Indigenous initiatives

Business Education for Indigenous Communities

Aboriginal Management Program

Delivered by Ch’nook Indigenous Business Education (Ch’nook), the Aboriginal Management Program (AMP), created by UBC Sauder in 2002, is an executive education-style management program for aspiring Indigenous entrepreneurs from across Canada. AMP was run virtually for the 2021 year and there were 10 graduates from the program.

Ch’nook Accelerated Business Program

Delivered directly in Indigenous communities by Ch’nook, this customizable and accelerated program in entrepreneurship, business administration, and project management has been supported in part by UBC Excellence funding. Each Accelerated Business Program (ABP) delivery is tailored to reflect the needs and desires of the partnering community or organization. To date, the program has been offered to participants in Vancouver, Bella Bella, Port Alberni, Anahim Lake, and the Tsilhqot’in National Government communities (Tl’etinqox, Xeni Gwet’in, TsI Deldel, Tl’esqox, Esdilagh, and Yunesit’in). ABP was run synchronously in summer 2021 for a Tsilhqot’in cohort and also asynchronously for Tsilhqot’in community members who did not have access to internet or for those needing more flexibility with course scheduling.

Métis Business Management Program

Similar to the Aboriginal Management Program, the Métis Business Management Program (MBMP) offers a series of introductory business classes including accounting and finance, marketing, business operations, leadership and project management. The virtual program launched in September 2021 and there were 18 graduates from the program. Metis Nation British Columbia Senior Leadership Program

In early 2022, the Ch’nook Office delivered a pilot senior leadership program in partnership with Métis Nation British Columbia (MNBC). This virtual program centers around MNBC’s strategic plan and provides executive business training in leadership development and principles, operations, finance, and accounting for senior MNBC leadership.

Continuing Business Studies Project Management Training

Continuing Business Studies (CBS) has been supporting and providing project management training to the St’át’imc group since Oct 2020. Participants include St’at’imc community members and St’at’imc Government Services staff. Their Education and Training department seeks to deliver programs to prepare St’at’imc members to access economic opportunities in St’at’imc Territory, in particular with opportunities related to BC Hydro, which has major infrastructure in their territory. They have consistently heard from members, St’at’imc businesses, and BC Hydro that project management training was needed, and has potential to strengthen capacity of St’at’imc businesses and increase access to opportunities with BC Hydro. For more information see: https://statimc.ca/

Supporting Indigenous Students

Ch’nook Scholars Program

The Ch’nook Scholars Program, started at UBC Sauder in 2007, supports Indigenous post-secondary business students through scholarships and enriched educational experiences that help develop their leadership skills while offering a range of business tools, connections, and other benefits. The Ch’nook Scholars Program was run virtually for the 2021-2022 year, with 24 Scholars enrolled in the program from 13 universities and colleges in British Columbia and Alberta.

Spitz Fellows Program

The Spitz Fellows Program, launched with the generous support of the Spitz family in 2015, is a unique opportunity for Indigenous women (Canadian students who identify as women and First Nations, Métis or Inuit) pursuing a Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) at UBC Sauder. The program is open to direct entry, transfer, and current students who demonstrate academic achievement, community engagement, tenacity, leadership skills, and service to others. The program provides students with awards valued at a minimum of $10,000 per academic year, which may be renewed until the Fellow graduates from the UBC BCom program.

Business Curriculum Through an Indigenous Lens

Current Courses

The UBC Sauder School of Business is working to ensure that Indigenous content is expanded and restructured across the Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) curriculum. UBC Sauder offers Indigenous guest lectures on current topics and the exploration of Indigenous issues and literature. Indigenous content has been included in the following required courses that will be taken by every student. These include Values, Ethics, and Community (COMM 105), Business Writing (COMM 390), and Environment, Society, and Government (COMM 394). In addition, COMM 386T and BAEN (Indigenous Relations and Economic Development) are both dedicated to Indigenous topics. (Note: to see more on content see page 21).

Many of these courses have integrated some of this Indigenous content into their curriculum over the past year utilizing the BMO Aboriginal Business Teaching Fund. These courses have included features such as Indigenous Cultural Awareness training, Indigenous peer mentoring, Indigenous support with lesson planning, curriculum development and communications, Indigenous subject matter expertise for a repository of Indigenous business course materials, Indigenous guest speakers and subject matter experts for Indigenous relations, economic development, Indigenous history and Indigenous business, as well as Indigenous representation for “Business Pitch” sessions.

Teaching and Learning Enhancement Fund Grant: Indigenizing the Curriculum

Through a Teaching and Learning Enhancement Fund (TLEF) grant and with additional support from the BMO Aboriginal Teaching Fund, UBC Sauder faculty and staff are working together to infuse our business education mission with Indigenous knowledge. The goals of the project are to weave Indigenous perspectives, knowledge, and competencies into the pedagogy of UBC Sauder. Curriculum resources and training opportunities are being developed to support faculty to approach Indigenous topics in an informed and sensitive manner. This work is in alignment with UBC’s Indigenous Strategic Plan, and specifically addresses goals 4, 6, and 7.

UBC Sauder Indigenous Business Concentration Program

UBC Sauder is currently developing an Indigenous Business Concentration Program. The goal of this program will be to provide students with insight into the opportunities and challenges associated with working with First Nations on business projects. In addition to taking a customized selection of Indigenous-related courses from across the University, students enrolled in the concentration will take two courses on Indigenous economic development delivered by UBC Sauder. The concentration will feature a significant experiential learning component that will allow students to partner directly with First Nations.

Progressive Aboriginal Relations (PAR)

UBC Sauder is the first educational institution to participate in the Progressive Aboriginal Relations (PAR) program, a certification program by the Canadian Council of Aboriginal Business. PAR is Canada’s premier program for Aboriginal Relations. The PAR program helps organizations assess and improve their Aboriginal relations policies and signal to communities that they are committed to prosperity in Aboriginal communities. PAR certification is determined by a jury of Indigenous business people based on an assessment framework that evaluates organizations on four key performance drivers: leadership actions, employment outcomes, business development, and community relations.

We are currently working on the “PAR committed track,” comprised of three successive phases. In 2022 the School successfully completed Phase Two, which focused on developing Indigenous cultural training, developing a communications plan highlighting Indigenous activities and initiatives, and developing leadership commitment and policy statements. Work on Phase Three is now in progress and involves deepening Indigenous community engagement, celebrating Indigenous culture, advancing Indigenous procurement, and capacity building for Indigenous community members through our educational programs. Learn more about PAR at: www.ccab.com/programs/ progressive-aboriginal-relations-par/learn-more/