my foundational approach
It’s not enough to simply share ideas – you must also be able to explain ideas in a way that people can understand and relate to.
my foundational approach
It’s not enough to simply share ideas – you must also be able to explain ideas in a way that people can understand and relate to.
experience:
Lloyd Minster School Division
Prospera Credit Union
Capital One
Workers Compensation Board of Nova Scotia
Jasper Municipality
guiding & supporting others
Facilitation
People don’t want to hear a boring, robotic run through of Truth & Reconciliation (TRC) calls to action. They want to be inspired forward and understand how they can act. Success with that comes through understanding and incorporating Indigenous knowledge. I think that’s best achieved through relatable stories – which sometimes happens best without even calling it ‘indigenous knowledge’.
The work I do with corporations on Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) and Truth & Reconciliation (TRC) is all about:
- Elevating the existing knowledge within an organization
- Tapping into the resiliency of the employees
- Modeling the way forward by inspiring a shared vision
What’s important for organizations and businesses to know is that they have the knowledge already to do the work – it’s within their people and their leaders. I create guidance and support by helping them to:
- Look at the level of safety and belonging that exists within the organization
- Consider how well their intersectional lens is functioning
- Bring out their existing knowledge and create a sustainable plan for moving forward
At its core Truth and Reconciliation is relationship based, so I guide people in corporate settings towards learning about one another by sharing their own perspectives and lived experiences.
Together we can create communities that value both Indigenous and Canadian Western ways of knowing.
guiding & supporting others
Facilitation
People don’t want to hear a boring, robotic run through of Truth & Reconciliation (TRC) calls to action. They want to be inspired forward and understand how they can act. Success with that comes through understanding and incorporating Indigenous knowledge. I think that’s best achieved through relatable stories – which sometimes happens best without even calling it ‘indigenous knowledge’.
The work I do with corporations on Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) and Truth & Reconciliation (TRC) is all about:
- Elevating the existing knowledge within an organization
- Tapping into the resiliency of the employees
- Modeling the way forward by inspiring a shared vision
What’s important for organizations and businesses to know is that they have the knowledge already to do the work – it’s within their people and their leaders. I create guidance and support by helping them to:
- Look at the level of safety and belonging that exists within the organization
- Consider how well their intersectional lens is functioning
- Bring out their existing knowledge and create a sustainable plan for moving forward
At its core Truth and Reconciliation is relationship based, so I guide people in corporate settings towards learning about one another by sharing their own perspectives and lived experiences.
Together we can create communities that value both Indigenous and Canadian Western ways of knowing.
experience:
Lloyd Minster School Division
Prospera Credit Union
Capital One
Workers Compensation Board of Nova Scotia
Jasper Municipality
experience:
Selkirk College
(Indigenous Studies)
Indigenous Tech Incubator Program (Economic Development Lethbridge)
Foundations in Administration (George Brown College)
University of Lethbridge (Business/Indigenous Studies)
University of Regina (Indigenous Studies)
elevating knowledge
Training & Education
Training is all about the sharing of knowledge – including mine and that of the learning participants. That is true whether I am training the members of a committee or board, the executive leaders or employees of a small business or a large organization, or a group of individuals in a non-profit or academic environment.
As a trainer, I rely as much on my extensive experience as an educator as I do on my lived experience as a Metis/Cree person, to craft and share lessons that spark engagement and promote successful learning outcomes. Much like the work I do when I speak or facilitate, my approach is to meet people where they are and draw on relatable stories to capture their interest and inspire within them a desire to learn.
The themes of respect, courage, and growth are central to my training, and whatever the needs of the setting or group require, I tailor my message accordingly. My training covers Indigenous history and Indigenous rights, and centers on building and promoting awareness around Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) and Truth & Reconciliation (TRC).
My work as a researcher involves gathering data, working to understand it, and then presenting it to organizations to help them chart a course forward. That can involve mapping out assets and actions to drive organizational Truth & Reconciliation outcomes, or developing curriculum, strategy, policy, programming, or practices & procedures related to promoting Indigenous Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility within academic, non-profit, or business environments.
elevating knowledge
Training & Education
Training is all about the sharing of knowledge – including mine and that of the learning participants. That is true whether I am training the members of a committee or board, the executive leaders or employees of a small business or a large organization, or a group of individuals in a non-profit or academic environment.
As a trainer, I rely as much on my extensive experience as an educator as I do on my lived experience as a Metis/Cree person, to craft and share lessons that spark engagement and promote successful learning outcomes. Much like the work I do when I speak or facilitate, my approach is to meet people where they are and draw on relatable stories to capture their interest and inspire within them a desire to learn.
The themes of respect, courage, and growth are central to my training, and whatever the needs of the setting or group require, I tailor my message accordingly. My training covers Indigenous history and Indigenous rights, and centers on building and promoting awareness around Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) and Truth & Reconciliation (TRC).
My work as a researcher involves gathering data, working to understand it, and then presenting it to organizations to help them chart a course forward. That can involve mapping out assets and actions to drive organizational Truth & Reconciliation outcomes, or developing curriculum, strategy, policy, programming, or practices & procedures related to promoting Indigenous Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility within academic, non-profit, or business environments.
experience:
Selkirk College
(Indigenous Studies)
Indigenous Tech Incubator Program (Economic Development Lethbridge)
Foundations in Administration (George Brown College)
University of Lethbridge (Business/Indigenous Studies)
University of Regina (Indigenous Studies)
My focus is always rooted in looking back to understand where we have come from, before turning forward to build awareness around what we want for the future.
sharing wisdom from lived experience
Connect With Roy
I am not a person who works from a textbook. I approach everything I do through the lens of my lived experience a Métis/Cree person and I have experience navigating all kinds of environments – I understand the academic realm, I know how municipal governments and public sector groups operate and I know how to affect change in both non-profit and corporate settings.
Let’s connect and discuss how we can make an impact in your organization together.
What Others Are Saying About Roy
Triple M Housing contracted RWP Consulting to provide our team Diversity Training. Roy Pogorzelski was the facilitator, and did a terrific job in engaging all of the participants and delivering the content in a very genuine, and authentic way. Every participant walked away from the training with positive feedback and commented on how easy it was to talk to Roy, and be part of the conversation within a group setting. Roy is a professional facilitator and we were very pleased with the training he delivered.
– Simarjit Bians, Vice President of Manufacturing (Triple M Housing)
I had the pleasure of working with Roy when we were both at the City of Lethbridge. Roy was instrumental in moving the City towards reconciliation with indigenous peoples through work on the City of Lethbridge Reconciliation Implementation Plan. In working with Roy I found his values include a desire to with people of all walks of life and to bring people together to create a richer more integrated and just community. Also, Roy brings a warmth and authenticity to his work that makes it a real pleasure to work with him.
– Jeff Greene, Community Growth, Investment & Sustainability Director, Town of Okotoks