Indigenous Mentorship Project
Canada Backcountry | Land-based winter skills
Indigenous Mentorship Project
Employment Skills & Training
To address the under representation of Indigenous Peoples in the adventure tourism and avalanche industries, Canada Backcountry Services has designed a mentorship project. This idea arose from a Master of Arts in Leadership research project our founder published designed to reduce barriers for underrepresented groups to access professional avalanche training and related employment. Mentorship for underrepresented groups was identified as scarce.
The significant financial burden of snowmobile training is a serious barrier for Indigenous Peoples to enter into winter land-based training and employment. If your company would like to sponsor an Indigenous person who has already applied or you have a candidate in mind, please click below to support this initiative.
Indigenous communities are exercising self determination by managing their own land base. The specialty training provided through this project which is informed, developed and led by an Indigenous person, will support Indigenous communities to be safer and have professional training as they access the backcountry in their territory for both commercial and recreational purposes.
To increase Indigenous representation in the adventure tourism, avalanche safety, environmental and natural resources sectors
To train professional backcountry skills within Indigenous communities, with culturally relevant content, so community members can safely enter the backcountry for work, play or ceremony
To increase employability for Indigenous Peoples within land-based jobs
To inspire an inclusive backcountry safety and respectful land-use culture
Get Started Today
Train your team
Businesses, organizations and indigenous communities
Avalanche Safety Training
Snowmobile Mountains Skill - Mobility Training
Navigation, Backcountry Safety & Preparedness
Trip Planning, Field Data Collection & Reporting
Land-use and Industry Regulations
Guest Services, Professionalism & Business Coaching
The cost of this project has been partially supported by the Indigenous Tourisim Association of Canada. Ghostrider Motorsports in Fernie BC has provided a snowmobile for our participants, and TOBE Outerwear is helping suit them up. Highmark by Snowpulse has provided an avalanche bag and Mountain Sports Distribution has provided Mammut avalanche equipment (transceiver/probe/shovel) so that our crew will have industry leading safety equipment.
Start Supporting Today
Canada Backcountry
Land-based Employment Skills & Training
Are you a business, organization or Indigenous community, looking to support aspiring apprentices? Help Indigenous apprentices gain essential skills and knowledge for safe, responsible wilderness navigation. Join us in empowering the next generation of backcountry leaders!
