Community Requests
Introduction
Please use this form to clarify your request for engagement with the Circle of Indigenous Nations Society (COINS). This form is designed to provide you the opportunity to give as much information as possible regarding your request which in turn, will allow the members of the COINS Team to respond appropriately. Please note this form is not to be completed by individuals seeking program services through COINS (i.e. Family Services, Early Years, Health and Wellness). It is meant for community agencies, non-profits and partners who are seeking to engage with COINS to advise, consult, collaborate or to provide training or an Elder opening for an event.
Clarity and expectations regarding the intent behind the engagement request, and decision making that may follow, is critical for maintaining healthy relationships between COINS and its partners.
The United Nation Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People, that has been endorsed by British Columbia and Canada, calls for participation of Indigenous people in decisions that affect Indigenous people and calls for support for Indigenous self-determination.
Partners bringing requests to COINS must first be responsible for clarity regarding their intended level of engagement and second be open to discussion regarding the appropriateness of their intention. If you are seeking further information on Indigenous history, cultural awareness and sensitivity training, an excellent starting point is this learning list.