Mountain House Merle White and Louise Russell
12:00 – 1:00 pm	Lunch: Launch of 100 Dialogues, 100 Actions Campaign Lewis Cardinal
1:00 – 4:30 pm	Training Breakouts
	Introduction and Training on Common Ground Process and Provision of Toolkit Tanya Schur and Louise Russell, Alberta Native Friendship Centres’ Association
	Introduction and Training on Youth Dialogues and Toolkit Carrie Malloy and Chelsea Rutkowski, John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights
4:30 – 5:00 pm	Day Wrap up and Check In