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Program Information

Participants in an Indigenous Leadership course at Banff Centre

Photo by Rita Taylor

Dates

Registration deadline: July 29, 2025

Program dates: September 7 September 12, 2025

Overview

Indigenous communities are strengthening their nations during a time of significant global and social change. Women are encouraged to stand strong, reconnect with their purpose, and remember the importance of their lives. This program unites leaders from diverse backgrounds to share knowledge, renew hopes, and envision a brighter future. 

Participants will engage in deep listening, learning, and letting go, expanding feminine wisdom and ancestral knowledge in a sacred space. With guidance from Elders, they will reconnect with their true selves, transform challenges into strengths, and embrace their responsibilities, well-being, and abundance through land-based learning, culture, and ceremonies.

Description

Calling Our Spirits Home: Indigenous Women in Leadership is a comprehensive program designed for those seeking a unique type of leadership training. 

With guidance from the Elder, participants will share traditional and spiritual wisdom while connecting with the land and cultural teachings.

Program highlights

  • Revitalizing feminine leadership.
  • Centering Indigenous wisdom in practice
  • Engaging in deep listening, truth-telling, and uncovering inner story narratives. 
  • Embracing land-based learning and wise practices.
  • Fostering transformational change through the revival of ancestral knowledge. 
  • Cultivating relational leadership through collaboration and partnerships. 
  • Leading change with a holistic perspective.

Eligibility

This program will be beneficial for Indigenous women leaders, administrators, and service providers seeking to reawaken their leadership gifts including

  • senior management and personnel working with or within Indigenous organizations.
  • Indigenous change-makers, visionaries and artists.

Priority is give to Indigenous learners and those working for Indigenous communities and organizations. 

Applicant must be 18+ at the start of the program.

Inclusivity Statement

We welcome applicants of all ages (18+), backgrounds, and expressions to apply. Applicants should self-identify as women.

Certificate of Indigenous Leadership, Governance and Management Excellence

Indigenous leadership programs are strategically focused on building your capacity to successfully assist your community and organization. Individuals who successfully complete a program from each of the seven wise practice elements will earn a Certificate of Indigenous Leadership, Governance, and Management Excellence

 

Itinerary

Participants are required to dedicate approximately 40 hours during the week to this program.

Sample Itinerary - subject to change

Each day will open with a smudge and teachings and close with a daily wrap-up.

Sunday

  • Registration
  • Ceremony discussion and water teachings
  • Welcome and program overview

Monday

  • Review of week & community care
  • Wellbeing for women leaders
  • Ceremony as our practice
  • Values exercise
  • Storytelling: choosing the story
  • Creation story

Tuesday

  • Early Morning Sacred Water Ceremony
  • Reflective practice
  • Decolonizing systems change
  • Decolonizing matriarchy
  • Clan systems in contemporary systems
  • Body consciousness
  • Mine your life

Wednesday

  • Emotional awareness
  • Reflective practice
  • Decolonizing/unpacking the matriarchy
  • Rascal teachings
  • Change leadership & holistic perspectives
  • The Visiting Way: Îyârhe Nakoda Elders pipe ceremony
  • Teachings of the land

Thursday

  • Self-awareness
  • Reflective practice
  • Relational leadership: collaboration & partnerships
  • Re-creation story exercise & teachings

Friday

  • Self-care
  • Reflective practice
  • Astronomy & connections
  • Witnessing & closing circle

Faculty

What's Included

Accommodations
Accommodation Read more Close

Your program fee includes a single bedroom on the Banff Centre campus for the duration of your program.

Get connected with other artists on campus and focus on your projects in a creative environment while we take care of the day-to-day essentials.

Meal Plan Icon
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Using a credit-based system to dine on campus, our flexible meal plans allow you to select meals according to your own needs during your stay. Banff Centre can respond to most dietary requests. 

The Regular meal plan is equivalent to $53 credit per day, equivalent to two meals at our Buffet service.

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Join in group seminars/workshops.

Community Icon
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<ul><li>Enrich your experience and get to know other participants on campus by taking advantage of the activities and support provided by our <a href="https://www.banffcentre.ca/participant-resources" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Participant Resources</a> team.</li><li>Your program fee includes free access to the swimming pool, climbing gym and fitness suite as well as discounted rates for classes at the <a href="https://www.banffcentre.ca/sally-borden-fitness-and-recreation" target="_blank">Sally Borden Fitness and Recreation Centre.</a></li><li>Enjoy special artist rates for ticketed performances or complimentary access to <a href="https://www.banffcentre.ca/events/events" target="_blank">events</a>.</li><li>The <a href="https://www.banffcentre.ca/library-archives" target="_blank">Paul D. Fleck Library and Archives</a> are delighted to support Banff Centre Participants, Artists, and Faculty</li></ul>

Fees & Financial Assistance

Total Fee (includes registration, tuition, meals and accommodation)
$3 500.00
+GST

Application Fee 

$35 application is included in the program fee.

Funding

Limited funding is available to help some participants with program fees.

  • Funding is available for Indigenous participants or those working for Indigenous communities and organizations.
  • Requests are reviewed based on submission of the Financial Assistance form available in the Student Portal.
  • Funding amounts vary and do not cover 100% of program fee. Participants should expect to pay a minimum of 25% of the program fee.
  • Participants may be eligible for a maximum of two programs per year.

Information about other funding opportunities for Leadership programs can be found here.

Steps to follow

  • Select "Yes" to "I would like to apply for financial assistance" during registration.
  • Log into your Student Portal to complete your funding application form within 48 hours of submitting your initial registration.
  • Timely submission of the funding form is required in order to be considered.

Cancellations 

All participants must pay a confirmation fee of $262.50 within fourteen days of registration. We reserve the right to cancel registrants if payment and confirmation is not received within fourteen days. 

Participants who are awarded financial aid who cancel their registration within the cancellation policy deadlines may be ineligible to receive Banff Centre funding for a period of 12 months.

Registrations are non-transferable and cannot be applied to different programs or used on behalf of other registrants .

More information on our cancellation policy can be found here.

Tax Information

Banff Centre will issue official tax receipts for eligible tuition fees and all financial assistance and awards as required by the Income Tax Act. You will receive a T2202 (Tuition and Enrolment Certificate) for eligible tuition fees paid and a T4A (Statement of Pension, Retirement, Annuity, and Other Income) for applicable financial assistance and awards.

How to Apply

Learn more about the steps to Complete Your Application.

Step 1:

Complete the Online Form

If you have requested financial assistance, please ensure that you log in to your Student Portal within 48 hours of registration, to submit your funding request form.

If you do not require financial assistance, please ensure that you log in to your Student Portal and complete confirmation of attendance and full payment as soon as possible, but no later than 7 days from completing step 1.

Note that non-completion within the timelines stated may result in your place being offered to the waitlist.

Disclaimer

All programs, faculty, dates, fees, and offers of financial assistance are subject to change. Program fee is subject to applicable taxes. Non-refundable fees and deposits will be retained upon cancellation. Any other fees are refunded at the discretion of the Banff Centre. The application deadline is 11:59 p.m. Mountain Standard Time.

Contact Us

For more information please contact:

Phone
888.255.6327