Embrace Your Story:
Northern Guardians Leadership Retreat
July 6 - 10, 2026 | Yellowknife, NT
Are you a Northern Guardian or Guardian Coordinator ready to grow your confidence as a speaker, storyteller, and leader?
Embrace Your Story is a 5 day leadership retreat designed for specifically Indigenous Guardians across the North. This is a space to strengthen your voice, build practical skills and connect with others who share your commitment to stewardship and community.
If you've been wanting to speak up more, share your experience or take on a stronger leadership role, this retreat is for you!
Why this retreat matters
Guardians across the North often work in remote regions with limited access to training and peer networks. At the same time, many Guardian programs are still growing; creating a need for leadership development, practical tools, and opportunities to learn from one another.
Through past gatherings, Guardians identified two key needs:
1. Accessible, relevant professional development
2. Opportunities to collaborate and learn across regions
This retreat was created in direct response to those needs.
How Will It Benefits Your Nation and Guardians program?
When one of your own grows as a leader, the impact reaches the whole community. A Guardian Leadership Retreat strengthens your program by investing in the voice and confidence of your people; supporting them to become trusted, confident communicators who can speak with media, partners, and the public in a way that reflects your community’s truth.
Program Outline
This pilot program is designed so Guardians can develop leadership, communication, collaboration, planning, and data-sharing skills.
It focuses on empowering participants to reflect on their leadership journeys, relationship building, effective communication, and support stewardship outcomes through storytelling and practical tools.
The retreat is organized in six core learning modules.
Setting the Context: Identity and Leadership
Reflect on leadership journeys, identify strengths, and connect leadership to community priorities.
Media Communication
Communicate confidently in public and media settings, apply storytelling in interviews, and use plain language for complex topics.
Working with Others
Apply strategies for team communication, define roles, navigate conflict, and ensure accountability.
Work Planning and Proposal Writing
Define project priorities, develop work plans, write proposals, and create realistic budgets.
Storytelling to Communicate Impact
Articulate the purpose and impact of Guardian work, develop personal leadership stories, and identify key messages.
Data Collection, Reporting, and Knowledge Sharing
Identify research metrics, use data collection tools, apply OCAP principles, integrate storytelling with data, and produce clear reports.
What the Week Looks Like
Each day blends hands-on workshops, group discussions, storytelling, and time to reflect. You’ll learn from experienced facilitators, share your own experiences, and build skills you can bring directly back to your work.
Throughout the week, you will:
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Practice telling your story and connecting it to your work
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Take part in on-camera media interviews in a supportive environment
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Work through real-world planning and proposal exercises
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Learn how to organize your program’s priorities and data
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Share knowledge and build connections with other Guardians
Evenings offer time to connect, reflect, and build relationships around meals, conversations, and the land.
Meet our team
This retreat is guided by experienced leaders and mentors.
Apply Now
Application Deadline: May 13, 2026
Spaces are limited for this pilot cohort.
What is covered:
NISC will cover the cost of tuition, accommodation and meals during the workshop retreat in Yellowknife from July 6 - 10.
What your employer covers:
Your Guardians program supports your attendance by paying for your mileage or flights to/from Yellowknife and per diems on July 5 and June 11, as well as your salary or honourarium for the duration of the leadership retreat.
Program requirements:
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Complete Application including a statement explaining why you are interested in the program.
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Letter of Support from your Employer:
a. Confirming your participation
b. Their willingness to cover your costs to attend the retreat
c. 1-2 paragraphs from your employer on why you are a good fit for this leadership retreat.
If you are ready to grow your leadership skills, strengthen your voice, and connect with Guardians across the North, we encourage you to apply.
If you have any questions or technical difficulties submitting your application please email us at coordinator@indigenousstewardship.com.
Embrace Your Story is Supported by
