Living Well Together
Living Well Together is the Government of the Northwest Territories’ (GNWT) Indigenous Cultural Awareness and Sensitivity Training that will help GNWT employees further develop cultural competencies and play a more active role in reconciliation.
This self-directed training provides skills-based training in intercultural competency, conflict resolution, human rights, and anti-racism and fulfills the GNWT’s commitment to #57 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action:
“To provide professional development and training for public servants on the history of Indigenous peoples, including the history and legacy of residential schools, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Treaties and Indigenous rights, Indigenous law, and Indigenous–Crown relations. This will require skills-based training in intercultural competency, conflict resolution, human rights, and anti-racism.”
What is Living Well Together about?
The training is provided in two series: The Truth series (Modules 2-5), which focuses on awareness about colonization, residential schools and Indigenous, non-Indigenous relations, and the Reconciliation series (Modules 6-8), which focuses on developing cultural sensitivity and the practice of reconciliation.
Emotionally challenging content
Some of the content in this training may be emotionally challenging for some. Certain content may even trigger past trauma or vicarious trauma in some learners.
Be sure to follow the self-care and vicarious trauma prevention strategies provided in Self Care and Support in the online modules.
Training modules
The content of the training is provided within two series:
The Truth Series (Modules 2-5) focuses on awareness about colonization, residential schools and Indigenous, non-Indigenous relations. The Reconciliation Series (Modules 6-8) focuses on developing cultural sensitivity and the practice of reconciliation.
Module 1 – The Journey Ahead
Start module 1
- Identifies the training goals and benefit to GNWT employees
- Explains the connection to the TRC report and 94 calls to action
- Introduces to the My Path Learner’s guide used to support employees through their journey
Module 2 – Exploring the Truth
Start module 2
- Discusses colonization and how it is still present within our society and the GNWT
- Impacts of colonization on the economy in the NWT, impact of devolution
- Reviews historical treaties and how the GWNT is involved
Module 3 – The History of Colonization
Start module 3
- Origin stories of the Cree, Dene, Inuvialuit and Metis are provided
- Reviews the creation of policy and legislation to assimilate Indigenous peoples
- Overview of the residential school schools and the impacts are provided. Includes introduction of foreign disease, redistribution of population, apprehension of Indigenous children, definition of genocide
- Decolonization and power imbalances within the GNWT
Module 4 – The Residential School System in Canada
Start module 4
- Implementation of residential schools in the NWT and how it differed from the rest of Canada
- 11 personal stories from NWT Survivors are provided – Very impactful module
- Intergenerational trauma and the continued impacts are provided
Module 5 – Negotiation & Renewal
Start module 5
- Land and Indigenous rights/title are explained
- Treaties both historic and pending are explained
- The GNWT role in the both land and treaties is discussed
Module 6 – Toward Reconciliation
Start module 6
- Reconciliation is defined with examples of personal reflections provided as examples.
- Reconciliation through cultural respect and safety is explained
Module 7 – Stronger Together
Start module 7
- Encourages employees to put reconciliation into action
- Provides numerous examples of reconciliation already in action within our communities and workplaces
- Explains cultural sensitivity, respecting cultural protocols, and how it relates to our work
Module 8 – Indigenous Voices
Start module 8
- Indigenous resiliency and resurgence is celebrated through varied examples found within the NWT
- Final encouragement for employees to put a reconciliation plan into action
Available supports
The Self-Care and Support tab in the top toolbar of each of the online modules provides a variety of resources to assist self-directed learners. You can access these resources at anytime from any module.
If you are feeling distressed or in crisis at any time, the NWT Help Line is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for any resident of the NWT at: 1-800-661-0844.
If you are a former student or Survivor of residential schools, or are a relative of a residential school student, and are feeling distressed at any point, contact one of these crisis support resources:
- The 24 hour National Indian Residential School Crisis Line for former students: 1-866-925-4419
- First Nations & Inuit Hope for Wellness Help Line at: 1-855-242-3310
- First Nations & Inuit Hope for Wellness Online Chat at: hopeforwellness.ca
Counselling is available across the NWT for eligible former students, Survivors and their relatives through the Indian Residential Schools Resolution Health Support Program. Learn more by going to Counselling Information in the online Self Care and Support material or by calling 1-800-464-8106.
Additional resources
The following resources were developed for use by GNWT employees and managers:
My Path Learner's Guide: The My Path Learner’s Guide is the print companion to the Living Well Together online learning modules and is intended to help promote deeper learning through self-reflection and personal action-planning for putting reconciliation into practice.
Living Well Together - Manager's Toolkit: The Manager's Toolkit provides additional information to help manager's and supervisors support their employees as they complete the Living Well Together training.
How was Living Well Together developed?
The Government of the Northwest Territories departments of Finance, Education, Culture and Employment, and Health and Social Services collaborated with many Indigenous Elders, community members and Indigenous artists to ensure the training reflected the diverse and authentic perspectives of Indigenous peoples from across the North.