Fellowship

Each of the First Nations’ Futures Program partners will select four or more fellows annually to form a program cohort of emerging leaders who will go through the fellowship program together.

The core fellowship program combines leadership development topics with case studies / problem based learning modules, and place / problem – based research projects in order to develop well-balanced leaders and more integrated solutions for First Nation’s issues.

These development experiences also involve cultural, community and academic exchange among the first nations and the program’s academic consortium to give participants a broader view of challenges faced by partner communities.

First Nations’ Futures Program Values

  • Responsibility
  • Service
  • Integrity
  • Tenacity
  • Innovation
  • Kinship
  • Stewardship

First Nations’ Futures Program Goals

  • Develop values & service based leadership within First Nation communities
  • Bridge western and First Nations’ knowledge to develop effective capacity building models for First Nations’ communities
  • Create innovative interdisciplinary solutions through the problem based learning models in responsive to key issues for First Nations’ people
  • Establish an international network of First Nations’ leadership through the program.

Goals and Impact

The First Nations’ Futures Program will use the strategies below to create outcomes which range in impact and benefit from individual development through to benefits for the program partners, stakeholder communities and wider societal or public goods.

  1. DEFINE leadership best practice for first nations’ communities at the individual and community level.
  2. CONNECT world class western institutions and leaders with first nations’ communities, institutions and leaders in order to address important real world issues, and open up pathways of opportunity for research and education.
  3. BRIDGE First Nations’ knowledge and values with western academic knowledge and corporate models to create solutions specifically for the needs of First Nations communities and organizations.
  4. BALANCE culture and traditional values with contemporary needs, as an important catalyst for capacity building within First Nations communities.
  5. INTEGRATE key strategic areas within the program to develop holistic approaches to improve the wellbeing of our communities:
    Leadership development for first nations communities
    Economic – leverage political economy and business
    Environment – steward our legacy resources for current and future generations
    Community/Culture
  6. APPLY knowledge based solutions to the critical real world issues facing our communities.
  7. GROW fellows who can assume executive or governance leadership roles within their communities, corporations, non-profit entities, government or public service.
  8. SUPPORT a global network of First Nations leadership alumni.
  9. SHARE the positive outcomes and externalities generated by the program with other communities, including:
    Developing balanced and values based leadership;
    Thriving and productive (First Nations’) communities;
    Enrichment and sustainable management of natural resources; and
    Sharing of values, culture, knowledge and solutions internationally.
  10. LEVERAGE direct leadership and knowledge gains as catalysts for wider substantive outcomes.
  11. IMPLEMENT a world class program.

The key elements of the 2012/2013 program will be:

  • Three-day orientation for the new fellows with their sponsoring program partner, September;

  • Two-week 2012 First Nations’ Futures Institute at Stanford University, California, October;

  • Two-week 2013 ‘Aha Naua Lelepa – Hawai’i Institute, January;

  • Two-week Problem/Place based learning projects with respective program partners, May;

  • Final presentations to the incoming cohort at the 2013 Institute, and graduation from the program.