Caretaking Earthside: A Birth Worker Community Conference

Registration Information

Name *

First

Last

Job title *

Email *

Email

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Phone *

Emergency Contact *

First

Last

Relationship *

Emergency Contact Phone *

Event Information

This is an Indigenous-specific conference for Indigenous birth workers. Non-Indigenous birth workers may attend with an invitation from an Indigenous community or organization. *

I am Indigenous
I am not Indigenous

Who invited you to this event?

Please share the name of the Indigenous community or organization that invited you to attend.

I am a birth worker
I am not a birth worker

Please select the dates you plan to attend. *

Tuesday, October 10th
Wednesday, October 11th

Are you bringing children/youth? *

Yes
No

How many?

Are you bringing a pet companion? *

Yes
No

If yes, please arrange with the hotel ahead of time. Additional pet fees will need to be covered by the owner of the pet.

Please list any allergies or dietary restrictions.

Do you have accessibility needs that you would like to share with us?

Please list your accessibility needs and our Safety and Accessibility Coordinator will follow up with you.

If you represent an organization, please let us know which one.

What health region will you be travelling from?

Please share what knowledge you would like to learn at this conference.

Caretaking Earthside: Community Agreements

Arrive Gently
We acknowledge and uphold the protocols of our host nation, the Cheam, and thank them for allowing us to gather together in a good way. Together, we commit to nourishing the space we collectively create. We recognize that each of us arrives at our roles and responsibilities as birth workers and community members by our own unique path, histories, and teachings. We celebrate one another for both our individual and shared experiences and perspectives. We honour the land and waters, our ancestors, Elders, those yet to come, and each other.

Honour Ourselves, Honour Each Other
We respect both our individual and collective physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual wellness while sharing space together. We take breaks when we need to, check in with ourselves and each other, and share the labour of creating a safe and welcoming environment. We embrace harm reduction and do not tolerate violence.

We Celebrate Our Kin
We welcome and honour all members of our community, across various identities such as, but not limited to, our Two spirit/Queer/Trans kin; Elders, parents, pregnant folks, caregivers and children; disabled, chronically ill, mentally ill, and neurodivergent folks; our Afro-Indigenous, Black Native, POC-mixed, and darkskinned kin; our Nothern, rural, and remote kin; folks who use substances; etc. We acknowledge that we all have different needs regarding safety and accessibility and work collectively to fulfill those needs with integrity, care, and respect.

Listen to Understand
We listen to one another to understand and connect, not respond. We practice active, full body listening. We hold one another’s words with care.

Uphold Consent, Self Determination, and Autonomy while Sharing Knowledge
We explicitly protect each other, ourselves, and our communities from knowledge extraction. We speak from experience when we share our stories, teachings, and knowledge. When sharing stories, teachings, and knowledge that did not originate with us, we only do so with the explicit consent of the original knowledge keeper/s, and/or community/ies, and name the original keepers and lineage of the story, teaching, and/or knowledge. We uphold each other’s stories, teachings and knowledge by only sharing them outside of the space with explicit consent to do so. We do this in order to care for the health and integrity of each other, our communities, and future generations.

Safety vs. Discomfort and Community Process Surrounding Harm
We collectively commit to creating a safe space for folks to connect, nourish both themselves and one another, as we lean into giving and receiving care. We recognize that conflict is not always harmful, and thus invite folks to reflect on what is safety and what is discomfort. In the event of harm being done, both our gathering’s advisory circle’s Elders and our “safety and accessibility coordinator” would be happy to support you.

Community Agreements *

I have read and understood the Caretaking Earthside: Community Agreements form and will follow this agreement for the duration of the conference.

Payment and Sponsorship

Do you require sponsorship to attend the event? *

Yes, I require sponsorship to attend
Yes, I will pay what I can now, but would like some help covering costs
No, I will make my payment now

Which type of sponsorship are you seeking?

Registration sponsorship
Accommodation sponsorship
Travel sponsorship. (Please follow up by submitting a travel estimate to dafgpassistant@bcaafc.com)
Full sponsorship. (Please follow up by submitting a travel estimate to dafgpassistant@bcaafc.com)

Please let us know who, other than yourself, will be staying with you.

Please include pets you may be travelling with.

Are you willing to share a room with another birth worker?

Do you have any accessibility requirements regarding you accommodations?

What is your legal name on your ID (if different from the name above).

We need to use the name on your ID to book a room for you.

This is a pay-what-you-can event. Please indicate the amount you intend to pay.

The minimum suggested payment is $100.
Please note: this is a catered event, and food is included in registration.

Total

$ 0.00

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Caretaking Earthside: A Birth Worker Community Conference

The 2023 Caretaking Earthside: A Birth Worker Community Conference will take place on the unceded, traditional territory of the Cheam People near Agassiz, B.C.

Please read out Caretaking Earthside Community Agreements.

Facilities

The conference will be taking place at the Fraser River Lodge, an all-inclusive mountain resort with views of Mount Cheam and the Fraser River.

This is a catered event and food is included in your registration fee. You can view the Fraser River Lodge’s menus here and note any dietary restrictions in your registration form.

Accommodation

Please see the following links to accommodation options near the facility. All accommodation is roughly a 25-30 minutes drive from the Fraser River Lodge. If you are requesting sponsorship for accommodation, please indicate this on the registration form and we will contact you.

Please note: the conference starts at 9:00 AM on October 10th, and finishes around 12:00 noon on October 11th. Booking for both the nights of the 9th and 10th is recommended.

For those paying their own way / not requesting sponsorship, you will be responsible for booking your own accommodation. The following locations are options that others attending the event will be booking.

Harrison Beach Hotel – 160 Esplanade Ave, Harrison Hot Springs – 604-796-1111

Harrison Spa Motel – 140 Esplanade Ave, Harrison Hot Springs – 604-796-2828

Hot Spring Villa Hotel & Restaurant – 270 Esplanade Ave, Harrison Hot Springs – 604-796-9339

Holiday Inn Express & Suites Chilliwack East – 8114 Young Road, Chilliwack – 604-402-5555

Sasquatch Crossing Eco Lodge – 15500 Morris Valley Rd, Harrison Mills – 604-796-9798

Sponsorship

Sponsorship will be granted on a first-come, first served basis. Once the initial budget is spoken for, we will have a wait list that will be sponsored as additional sponsorship funding becomes available.

Apply for Sponsorship: Participants can be sponsored for the following:

Registration sponsorship only

Accommodation sponsorship only

Travel sponsorship only (Please submit a Travel Estimate and EFT Application to dafgpassistant@bcaafc.com)

Full sponsorship (Please submit a Travel Estimate and EFT Application to dafgpassistant@bcaafc.com)

Please indicate the sponsorship you are applying for on your registration form.

Registration Form

Registration Information

Event Information

Payment and Sponsorship

Sponsor a Birth Worker

Sponsor a Birth Worker: Any donation to sponsor a birth worker to attend this event is much appreciated!

To sponsor a birth worker, please donate by using the form below. You may donate any amount you choose by credit card. Sponsorship options are on a sliding scale.

$100-$200: To sponsor registration fees for one (1) birth worker or Elder.

$400-$500: To sponsor registration fees and accommodation for one (1) birth worker or Elder.

$1,000-$1,500: To sponsor registration, accommodation and travel for one (1) birth worker or Elder.

Donations can also be made via cheque, made out to:

BC Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres 551 Chatham St., Victoria, B.C., V8T 1E1.

Include: “DAFGP Circles of Birth Keepers Donation” in the notes.

Please note: BCAAFC is a non-profit organization, not a charitable organization.

We will not be able to issue a Charitable Donation Income Tax Receipt.

Alternative payment arrangements can be discussed with Jacquie Snelling-Welsh or Marissa Jim.

Donation Form

For questions, please contact:

Jacquie Snelling-Welsh

Marissa Jim

BC Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres
551 Chatham St., Victoria, B.C., V8T 1E1.