April 20, 2026
Working Together on Community Development
Community development can get complicated. It often involves many organizations, community leaders, and residents working on different priorities. Each Nation has its own needs; everything from health initiatives to capital projects to Nation-building. From March 24-27, Carrier Sekani Family Services (CSFS) brought leaders together for discussions on community needs and to connect them to the organizations delivering community services.
The first day featured the Toxic Drug Symposium, which focused on the toxic drug crisis. Keynote speaker Guy Felicella spoke about living in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside and his journey through addiction and recovery. It was a story many people recognized, and it brought both emotion and perspective, especially around how important community support is for anyone trying to recover.
“Building Brighter Futures for our Children & Families”
The next three days were the Community Development Symposium, a chance for Nations to gather with each other and organizations that provide services in all areas of community development, including Indigenous Services Canada, First Nations Health Authority, and CSFS. Workshops gave people a chance to dig into practical topics like finance, communications, IT, capital, housing and infrastructure, and emotional intelligence.
The symposium was MC’d by Squamish Nation community leader Khelsilem. He closed with a keynote on Nation-building and shared about Sen̓áḵw, a housing development in downtown Vancouver, as an example of seeing a problem clearly and then building practical solutions.
As Mary Teegee-Gray, CSFS’ Chief Administrative Officer said, “We are here to learn from each other through culturally grounded dialogue, and to strengthen the work that Nations are leading in community, work that supports strong families, safe children, and connected communities.”
To learn more about our mandate, objectives, and mission, visit www.csfs.org/about-us/mandate-objectives-and-mission
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Last modified: Wednesday 03-Apr-24 12:36:29 PDT
CSFS gratefully acknowledges Noeleen McQuary, the artisan who created the traditional Carrier baskets used in the CSFS branding on this webpage, and in other print and online media.
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