Advisory Council
A desire for collaboration, co-creation and partnership with communities fuel our Advisory Council.
Gakino’amaage’s core values–humility, respect, collaboration, integrity, and learning–represent a desire for collaboration, co-creation, and partnership with First Nations. To this end, an Advisory Council composed of community members has been established to provide community-driven advisory capacity to the organization.
While Gakino’amaage’s strategic priorities are set by its Board of Directors, the Advisory Council helps to ensure that the work of Gakino’amaage is driven by communities. Furthermore, the Advisory Council and the space that is created for community-driven ideas allow for the co-creation of programs and activities at the earliest stages, as well as a forum to give feedback on Gakino’amaage’s teacher recruitment, preparation, and support programs.
In April 2025, our Advisory Council Meeting brought together 36 representatives from 25 of Gakino’amaage: Teach For Canada’s 32 First Nations Community Partners. Held on Long Plain First Nation in Winnipeg, Manitoba, this year’s gathering centred on listening, learning, and collaboration — with community voices guiding the evolution of our programs and priorities.
Community representatives shared insights on educational developments in their Nations, discussed strategies for teacher preparation and support, and offered valuable guidance on strengthening the connection between education, language, and community.
In addition to updates from the Gakino’amaage team, the meeting focused on:
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Co-developing a community-based teacher education program: Partners helped define what a First Nations-led Bachelor of Education program should include — emphasizing Indigenous language integration, flexible pathways, local delivery, and support for community members to complete their studies while remaining at home.
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Emerging priorities in First Nation education: Partners identified pressing needs such as infrastructure, parental engagement, student attendance, and training for local staff, alongside continued emphasis on land-based learning and decolonizing the curriculum.
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Teacher development and retention: Discussion centered on expanding support for locally hired teachers, mentorship opportunities, and culturally relevant professional development.
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Evolving teacher preparation pathways: Partners provided feedback that led to the creation of new flexible teacher preparation options to address the national teacher shortage while maintaining the quality and cultural relevance of learning.
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Student success and land-based learning: Partners shared examples of community-led approaches that foster confidence, engagement, and connection to identity through land-based education.
Together, we continue to shape the future of education rooted in language, culture, and community priorities — guided by the wisdom and leadership of our First Nations Community Partners.
