Just as the snow begins to blanket the land and create a picturesque backdrop, there is much going on under the snow that remains unseen. Fallen seeds nestle into place and prepare for the coming year.
Like seeds, the KBE team prepares for the year to come and much of their current work is hidden from view. Here are a few exciting highlights from the KBE understory in 2024:
- We are receiving expressions of interest for The KBE Advisory Circle;
- KBE Global and Newcomer Coordinator, Alfredo Barahona, visited with KBE partners in Alaska;
- An Indigenous Identification verification process is now in place for Indigenous KBE partners whose annual licensing fees are being waived;
- We welcomed two new members to the team: Taylor Bate is our Education & Training Coordinator and Susan Bujold Is our Partnership Coordinator;
- The search for a new database is nearly complete and we hope to have it in place for 2025;
- More than 100 people participated in information sessions for Phases 1 and 2 of 3 of the new model;
- We are very close to launching training of new instructors. Our goal is national coverage for KBE partner facilitator trainings;
- Caroline Sharp, the KBE Admin Associate and previous KBE facilitator, joined Audacious Hope in July to facilitate a KBE with some of the youth and leadership in attendance; and
- Currently, 30 partners in Canada are providing KBEs to those wishing to host it for their organization or community.
The energy of the team’s excitement and joy of what’s to come match that of the seeds of hope and renewal. As we walk into 2025, the KBE team will be launching Phase 3 of the new model with more than 300 potential partners in the queue nation-wide and internationally. We are also hoping to be a presence at the World Indigenous Peoples’ Conference on Education (WIPCE) 2025 in Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland in November.
In this season of joy and hope, the KBE Team would like to express their gratitude to the KBE community for their steadfast loyalty and support. We wish you all a very safe, happy holiday and joyful New Year. We look forward to walking alongside you in 2025.
The KBE Team:
Connor, Alfredo, Caroline, Susan, and Taylor
