Collaboration & Knowledge Sharing Initiative

The Collaboration & Knowledge Sharing Initiative (CKSI) is a project of the Surrey Local Immigration Partnership (LIP) aiming to bridge Indigenous and newcomer communities in BC and Yukon.

Working Together

CKSI will engage BC and Yukon Local Immigration Partnerships to co-create an equity-centered program design framework, which will build the capacity of LIPs throughout the region to design programs, projects and initiatives that bridge Indigenous Peoples and newcomers in each of their unique communities.

Knowledge Sharing and Learning Together

This initiative will amplify the learnings and best practices from the Surrey LIP bridging project, which resulted in the co-creation of the Surrey First Peoples Guide for Newcomers.  The learnings from the project included building relationships and mobilizing knowledge that centre truth, right relations and decolonization, and was awarded the 2022 British Columbia Reconciliation Award.

Together we will use best practices, learn from mistakes and move forward in our commitment to truth and right relations in BC and Yukon.

Consulting, Collaborating and Engaging

CKSI will engage with people and groups who are doing important work to right relations using methods that allow for frank discussions in brave spaces to share best practices.  The work will be led by an Indigenous engagement and community-centered program design expert with lived experience in truth and right relations.

The initiative include 19 BC and Yukon LIPs, the National LIP Secretariat, Indigenous organizations, First Nations, Métis and newcomer communities including refugees, youth and communities that have been marginalized and under-represented.

Our Commitments

• To support LIPs across British Columbia and the Yukon to bridge Indigenous and newcomer communities using best practices of equity-centered program design.
• To work toward truth and right relations with Indigenous Peoples and building inclusive and equitable communities.
• To provide opportunities where best, failed and promising practices can be shared and where inter-LIP relationships can be initiated for collaborations that facilitate knowledge and innovation exchange.

The expected outcome of amplifying these learnings amongst British Columbia and Yukon LIPs is to effect systems change by supporting communities to dismantle racist and oppressive programs and policies.

Project Activities

Project activities will include:

• Co-developing an equity-centered program design framework
• Co-developing Indigenous and newcomer engagement strategies
• Developing and facilitating capacity-building workshops for Western Regional LIPs on:
  • Equity-centered community program design
  • Developing iterative, responsive and systems change focused programming
  • Designing Indigenous, newcomer and community engagement strategies and initiatives for LIPs
  • Preparing winning proposals to get systems change-focused programming funded
• Access to one-on-one mentorship calls with the Indigenous engagement and equity-centered program design consultant for questions and support in customizing participants’ co-designed project
• BC and Yukon LIP Community of Practice