Collaboration Rooted in Place: Łutsel K’é Dene First Nation Partners with Mount Royal University to Shape Student Learning

Dr. Julie Booke and Dr. David Legg are collaborating with the Łutsel K’é Dene First Nation to create meaningful, community-based practicum experiences for students in Mount Royal University’s Health and Physical Education program. This partnership represents a growing commitment to fostering respectful, reciprocal relationships between post-secondary institutions and Indigenous communities in the North, which are important for placing community priorities, local knowledge, and cultural values at the center of learning.

Building on a formal agreement first signed in 2023, Dr. Booke and Dr. Legg recently visited Łutsel K’é, a remote fly-in community located on the Eastern arm of Great Slave Lake. They worked closely with community members, leadership, and the Chief to shape the design and purpose of the new practicum experiences. The goal is to ensure that the initiative not only provides valuable, hands-on learning for students but also contributes meaningfully to the needs and aspirations of the Łutsel K’é Dene First Nation.

Students from Sport and Recreation Management, Physical Literacy, and Ecotourism and Outdoor Leadership will have the opportunity to take part in immersive, land-based learning that connects academic study with real-world applications. These placements will include supporting local recreation programming, designing physical literacy initiatives for youth, and contributing to the ongoing development of Thaidene Nëné National Park Reserve, one of Canada’s newest national parks and a vital area for ecological protection and cultural connection.

For the Łutsel K’é Dene First Nation, the collaboration strengthens community well-being through recreation programming, including land-based programming.  This initiative will also create opportunities for younger generations to engage in leadership and wellness activities. Dr. Booke believes this will be a great opportunity for students in HPED to apply their classroom learning, contribute to building recreation opportunities, and engage in an incredible learning and cultural experience.  

For Mount Royal University and the broader UArctic network, this partnership exemplifies the importance of community-driven education and research in the North. It reflects the shared values of collaboration, respect, and inclusion, which ensure that education serves as a bridge between Indigenous and non-Indigenous knowledge systems. Dr. Legg noted that "we were honoured to be approached by the Chief to form this partnership and we are endeavoring to ensure that it meets the needs of the community, our students and our institution.”

Through centering learning in place and community, the project advances a model of Northern education that is not only academically rigorous but also socially and culturally transformative, strengthening the connections that sustain vibrant, self-determining communities across the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions.