NIȽ TU,O’s collaboration with the University of Victoria’s (UVic) Indigenous Law Research Unit (ILRU) is set to take some exciting steps forward in 2025.
The partnership began in 2018 with the creation of the Child and Caregiver Nurturance and Safety Toolkit, Casebook, and Activity Book. These materials were designed to communicate and engage with Coast Salish guiding principles and were released to the public in 2021. All of these materials are still available for public use and can be found on the IRLU website. The collaboration now plans to expand the Casebook and Activity Book with new stories and activities.
While Casebook and Activity Book upgrades are still in the works, 2025 marks a shift in focus for the collaboration.
“The goal now is to make this wonderful, beautiful thing never sit on a shelf,” says Tara Williamson, ILRU’s Co-Research Director and project lead with NIȽ TU,O.
This year, the project is focused on finding practical, grounded ways to apply these tools in daily work, whether that’s in frontline practice, assessments, intake processes, or potentially even broader organizational policies.
An in-progress series of workshops led by Williamson will help NIȽ TU,O staff become more familiar with these principles and figure out how they can be applied in contemporary situations. It’s a two-way exchange: while NIȽ TU,O staff gain practical experience, ILRU learns where the tools are most useful–insight that will help shape future tools and resources.
Right now, most of the feedback ILRU receives is directly from NIȽ TU,O staff. Part of the long-term vision is to equip the organization with the tools to bring this work into the broader community. As Williamson puts it, the goal is to “train the trainers.” Continuing to incorporate community feedback will be ongoing.
Interest in the Toolkit, Activity Book, and Casebook continues to grow across the province and even across the country, with educators showing interest in using these resources in curriculum. As many First Nations begin the process of articulating their own guiding principles for children and families, Williamson shouts out NIȽ TU,O’s early leadership in this work.
As always, NIȽ TU,O is proud to be a part of this strong and impactful collaboration with ILRU. As the work deepens in 2025, the focus is on applying Coast Salish guiding principles in ways that are practical and empowering, supporting Coast Salish children and families in the best way possible. NIȽ TU,O looks forward to what the future of this collaboration will bring.
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