Team Skú7pecen Guardians Program
In 2022, the inaugural Team Skú7pecen High School Summer Guardians program at Qwelmínte Secwépemc was implemented. Following the success of that first year, QS continued the program in 2023 and again in 2024. This summer, eight dedicated high school students, ranging from grades 8-12, joined us to work full-time during July and August. Our goal is to cultivate well-rounded individuals who “Walk on Two Legs,” integrating both Western and Indigenous ways of knowing and being into their daily lives. By empowering Indigenous youth, we are nurturing the next generation of stewards, technicians, and leaders who will sustain and advance the vital work of the Qwelmínte Secwépemc collective.
The program involved on-the-land learning, speaker series presentations, and mentorship at the Qwelmínte Secwépemc Office. The Guardians picked traditional foods and medicines and participated in other cultural activities. They attended skill-building workshops and had professional development opportunities such as Microsoft 360 training and learned the history of Secwépemc Peoples as well as Indigenous Peoples throughout Canada.
Qwelmínte Secwépemc provided a unique structure to the Guardians, introducing them to professional work in an office setting that also upholds Secwépemc Law. The program empowers both Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth by providing them with foundational knowledge to ensure they become well-rounded leaders of the future. We look forward to expanding this program in the years to come.
The gallery is comprised of pictures that were taken during summer speaker series events.
Speaker Series
Qwelmínte Secwépemc has undertaken a summer speaker series showcasing a variety of guest speakers, including both Elders and Knowledge Carriers from Secwépemc communities and the Province, sharing their expertise, knowledge, and experiences. The goal of the speaker series is to allow the Qwelmínte Secwépemc interns and summer guardians the opportunity to build relationships and gain valuable knowledge in order to foster a vibrant and resilient network of practitioners, grounded in both Secwépemc and Western knowledge. The knowledge and expertise provided by speakers will allow Team Skú7pecen to better understand and practice Walking on Two Legs, giving the ability to implement it into our lives and communities so that we may be great and good.