Allyship Coaching
If you are called to contribute to reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples but aren’t sure where to start, are stuck along the way, or feel confused about how to “do the right thing,” you’re not alone.
Your coach, Rachel Mason, is a person of European heritage with 20 years of experience working with Indigenous people and organizations in Canada. She draws from her perspective and the teachings that have been shared with her to support other non-Indigenous people with reconciliation and allyship work. When Rachel began this work, the words “reconciliation” and “cultural safety” were not common, resources on these topics were sparse, and Rachel’s allyship journey involved primarily learning through relationships with Indigenous people.
Because the work of becoming an ally is never complete, and every context is nuanced and unique, this coaching experience is not about telling you what to do or giving you the answers. It’s about guiding you on a journey of discovery to navigate cross-cultural relationships, decolonization, and the complexities of anti-racism in a world that is still heavily shaped by colonial systems and ways of being.
Being an ally means intentionally working to disrupt and counter oppression of Indigenous people and bring about reconciliation and decolonization.
To read more about the meaning of the term “ally” and to deepen your learning journey, we recommend this clear and concise resource created by the Montreal Urban Aboriginal Community Strategy Network (MUACSN).
Ever since we started working together, I’ve loved Rachel knows how to be in Indigenous spaces and show up as a really rock-solid, really high-value ally. She shows up with determination and skills and brilliance like always. Especially right now, I’m paying attention to true allyship, and I’ve always experienced Rachel as being really effective and really loving to our people. – Indigenous Executive Director client
In these sessions, you will be able to:
- Ask all your questions, no matter how uncomfortable
- Troubleshoot challenging situations and decide what to do next
- Discover ways that you can bring your commitment to reconciliation to the next level
- Safely share your doubts, excitement, insights, and concerns without judgement
- Uncover underlying beliefs that may hold you back in your reconciliation journey
- Deepen your commitment and action to bring about change
- Share and celebrate your learning along the way
Questions and answers
What is the role of non-Indigenous people in this work?
The copper pot/cedar basket metaphor, developed by Dr. Danièle Behn Smith and Dr. Kate Jongbloed at the B.C. Provincial Health Office, explains that focusing on Indigenous healing and resilience (which they call “cedar basket work”) is the responsibility of Indigenous people and that focusing on unlearning racism and colonialism (referred to as “copper pot work”) is the responsibility of non-Indigenous settlers (in partnership with Indigenous people) . When Indigenous people are asked to do the “copper pot” work of educating non-Indigenous people about racism and colonialism, they must expend physical, emotional, and mental labour that could instead be directed towards the cedar basket work of supporting Indigenous healing and resilience. And non-Indigenous people are given a free pass on engaging in work that promotes cultural safety. In contrast, when non-Indigenous people can support other non-Indigenous people to become more culturally safe, respectful, and reciprocal in their relationships with Indigenous people, everyone benefits.
When can I call myself an ally?
The journey of becoming an ally is lifelong and never-ending. In her seminal work, Becoming an Ally (2002), Anne Bishop wrote:
No matter how much work you have done on that area of yourself, there is more to be done. I do not believe anyone raised in Western society can ever claim to have finished ridding themselves completely of their oppressive attitudes. It is an ongoing task, like keeping the dishes clean. In fact, the minute I hear someone claim to be free of the attitudes and actions of a certain oppression (as in “I’m not racist”) I know they have barely begun the process. Humility is the mark of someone who has gone a ways down the road and has caught a glimpse of just how long the road is.
This is why Rachel will never call herself an ally – she is always “becoming” one – and this requires a lifelong attitude of cultural humility, always being a learner when it comes to another’s culture. This is also why allyship coaching is not about Rachel acting as an expert and giving out advice, but rather about creating a safe space to engage in mutual learning and co-creation with someone who has “gone a ways down the road.”
What is the price structure?
Pricing is on a sliding scale basis determined with each client, and all rates include 10% for reconciliation. This means that 10% of your fees will be used to directly offset fees for one of Arrive Consulting’s Indigenous clients. This is a way of putting reconciliation into action, wherever you are in your journey.
Contact us to learn more about our rates and availability.
