Untapped Resource: Aboriginal Employees

[Jean Douglas, CMC]

I am researching employee engagement and the aboriginal employee (First Nations, Metis, Innuit) and would like your help. Canada's aboriginal population is a fast growing demographic which according to the last census showed that more than 50% of aboriginal people are under 25 years old - our future labour pool.

I have lots of statistical information and some articles, BUT, I have not found much of anything that deals with employee engagement and aboriginal people.

If you have information - success stories, research, ideas, articles - that you could send me/direct me to, I would be most appreciative.

This is an area close to my heart and I believe a group of people important to our future.

Thanks for any help you may be able to supply. (Encouragement is also appreciated)

[Bill Scott]

Hi Jean,
An interersting topic and I'm not sure I have resources I can refer you to, but I thought I'd pass on an idea.

I am very much involved with a variety of appreciative processes in an effort to assist my clients in engaging their people. One of those appreciative processes is Appreciative Inquiry (AI). I think AI is an outstanding philosophy (some think of it as solely a methodology) and I happen to believe that it is particularly congruent with First Nations beliefs, traditions, etc. In particular, AI emphasizes storytelling and respect for the successes of the past while developing hopes and dreams for the future.

With that as long-winded background :-) my idea is this: You may want to develop an AI-infused questionnaire - one that asks respondents to tell you about times when they felt ruly involved (engaged) in their work. What were the circumstances? Who was involved? What did they (ie the First nations youth) do? What did the others they were involved with do? What worked for them especially well in terms of feeling motivated and deeply involved?

The result will be some wonderfully rich qualitative information that will provide you with some clear indicators of successful endeavours.

A colleague of mine, Nila Reinhart works extensively with First Nations groups in the U.S. She is aboriginal and is extremely well versed in AI. I haven't connected with her in a while. The last email address I have for her is [e-mail]. I'd suggest trying to reach her and putting your questions to her. Sheis very knowledgeable and responsive. Hope this helps.

[Jean Douglas, CMC]

Hi Bill,
Thank you so much, I will reach out to Nila.
Jean