Frequently Asked Questions

WHAT DOES COMMUNITY MEAN?

That is totally up to you to define! While a community may be a physical place (a rural town, a reserve, or a part of a city), community can also be a group of people locally or across territories that are held together by a web of relationships. It is up to you to tell us!

WHAT IS THE TIME COMMITMENT?

At 4Rs we are forever learning about what reciprocity can look like in the work of reconciliation – specifically, what is the reciprocity we can offer to each other and to our communities that sustains our work? For the NLC this means actively building relationships with others in the cohort and committing to being present for all meetings (of course, with compassion for our real lives and all the challenges and realities they present). 
These meetings include a virtual opening and closing retreat, “all teams meetings” where all teams from this cohort will be asked to meet online once a month. Beyond what has been named, we will have check-in conversations to support your team along the way. The frequency of this depends on what kind of gathering you host, your team needs and community dynamics. A detailed program description will be shared with those who are invited to join the 2021 NLC and will provide further information on time commitment.

WHAT IS SOME/ALL OF OUR GROUP MEMBERS FALL OUTSIDE OF THE AGE RANGE OF 18-30?

If you are a group that is or includes people under 18 but is a good fit for the NLC, we will definitely accept your application. If your group includes young people between the ages of 31-35, we will still accept your application as long as the majority of young people in your group are within the 18-30 range.

WHAT KIND OF “RECONCILIATION BASED” GATHERINGS ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?

We are looking for gatherings that matter to you as young people. Something that you feel is relevant to your community’s journey together that also adds to a larger dialogue around shifting the current idea of reconciliation back to one that centres Indigenous voices.

WHAT KIND OF SUPPORT WILL WE GET?

Our goal is to help each of you best support your own community’s needs. That means the 4Rs team will not only provide funding for you to host your gathering, but we will also offer support as a team, and connect you to knowledge holders within our network (on Turtle Island and internationally). That could look like sharing learnings with one another that deepen our understanding of the complexity of reconciliation, coaching through the edges of conflict that arise in this work, helping you set the intention for your gathering/projects (including design, facilitation and evaluating your impact), as well as planning supports such as outreach, budgeting, travel & logistics. Combined, these supports contribute to building a community that acts, reflects, integrates and mobilizes together.  We will also have learning conversations to help activate our knowledge bundles this year. These conversations with elders, other youth groups and practitioners can offer complementary frameworks and worldviews that align with a multitude of Indigenous teachings, as well as an opportunity to learn about deep healing work that have their origins in disability, queer, Black and People of Colours movements.

WHAT IS THE TIMELINE?

While this is the ideal timeline, it may be subject to change based upon the circumstances we find ourselves in. 

  • April to May 2021: Prepping for the virtual opening retreat, learning about 4Rs and doing some team groundwork/visioning. 
  • Late May 2021: Virtual opening retreat, getting to know each other, and setting a foundation for our work!
  • May to end of June 2021: Setting intentions, connecting with community, design and planning for your gathering/project. 
  • July to January 2022: Ongoing planning, connecting with other NLC, sharing skills, and hosting gatherings/projects! 
  • February 2022: Teams will take time to reflect on their learnings from the year together and move into future planning.
  • March 2022: Virtual (maybe in person!) closing retreat!!!

COVID AND IN-PERSON GATHERINGS

At 4Rs, we want to prioritize the safety of you and your community while also making room for possibility when we can. While we expect most gatherings and retreats to be online this year, there may be an option for in-person gatherings as long as local protocols are met, and together we follow 4Rs COVID safety policies.