Mastering Aboriginal Inclusion Trina Bučko National Director, Organizational Inclusion Strategies

1. Mastering Aboriginal Inclusion Trina Bučko National Director, Organizational Inclusion Strategies

2. Agenda • Introductions • Background of Mastering Aboriginal Inclusion (MAI) • Overview of program • The future of MAI • How to get engaged • Wrap up, Q & A

3. Aboriginal Inclusion • The “culture” of a workplace that attracts, engages, and advances Aboriginal talent. • When a successful collection of HR policies, practices and training are combined with positive human behaviour, the result is an inclusive workplace where Aboriginal people can advance to their full potential.

4. Aboriginal Inclusion & the workplace • Get to know your co-workers • Leverage diversity for a higher functioning team • Combat racism • Build better business relationships • Dispel myths and misunderstandings • Improve communication • Better knowledge to increase recruitment efforts • Encourage retention

5. Background of MAI • 29 companies participated in development of MAI – Networks of Change • Participated in focus groups, review of the modules, and testing the training • Shared promising practices, interviews, case studies

6. MAI Activities • Canada’s Racism Free Workplace Strategy • Workshops, webinars, tip-sheets & tools • Sector Councils • Custom modules & training • Delivering internal staff workshops • Private in-company workshops • Public workshops

7. As with any set of training materials it is not possible to claim universal application. Each Aboriginal person is a unique individual, as are individuals from every other culture. MAI is not a train the trainer platform. Remember…

8. Develop a comprehension of the business case for Aboriginal inclusion Navigate your journey on the Inclusion Continuum Understand the significance of the historical exclusion of Aboriginal people in Canada Identify key strategies to increase recruitment, retention, & advancement of Aboriginal talent Key Objectives

9. Mastering Aboriginal Inclusion Program Inclusion embraced as the cultural norm Inclusion as a catalyst for growth Inclusion nurtured as a core competency Inclusion as a business imperative Inclusion as public relations Inclusion as forced compliance Inclusion is not on the radar screen

10. Stage 1: Indifference

11. Stage 4: Initiation

12. Stage 6: Integration

13. Business Case

14. The Business Case • Aboriginal demographics • Labour and skills demand • Diversity • Corporate social responsibility

15. Aboriginal Demographics (2006 Census) • Growing six times faster than general population • 1.7 million (4% of population) • 54% reside in major cities • Unemployment rate 13.2% (5.2%) • 48% are under 24 years of age

16. By 2017, Aboriginal persons of working age should represent one million workers -- about 3.4 % of the overall working-age. Human and economic potential of engaging Aboriginal people in the workforce = GDP contribution by 2017 of 162 billion. Centre for the Study of Living Standards Labour and Skills Demand

17. Diversity is not tied to legislation Diversity maximizes the potential of all employees Employees are able to contribute fully, regardless of any differences Managers must be equipped to implement and sustain diversity strategies Diversity

18. Corporate Social Responsibility • Improved relationships with Aboriginal communities & organizations • Positive reputation to aid in attracting employees • Loyal and repeat customers • Investors, customers & employees want to be associated with ‘good’ companies

19. History

20. History First Nations • Original inhabitants which had diverse lifestyles in independent societies Métis • A distinct culture of mixed European and First Nations family descendants largely based in western Canada Inuit • First peoples of the arctic and northern regions of Canada

21. 698,025 FN people; 633 bands representing 52 Nations and 60 distinct languages Median age: 25 years 42% live on reserve, 58% off reserve 30% speak an Aboriginal language Most commonly spoken language: Cree Make-up of First Nations (2006 Census)

22. Population: 389,785 Median age: 30 years Almost 70% of Métis live in urban areas Older Métis more likely to speak an Aboriginal language Make-up of Métis (2006 Census)

23. Population: 50,485 Median age: 22 78% Inuit live in “Inuit Nunaat” 69% speak Inuktituk Make-up of Inuit (2006 Census)

24. Examples of Systemic Exclusion Cultural • Impact of residential schools Social • Could not gather in groups; celebrations banned Economic • Loss of status if pursued university, military or legal professions Political • Could not vote in federal elections until 1960 – 40 years after women in Canada received the vote

25. Recruitment Strategies

26. Recruitment Challenges • Do you encountered challenges when seeking Aboriginal applicants ? If so what are they? • Do you feel there could be barriers faced by Aboriginal applicants within your application/ hiring processes? If so what are they? • Strategies to increase your pool of candidates.

27. Components of Cross –Cultural Interviews • Guidelines for interviews • Interview settings • Resume evaluation • Assessing a candidate

28. Additional MAI Topics • Retention challenges & practices • Advancement • Elements to an effective Inclusion Strategy • Partnership • Case studies & promising practices

29. Growth of MAI Platform • Modules now available in CD-Rom format • Webinars based on existing MAI modules to be released spring 2011 • New topics are underdevelopment to expand inclusion training • Customizable in-company training • Advisory services assist companies to integrate MAI strategies

30. MAI Engagement • Book an in-company one day • Attend a pre-scheduled workshop • Use points to sponsor your sub-contractors or Aboriginal partners to attend a workshop

31. Upcoming Workshops • Toronto June 7, 2011 • Winnipeg September 20, 2011 • Vancouver November 8,2011 aboriginalhr.ca