Engagement & Consultation
Engagement works best when people have a genuine opportunity to understand what is being discussed, prepare, participate, and influence the matters that affect them.
We provide engagement and consultation services to First Nations, Inuit and Métis governments, communities, and organizations. Our approach is distinctions-based: we do not assume that experience working with First Nations can simply be applied to Inuit or Métis clients. We work with each client to understand their circumstances, priorities, and needs before determining an appropriate approach.
Our support can also include strengthening the capacity clients need to participate in government-led processes. We can help clients understand what is being asked of them, prepare for engagement, organize community participation, and ensure leadership has the information it needs to determine its own priorities and approach.
Community Engagement
Community engagement creates opportunities for people to contribute to matters affecting their community.
We work with leadership to identify who should be involved, what needs to be discussed, and how community members can participate. From planning and communications through facilitation and reporting, we can design and support the full engagement process or assist with specific parts of it.
Every community is different. We adapt the approach to the people, circumstances, and purpose of the engagement rather than applying the same model everywhere.
Consultation
Consultation requires clarity about what is being considered, what remains open for discussion, and how participation may influence the decisions that follow.
We support First Nations, Inuit and Métis governments and communities participating in consultation processes and can also help design and deliver consultations when clients are responsible for conducting them.
Our approach begins with understanding the issue, the people and rights involved, and the purpose of the consultation. We then work with clients to develop an appropriate process, prepare participants, facilitate discussion, document what is shared, and support clear reporting and next steps.
Where consultation involves government, we bring practical knowledge of how government processes work while remaining clear about our role: our responsibility is to strengthen our client's voice, not replace it.
Dialogue Sessions
Sometimes the purpose of a session is not to negotiate an outcome or co-develop a solution. It is to create a focused space where a particular issue, program, policy, service, or proposed change can be explained and discussed.
Debwe can design and facilitate dialogue sessions around the topic and audience. Sessions may involve community members, leadership, staff, experts, government representatives, or other participants depending on the purpose.
A dialogue session may be used to share information, answer questions, explore how an issue is understood, or collect feedback and perspectives. It can stand alone or form one part of a larger engagement or consultation process.
Whatever the format, we believe participants should understand why they are being invited into the conversation, what is being asked of them, and what will happen with what they share.
Your Voice Remains Your Own
Engagement should strengthen the voices of the people involved, not replace them with the voice of the consultant. Our role is to listen carefully, create space for people to speak for themselves, and ensure their knowledge, perspectives, concerns, and priorities are accurately carried through the process.
Whether we are designing an engagement process, facilitating a discussion, or preparing a report, the client's voice remains their own. We help make sure it is heard.