Charting a Path to Indigenous Youth Water Innovation

Indigenous Peoples are the experts of their own realities and histories. Indigenous youth are Canada’s fastest growing demographic, and youth engagement is a key strategy for Indigenous communities to take control of their economies and futures. However, despite a mandate to supportIndigenous youth well-being in rural setting , the education sector struggles to design programs and means to carry across biocultural regions and local knowledge systems in support of community development.

The focus of this session is to introduce a new path and digital supporting mechanisms to engage youth (K-12) to hone their innovative spirit in water-health, working with community leaders, government agencies, university researchers and water industry professionals to solve real-world potable water challenges and with a lens of Indigenous sustainability value system.

Moderator: Kerry Black , Regional Lead, RESEAU Centre for Mobilizing Innovation

Speakers

·     Katy Thorne CWWP, Public Works, Tk’emlúps teSecwépemc, ‘Namgis First Nation

·     Kimberley Brown, Lax Kw’alaams Band, WaterTreatment EIT, KWL

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