b'CCAB MEMBER PROFILEreputation with the communities it serves. This sense of pride is not mine alone toAs an Indigenous- share, but something that every member of the ORIGIN family contributes to, owned business, Ishe says.believe that there isWith adults, ORIGIN addresses the need for accessible training and job-search great benefit whensupport. Through workshops focused you are able to findon job search, participants build skills like resume building and interviewing, ways to incorporatewhile other culturally-based workshops help them learn more about themselves Indigenous culture intoand narrow their job search.the organizationFor communities as a whole, ORIGIN supports the development of skills inven-Melissa Hardy-Giles, ORIGIN tories that are used to access community strengths to fill potential gaps. Above all, the goal is to support economic recon-ciliation for the Indigenous peoples of Canada, aid Indigenous youth in growing EXPANDING OFFERINGS those that are available off-reserve. Astheir self-confidence, work with job Today, ORIGIN is continually expandingIndigenous youth move towards adult- seekers to match them to fulfilling careers, its workshop offerings as well as the capa- hood, they may also be struggling toand connect community members with bilities of its VR system, introducing moreconnect to their own culture. existing opportunities.interactive experiences. The compa-nys facilitators travel out to commu- ORIGIN aims to support these youngThrough my journey as an entrepreneur, nities to deliver workshops in profes- people not only in career exploration, butIve had the opportunity to connect with sional skills, job readiness, life skills andalso in better understanding themselvesmany individuals, learn more about the cultural exploration. and how their connection to their culturecurrent needs of Indigenous job seekers can deepen their sense of self. The organi- and youth, and work on ways to help At ORIGIN, we see the connectionzation works with youth through a varietyprovide resources to our communities, between career and culture, and weof workshops that include cultural teach- Hardy-Giles says. ORIGIN has grown weave that throughout our offerings,ings, personality dimensions and careerinto the organization it is today, where Hardy-Gilessays.OurVRcontentexploration. For instance, in one recentwe continue to innovate and expand supports workshops and training thatprogram, youth participating in ORIGINson the ways we work with Indigenous we offer to our communities. With thisTruthandReconciliationprogramcommunities.content, we are able to take participantsthrough Indigenous Perspectives worked to career sites they may not have beentogether to design and build a totemORIGINs collaborations have begun to able to explore otherwise and help thempole that reflected reconciliation to them. spread out to communities across Canada, further their connection to who they areHardy-Giles adds. As we continue to through cultural teachings. As an Indigenous-owned business, Idevelop our ImmersiveLink system, we believe that there is great benefit whencontinue to work to expand the reach In seeking to address the needs ofyou are able to find ways to incorporateof our content, especially our cultural communities, ORIGIN considers theIndigenous culture into the organizationlibrary, since we see it as a tool to support situations of both adults and youth. Thethat goes beyond hanging a painting,cultural education for both Indigenous challenges for young people include thesays Hardy-Giles. I firmly believe thatand non-Indigenous people in Canada, struggle to determine where they areour teachings, specifically our Sevenshe explains.meant to go and what career to chooseGrandfather teachings, provide an expec-after schoola struggle that Hardy-Gilestation for not only how we work togetherORIGIN will continue to innovate, and has herself experienced.internally but how we work and collabo- Hardy-Giles will continue to lead the way: rate with Indigenous communities andThrough our work at ORIGIN, I want to Standard school guidance programsorganizations. I am proud to see howcontinue to connect with new individ-tend to steer youth toward traditionalthese values have been instrumental inuals, learn their stories, and find ways to paths that only accommodate some ofcreating the environment that supportswork together to support them. Finding the students, while youth living on reserve,our mission and vision. ways to celebrate Indigenous culture and especially in remote communities, oftencontinuing to bring opportunities to our lack access to either career guidance orHardy-Giles adds that this approachpeople will always remain my number-education opportunities equivalent tohas enabled ORIGIN to build a strongone priority.78A CCAB PUBLICATION2023'