“I recently heard ‘Truth and Reclamation’ in place of ‘Truth and Reconciliation’ and this phrasing resonates for me when I think about what I do and why I do it.”

“My role is to play a part in ensuring that Indigenous voices are heard authentically, truthfully, and respectfully.”

This week’s #wcw is our Communications and Marketing Specialist, Kaitlin Littlechild. 

We all have our superpowers. Kaitlin Littlechild's is harnessing the power of words.

“The thing that brings everything I do together is the power of words. The power of words to tell a story, to make a point, to weave together different cultures and perspectives.”

A self-described eternal student, Kaitlin, who is a proud member of Sweetgrass First Nation, started her knowledge journey in the field of biology. She worked for Environment Canada while completing a Bachelor of Science degree at Queen’s University. She later completed a Master of Public Health at the University of Waterloo and a program in addiction studies at McMaster University but said she was ultimately drawn to an editing program at Simon Fraser University — a skill she had been developing since she was a child.

“I started helping [others] out with editing, and then I realized, not having found work along one path, there might be potential in editing,” she explained about her pathway to her work in editing, writing, and communications.

In addition to being a life-long learner and a mother of three, Kaitlin is one of SVS’s resident wordsmiths. As a professional editor and a Communications and Marketing Specialist at SVS, Kaitlin noted that she found a way to connect all the pieces of herself in her career.

“Being a life-long learner, I found editing to be a good fit because every report, every paper, every book I edit is something new being put out into the world. Being the editor working on that, I get to learn that too.”

Kaitlin said that being in the environmental consulting world allows her to work at the intersection of her interests and skillsets. As she put it simply, reminding us of the interconnected nature of our world, “if our environment is suffering, the people are going to suffer.”

Part of Kaitlin’s interest in working at the crossroads of environment, health, and editing is her Indigenous heritage and a dedication to furthering the rights and interests of Indigenous Peoples in Canada.

“I recently heard ‘Truth and Reclamation’ in place of ‘Truth and Reconciliation’ and this phrasing resonates for me when I think about what I do and why I do it.”

In many ways editing and communications are about knowledge translation, about reclaiming culture, stories, and language, Kaitlin explained. “My role is to play a part in ensuring that Indigenous voices are heard authentically, truthfully, and respectfully.”

About Us: Shared Value Solutions

We are an Canadian B Corp, and we assist Indigenous communities with support throughout regulatory processes surrounding major development projects like mines, hydroelectric facilities, transmission lines, highway expansions, oil and gas pipelines, natural resource transport applications and nuclear power. 

We have deep context and experience behind the recommendations we provide, having worked for our clients on almost every major project in Canada over the last 10 years. For us, it’s all about building long-term relationships with our clients. We want to get to know you and what you want to do so we can help you move your plans forward. 

• Impact Benefit Agreement Negotiation Support 
• Technical Reviews and Regulatory Process Support 
• Community and Economic Development Planning 
• Indigenous Knowledge and Land Use Studies 
• Environmental Monitoring 
• Guardians Program Development 
• Climate Change Readiness 
• GIS and Mapping
• And so much more: www.sharedvaluesolutions.com