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AHEAD
Indigenous Heritage, Education & Dialogue
FORED’s Indigenous Heritage, Education & Dialogue (AHEAD) program delivers educational materials, events and complimentary, downloadable activities for educators, NGOs, community leaders and others. These programs help build awareness of cultural, economic and heritage values in natural resources decision-making and showcase valuable career opportunities to Indigenous youth. Indigenous mentors share their career journeys and help foster a stay in school ethic. The program has valuable voluntary partners such as the Indigenous Resource Network, Nicola Valley Institute of Technology and individual First Nations from bands across BC as well as the provincial and federal governments, business leaders, academics & associations.
ANNUAL INDIGENOUS & NATIVE AMERICAN TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE & MEDICINE CONTEST WITH $150 CASH PRIZES
Teacher Feedback
Previous Winner
Gr. 1 class, Penticton Indian Band,
Outma Sqilx'W Cultural School Video Winner:
“The medicine on the land keeps us healthy” Students learn science in the syilx/sqilx(Okanagan) Knowledge language. Translated words in the video are sun, air, land, water.
To celebrate the rich culture and heritage of Canada's Indigenous peoples and those in the Pacific Northwest (United States subject to funding), FORED sponsors an annual art, photography & video contest. Theme is Indigenous Traditional Knowledge & Medicine with $150 cash prizes for winners, all self-declared Indigenous or Native American youth.
Visit our GoFundMe page to support our new Native American category or Canadian youth entrants.
View 2024 winners & contest details on our Artwork Contest page.
Stay tuned for the 2025 Contest Details.
Feedback from a proud mom whose daughter's award-winning art was displayed at the BC Ministry of Education office in Victoria for National Indigenous People's day.
Alison Webber's blog post (pictured).
Indigenous Career Journeys: Video interviews with those in Natural Resources Sectors
First Nations in Sustainablility Careers
Indigenous drummers open the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology Student Awards Ceremony
BC forest firefighters' in Australia
What is the toughest part about your job?
INDIGENOUS SCHOLARSHIPS
Lending a Helping Hand
Since 2010, FORED has proudly funded our Nicola Valley Institute of Technology (NVIT) First Nations bursary of $500 annually. Our Indigenous volunteers also help us promote the stay in school message to pursue post-secondary and graduate to great careers!
NVIT selects the winner based on a short essay on how traditional knowledge is used in natural resource management. Georgia, (pictured), is one of our many winners.
"We, at NVIT, are aware of the things you do for our community. Your generosity truly makes a difference."
-NVIT Academic and Financial Planner
With YOUR help, we'd like to expand our bursary gift to include a second one to eligible Pacific Northwest Indigenous youth who may reside in Oregon or Washington State. Visit our GoFundMe page for details.
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Our Journeys
These are personal profiles featuring Indigenous professionals who stayed in school and graduated to great careers in Natural Resources. Click the photo to download their stories.
First Choices, First Nations is a series of special publications focused on opportunities for Indigenous peoples that blend traditional knowledge and contemporary needs. Traditional harvesting, environmental management, tourism and other careers lay the foundation for reconciliation and economic prosperity in British Columbia.
Our Journeys are profiles of various BC Indigenous leaders who pursued their career dreams by staying in school and graduating to great professional achievements, like the always smiling Lenny Joe (pictured).
Joanne Stone-Campbell, BCIT
"Thank you so much for support and sharing of who we are and what we do to support our large Indigenous population at BCIT. I hope this is
the first of many articles, there are many success stories
of Indigenous graduates.
We are very proud and keeping contact is very important
with our Alumni."
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