Dec 1st Workshop explores shared interest in making our communities better

Courtesy of the City of Williams Lake:

Over 40 participants gathered on Thursday, December 1st for a workshop sponsored by the City of Williams Lake and the Fraser Basin Council titled: Learning and Planning Together: Building respectful and effective Aboriginal/non-aboriginal relationships. The workshop brought together First Nations bands, aboriginal organizations, social service organizations, and the education and health service providers in our communities to learn about each other, better understand the context of First Nations history and governance, and talk about our shared interests in making our communities a better place to live.

“We are committed to moving forward in our relationships with First Nations” says Mayor Kerry Cook. “We have set this as a priority in our new Official Community Plan and with this workshop we have taken a major step in understanding and building those relationships.”

The workshop was an opportunity for leaders in the health, education and social sectors to get to know each other and to discuss the opportunities and challenges related to building stronger relationships that support working together. Participants identified some concrete issues and strategies to support moving forward, including a desire to meet again in the new year as well as a commitment to building cross-cultural understanding.

The workshop facilitators will be creating a report summarizing the feedback from the day, which will be distributed to all participants and will guide the direction for next steps.