The Heartwork Collective
What: The collective will provide space for students and learners to advance Indigenous research methods within the area natural sciences. The idea is to provide a lot of unstructured time at an in-person gathering for 10-12 researchers each year (2025-2029) to develop connections and pursue discussions on topics of interest to them.
Who: The collective itself will be student and learner- driven as the primary agents of influence and change. There is an interim advisory committee made of Dr. Andrea Reid – University of British Columbia, Dr. Kyle Bobiwash – University of Manitoba, Dr. Sue Chiblow – University of Guelph and Lawrence Ignace – University of Victoria.
Lawrence Ignace, BKC Board Vice Chair / PhD Candidate, University of Victoria
Dr. Andrea Reid, Assistant Professor, University of British Columbia
Dr. Kyle Bobiwash, Assistant Professor, University of Manitoba
Dr. Sue Chiblow, Assistant Professor, University of Guelph
Where: The collective will seek to secure space, and time within Indigenous communities, facilities and locations that can support student and learner cohorts in their shared work and research.
How: BKC generously provided funding for a part-time coordinator and retreat expenses. Network members will be nominated by collaborators (researchers, communities, organizations and governments), with travel of successful nominations sponsored by their nominators. We are on the look-out for additional funding to provide travel support.
Future: The network is starting small recognizing we all are being pulled in so many directions. As the network grows in terms of collaborators, funders, ideas, students and learners it will evolve. There are as many possibilities as there are ideas how can we bring these to life.
If you have leads about funding opportunities, or about retreat locations, we’d love to hear from you: email: lawrenceignace@uvic.ca
The inaugural meeting of the student and learner-driven Heartwork Collective (formerly the Indigenous Research Methods and Learners Network) took take place on November 15, 16, and 17th, 2025, on Pauquachin First Nation near North Saanich, British Columbia.
This second meeting and second cohort of The Heartwork Collective will take place in Saskatchewan from March 6-9th, directly after the Braiding Knowledges Canada Gathering.
Apply here by Jan 31, 2026 to attend.