Strategic Plan for the Simpcw Cultural Education Centre (CEC)
Date
2025
Authors
Hickson, Melisa
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Abstract
This Master’s project presents a strategic plan for the Simpcw Cultural Education Centre (CEC), a community-led initiative rooted in Simpcw values, language, and governance. Developed through a Two-Eyed Seeing approach and grounded in Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR), the plan advances a long-term vision for Simpcw cultural resurgence and economic self-determination.
The CEC is envisioned as a dynamic institution that integrates traditional knowledge with sustainable development, land-based learning, and revenue-generating activities. Building on previous planning efforts, the plan outlines a phased implementation model that prioritizes youth empowerment, Indigenous tourism, and intergenerational knowledge transfer. The Centre challenges the notion that cultural institutions are financially dependent by promoting a user-pay model supported by targeted funding proposals and community partnerships.
Key strategic objectives include: revitalizing the Secwepemc language, fostering youth leadership, creating pathways to employment through culturally aligned training programs, and ensuring operational sustainability through infrastructure and governance development. With the anticipated land transfer at Dunn Lake, the CEC is poised to become a central hub for cultural preservation and innovation.
Ultimately, this plan reaffirms Simpcw self-determination by positioning the CEC as a model for Indigenous-led nation-building, where cultural continuity and economic resilience are mutually reinforcing.
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Keywords
cultural education, Simpcw First Nation, Indigenous governance, economic sustainability, two-eyed seeing, strategic planning, Indigenous cultural revitalization, reconciliation, Indigenous youth empowerment, land-based learning, decolonization, community development, Indigenous economic development, Indigenous resilience