Northlands College is recruiting for their new Elders Advisory Council.
The role of the four Indigenous Elders on the council will be to provide the College with advice on topics of culture and language.
Guy Penney, president and CEO of the College, said Northlands decided to create the council in an act of reconciliation.
“Northlands College, you may recall, raised the flag of reconciliation at all of our locations throughout the north and as part of our commitment to reconciliation, we embarked on a journey over the course of the last number of years to not only have the symbolic part of raising the flag but the actions that go with that commitment as well.”
Penney said the council will give their advice to the College’s board and management.
“We’re looking to draw upon the wisdom and guidance of our Elders here in the north to help us become the very best education organization that we can be,” he said.
The Council will be working directly with Northlands’ manager of Indigenous initiatives and Elder in residence.
Penney said once the Council is created, the College will know if policies and procedures need to be updated. He said the role of the Elders Advisory Council at Northlands will continue to evolve.
“As I was saying to someone this morning, this is going to be an entity that will evolve over the course of time and with that we’re going to be, in my opinion and the opinion of our board as well, certainly more well informed,” he said. “We’re going to be drawing information from this body of folks for a number of years to come so we’re all going to benefit from it.”
Indigenous Elders from all over northern Saskatchewan are invited to apply. Applications will be taken until Nov. 26.
If anyone has questions prior to applying, they are encouraged to call Northlands at 306-425-4480 and talk with Jennifer Kyplain.
(PHOTO: Northlands College’s president and CEO Guy Penney said students and staff alike will benefit from the new Elders Advisory Council. File photo.)