COMMUNITY

TRAINING & EMPLOYMENT OPENINGS

Williams Lake First Nation works in close collaboration with the Cariboo Chilcotin Aboriginal Training Employment Centre (CCATEC; pronounced ‘Kay-Teck’) to connect our citizens with a wealth of training and employment opportunities in the region. Whether you’re looking for a new job, planning to ‘up’ your training or certification for your job, or curious about becoming educated in a brand new field, there are wellsprings of opportunities available to you.

Come say Hi to Shawna

For all your training, education, and employment needs, WLFN’s Employment Coordinator, Shawna, has your back. She is available Monday to Friday, from 8:30am until 4:30pm at the WLFN Administration building on Quigli. Call or email to set up an appointment: shawna.philbrick@wlfn.ca or 250.296.3507 ext.135

Make the Move: Where to Start Looking for Training, Education, and Employment Opportunities:

• WLFN’s Website: www.wlfn.ca/employment-training

• CCATEC’s website: www.ccatec.com

• WLFN’s Employment and Training Facebook Group: www.fb.com/groups/wlfn.employment.training

• Contact WLFN’s Employment Coordinator Shawna Philbrick: shawna.philbrick@wlfn.ca or 250.296.3507 ext.135

WLFN Youth attend Gathering Our Voices Conference

by Councillor Shae Chelsea

On March 22, 2023 some of WLFN’s youth attended the annual Gathering Our Voices conference in Vancouver. On the first night of the conference the youth went to the movie theater near their hotel. After the show, two of our youth spotted Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes buying popcorn. As they raced down the escalator to see him, he had already stepped into the elevator for the parking garage. They tried to convince the chaperones to let them chase him on the stairs, when the elevator doors opened again and he stepped out to greet them. The youth were able to snap a couple pictures and thanked him for coming back to meet them.

The next day, the youth started their workshops. One, called Keepers of Indigenous Knowledge discussed a young social media influencer and how he got started. Another, Unceded and Unde- feated was about an undefeated Metis female MMA (mixed martial arts) fighter. The last, Indigenous Faces of Music focused on a young First Nations female artist and how she became the person she is today. After a long day of workshops, the youth were able to go to Metrotown Mall until closing.

On Friday, the youth attended more workshops until the end of the day. The first was Not Just Naloxone. They learned about using a Narcan kit safely and why people use substances. The next workshop was Lahal Games, where the kids learned a bit more about the rules and how to play. The last workshop of the day was a question-and-answer session with musicians Snotty Nose Rez Kids (SNRK). This gave any youth a chance to ask them whatever they wanted to know. WLFN’s Haze Grinder got up to ask both artists what they thought about the TV series Reservation Dogs. SNRK responded, “It’s about time ‒ it’s about time we get representation like that. On all platforms, not just in music but the film industry too. It’s about time! Shout out to Reservation Dogs and they are paving a way for future generations.”

After the Q&A session with SNRK, the youth went back to the hotel to get ready for the dance/concert with SNRK that night. Some of the youth decided to stay behind but a couple of the youth attended the dance/concert and had the opportunity to watch SNRK’s live performance.

Saturday the youth were up early to attend the closing ceremonies, where they were able to listen to others like them who have succeeded while they were young. One of the speakers that morning was Waneek Horn-Miller, a gold med- alist from the 1999 Pan American games for Water Polo with a unique story of her own. She also went on to become a co-captain of Canada’s first Olympic women’s water polo team.

After closing ceremonies there was a great giveaway for every youth in attendance, where they could pick from different sports equipment (basketballs, footballs, hockey sticks, lacrosse sticks, etc), books, bags, and other fun outdoor gear (disc golf, badminton, volleyball sets, bocce, and more). The youth definitely left with their hands full for the long journey home. They were so amazing on this trip, and I was so grateful for the opportunity to attend as a chaperone.

In the past I have attended Gathering Our Voices with other youth from WLFN and Xatsull. It is such a unique experience every time I have attended; it shows the youth that there is so much more out there in the world that can be achieved. If they work hard and never let go of their dreams, anything is possible. I am a big believer that you can do anything as long as you work hard and don’t give up. This is just the beginning for our youth. I hope that in the future they are able to attend more and create more memories with one another. The next steps will be helping them create a youth council, so they can figure out where they want to go next.

No dream is too big, and we are here to help guide them. Thank you to everyone who helped make this trip a reality for these youth.

Yeri7 Skukwstsetsemc!

Welcome to WLFN, Self-Government Transition Coordinator

Carolyn Belleau

Carolyn is originally from Esk’et and was raised in Edmonton. Her parents are Dave and Marilyn Belleau, and she has six brothers.

Prior to taking this job at WLFN, she was living in Williams Lake while articling remotely for the charitable organization Access Pro Bono (‘articling’ is like an apprenticeship; working with seasoned lawyers in different specialties to gain experience). This is Carolyn’s final step on her path to becoming a qualified, practicing lawyer. She will complete her articling requirement in May, 2023.

Carolyn talks about upcoming Supreme Court cases with the excitement of a hockey fan when their team heads to the playoffs. “Segregation, the Sixties Scoop, all the laws that devastated our way of life, that trickled down and shaped our whole entire lives as a Secwépemc – The legal educational path I worked toward was based on wanting to be on the side where I can shape the laws to make a difference, to make sure those colonial laws never happen again.”

Carolyn is the first Secwépemc to graduate from UVic’s new JD/JID program — the world’s first Indigenous law program.

Before a passion for law took over her life, Carolyn loved to Pow Wow dance (mostly Jingle, but also Fancy and Traditional). She loves to sew and bead. She’s presently beading a pair of moccasins for her brother.