RESPECT Program (Spring 2025 - Surrey)

Prior to registering for the program, please read all the information on this page.

About the Learning Experience

This content-rich program is robust and co-designed with involvement from local land-based nations and SFU community members. The learning opportunity in this program is developed using a holistic, growth mindset, and an academic approach and involves a deep connection between the individual, the community, and the environment. This learning is not just about consuming or acquiring knowledge but really taking the time to integrate what is learned. This growth mindset takes a substantial amount of time and therefore, learners should only commit to the program if their intention is to allow the opportunity to develop and commit. Ongoing participation in the program content is expected, not mandatory. Supervisor support is required so as to ensure the commitment is supported from all levels.

The RESPECT program is a hybrid learning model that combines some self-study and personal reflection online, with online discussion and periodic in person meetings. The program is designed in four integrated learning bundles. Each learning bundle entails some self-study and online work that will inform a culminating in person meeting.

Dates

The Spring cohort runs from Wednesday, January 21st, 2-4pm to to Wednesday, March 25th, 2-4pm (10 weeks) and will be based at the Surrey campus. Participants should expect to spend a minimum of a half day a week on this course for the duration of the program. This includes synchronous and asynchronous learning; discussions and assignments, and five mandatory meetings (two in-person and three virtual). This timeline acknowledges the opportunity to give intentional time into the workday for learning with other RESPECT participants along with completing independent study and reflection journals and assignments.

In addition to self-paced online learning through Canvas, the following are the dates for the mandatory meetings:

Learning Circle 1: Wednesday, January 21st – 2-4pm (in-person,Surrey Campus, room TBD)

Learning Circle 2: Wednesday, February 11th 3-4pm (virtual)

Learning Circle 3: Wednesday, February 25th 3-4pm (virtual)

Learning Circle 4: Wednesday, March 11th 3-4pm (virual)

Learning Circle 5: Wednesday, March 25th 2-4pm (in-person, Surrey Campus, room TBD)

Facilitators:

The RESPECT program will be facilitated by Skel7áw̓s, Naomi Narcisse and Bryan Myles.

• Skel7áw̓s, Naomi is dedicated to strengthening inclusive, equitable, spaces, and passionate about sharing decolonizing practices in higher education environments. Her St'át'imc name is Skel7áw̓s and it means ‘leader/education’. Skel7áw̓s, Naomi is a proud Nicola Valley Institute of Technology (NVIT), Simon Fraser University (SFU), & University of British Columbia (UBC) Alumni. She has over 10 years of experience working in Indigenous higher education. Skel7áw̓s, Naomi is a current PhD student at UBC within the Faculty of Education Studies. She completed her MEd in Educational Administration & Leadership at UBC & NVIT in 2021, Bachelor of Arts degree at SFU, and Associate of Arts at NVIT. She is learning St'at'imc language from her language authorities, which is being accredited through NVIT (BC’s sole Indigenous Public Post Secondary school).
• Caitlin Stiles is a settler-Canadian of mixed European ancestry, living and working on unceded Coast Salish territories. She is on a continuous learning journey, committed to fostering inclusive, respectful, and relational learning spaces in higher education. As the Associate Director of Leadership Development and Employee Engagement at Simon Fraser University, Caitlin is honoured to be part of the RESPECT program and deeply values opportunities to learn alongside others in community. Her family has a home on S,KŦAK—now known as Mayne Island—on the traditional territories of the Straits Salish people, which is where she truly feels at home.
• Bryan Myles is a settler scholar from Treaty 4 territory in Southern Saskatchewan, and has been living as an uninvited guest on Coast Salish territory since 2009. He has been teaching in SFU’s Department of Indigenous Studies since 2018, where he teaches Introductory courses, and courses on Indigenous belongings and cultural heritage stewardship. Bryan has also worked at SFU’s Bill Reid Centre since 2009. He was the center’s Interim Director from 2014 to 2018, and currently holds the position of Associate Director.

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