Elder/Knowledge Keeper

Dnaagdawenmag Binnoojiiyag Child & Family Services; Barrie; On-site; CAD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Dnaagdawenmag Binnoojiiyag Child & Family Services seeks an Elder/Knowledge Keeper recognized within a First Nation community to provide cultural guidance, ceremony, healing support, teachings, and cultural direction. The Elder serves as a bridge for children, youth, families, staff, and partners.

You will collaborate with the Agency’s Cultural Services team to share traditional teachings, spiritual care, and culturally safe support in alignment with community expectations and local traditions.

Qualifications

• Must be a recognized and respected Elder within a First Nation community.
• Commitment to humility, respect, confidentiality, sound judgment, and cultural accountability.

Responsibilities

• Provide cultural, spiritual, ceremonial, and emotional support to children, youth, families, caregivers, staff, leadership, and the Board through teachings, ceremonies, sharing circles, and mentorship.
• Guide and advise the Agency on Indigenous cultures, traditions, protocols, teachings, and culturally grounded approaches to service delivery, planning, and decision-making.
• Lead or support ceremonies, cultural activities, and protocol guidance while ensuring respect for local traditions, cultural safety, confidentiality, and community expectations.
• Build and maintain respectful relationships with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities, Elders, Knowledge Keepers, traditional helpers, partner organizations, and community members.
• Provide cultural education, training, and mentorship to support cultural awareness, reconciliation, Indigenous ways of knowing, and the development of positive cultural identities.
• Work collaboratively with Agency staff and community partners while adhering to Agency policies, cultural protocols, confidentiality requirements, and administrative responsibilities.

Skills

Cultural knowledge

Mentorship

Ceremony facilitation

Spiritual guidance

Indigenous knowledge

Microsoft Office

Education

Post-secondary education in Social Work/Indigenous Studies

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

The Elder/Knowledge Keeper, who is recognized and respected within their First Nation community, holds the trust, standing, lived experience, cultural knowledge, relationships, and spiritual accountability associated with this role. This position requires someone who is meaningfully called upon by community to provide guidance, mentorship, ceremony, healing support, teachings, and cultural direction. The Elder/Knowledge Keeper serves as a cultural bridge for the children, youth, families, caregivers, member communities, Board of Directors, staff, and external partners of the Agency. In collaboration with the Cultural Services team, this role provides traditional teachings, spiritual care, ceremony, cultural education, protocol guidance, and culturally safe support in a manner consistent with community expectations and local traditions.

The Elder/Knowledge Keeper maintains and strengthens their bundle through ongoing relationships with community, Elders, ceremony, traditional knowledge, and the application of Indigegogy in supporting the Agency, children, youth, families, and communities.

Responsibilities

• Provide cultural, spiritual, ceremonial, and emotional support to children, youth, families, caregivers, community members, staff, leadership, and the Board through teachings, ceremonies, sharing circles, and mentorship.
• Guide and advise the Agency on Indigenous cultures, traditions, protocols, teachings, and culturally grounded approaches to service delivery, planning, and decision-making.
• Lead or support ceremonies, cultural activities, and protocol guidance while ensuring respect for local traditions, cultural safety, confidentiality, and community expectations.
• Build and maintain respectful relationships with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities, Elders, Knowledge Keepers, traditional helpers, partner organizations, and community members.
• Provide cultural education, training, and mentorship to support cultural awareness, reconciliation, Indigenous ways of knowing, and the development of positive cultural identities.
• Work collaboratively with Agency staff and community partners while adhering to Agency policies, cultural protocols, confidentiality requirements, and administrative responsibilities.

Education and Experience Requirements

• Must be a recognized and respected Elder within a First Nation community, acknowledged by community members, Elders, Knowledge Keepers, cultural leadership, and/or traditional helpers as someone who provides cultural guidance, mentorship, ceremony, healing support, and protocol direction.
• Demonstrated commitment to the values and responsibilities of an Elder, including humility, respect, confidentiality, sound judgment, and cultural accountability.
• Minimum three (3) years of experience providing cultural teachings, programs, or services within Indigenous communities or organizations.
• Experience working with Indigenous children, youth, families, and communities.
• Experience within Child Welfare or Indigenous Child and Family Well-Being services is an asset.
• Post-secondary education in Social Work, Indigenous Studies, or a related field is an asset.
• Knowledge of an Indigenous language is a strong asset.

Knowledge Requirements

• Knowledge of Indigenous cultures, teachings, traditions, protocols, and the Seven Grandfather Teachings.
• Understanding of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities, service systems, and culturally grounded approaches to supporting children, youth, and families.
• Understanding of the impacts of colonization, including Residential Schools and the Sixties Scoop.
• Knowledge of the Child, Youth and Family Services Act, community resources, and Indigenous child and family well-being practices.
• Knowledge of the Agency's programs, services, and service area is an asset.

Position Summary

The Elder/Knowledge Keeper, who is recognized and respected within their First Nation community, holds the trust, standing, lived experience, cultural knowledge, relationships, and spiritual accountability associated with this role. This position requires someone who is meaningfully called upon by community to provide guidance, mentorship, ceremony, healing support, teachings, and cultural direction. The Elder/Knowledge Keeper serves as a cultural bridge for the children, youth, families, caregivers, member communities, Board of Directors, staff, and external partners of the Agency. In collaboration with the Cultural Services team, this role provides traditional teachings, spiritual care, ceremony, cultural education, protocol guidance, and culturally safe support in a manner consistent with community expectations and local traditions.

The Elder/Knowledge Keeper maintains and strengthens their bundle through ongoing relationships with community, Elders, ceremony, traditional knowledge, and the application of Indigegogy in supporting the Agency, children, youth, families, and communities.

Responsibilities

• Provide cultural, spiritual, ceremonial, and emotional support to children, youth, families, caregivers, community members, staff, leadership, and the Board through teachings, ceremonies, sharing circles, and mentorship.
• Guide and advise the Agency on Indigenous cultures, traditions, protocols, teachings, and culturally grounded approaches to service delivery, planning, and decision-making.
• Lead or support ceremonies, cultural activities, and protocol guidance while ensuring respect for local traditions, cultural safety, confidentiality, and community expectations.
• Build and maintain respectful relationships with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities, Elders, Knowledge Keepers, traditional helpers, partner organizations, and community members.
• Provide cultural education, training, and mentorship to support cultural awareness, reconciliation, Indigenous ways of knowing, and the development of positive cultural identities.
• Work collaboratively with Agency staff and community partners while adhering to Agency policies, cultural protocols, confidentiality requirements, and administrative responsibilities.

Education and Experience Requirements

• Must be a recognized and respected Elder within a First Nation community, acknowledged by community members, Elders, Knowledge Keepers, cultural leadership, and/or traditional helpers as someone who provides cultural guidance, mentorship, ceremony, healing support, and protocol direction.
• Demonstrated commitment to the values and responsibilities of an Elder, including humility, respect, confidentiality, sound judgment, and cultural accountability.
• Minimum three (3) years of experience providing cultural teachings, programs, or services within Indigenous communities or organizations.
• Experience working with Indigenous children, youth, families, and communities.
• Experience within Child Welfare or Indigenous Child and Family Well-Being services is an asset.
• Post-secondary education in Social Work, Indigenous Studies, or a related field is an asset.
• Knowledge of an Indigenous language is a strong asset.

Knowledge Requirements

• Knowledge of Indigenous cultures, teachings, traditions, protocols, and the Seven Grandfather Teachings.
• Understanding of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities, service systems, and culturally grounded approaches to supporting children, youth, and families.
• Understanding of the impacts of colonization, including Residential Schools and the Sixties Scoop.
• Knowledge of the Child, Youth and Family Services Act, community resources, and Indigenous child and family well-being practices.
• Knowledge of the Agency's programs, services, and service area is an asset.

Abilities Requirements

• Demonstrate and model the Seven Grandfather Teachings and the conduct expected of an Elder.
• Strong communication, relationship-building, conflict resolution, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to provide guidance and support through traditional and culturally grounded healing approaches.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment, maintain confidentiality, and work with sensitive information.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a team environment.
• Basic computer proficiency, including Microsoft Office applications.