Ezhi'Anokiiyang means in the way we do our work.
This is our methodology.
AG7F’s work is guided by relational, Anishinaabek principles that prioritize responsibility, accountability, and long-term care. These ways of working shape how we build partnerships, make decisions, and carry responsibilities forward.
Who leads the work?
Our work is shaped by the priorities, knowledge, and leadership of Indigenous communities. In engagement or group/community planning, we do not arrive with predetermined solutions. We listen, respond, and work alongside communities in ways that respect local governance, protocols, and responsibilities.
Community-led
We prioritize Indigenous youth leadership, and the wisdom of our elders by creating space for learning, mentorship, and knowledge exchange. Youth are supported to build confidence, skills, and long-term relationships with land, culture, and community. Elders are provided time and space to share and connected.
Youth & Elder-centered
How Relationships Are Held
We understand stewardship as a long-term relationship, not a transaction. Embodying the 7 Grandfather Teachings to the best of our abilities guide how we engage with communities, partners, and the land itself.
Relationship-based
All work is grounded in transparency, and shared accountability. We are responsible to the communities we work with, to the knowledge holders who guide us, and to future generations who will inherit the outcomes of today’s decisions.
Accountable
How Time and Place Shape our Work
Aligned with Anishinaabek cosmology, our work follows the rhythms of the land and seasonal cycles. Timelines, activities, and responsibilities are shaped by what the land and community require, more so than external deadlines or funding pressures.
Seasonal and land-responsive
These principles guide how our work unfolds on the ground
begin through relationship-building, listening, and trust, often long before any formal project takes shape. We take time to understand community priorities, responsibilities, and readiness before moving forward.
Partnerships
Knowledge holders, Elders,
and cultural practitioners
guide our work through ongoing involvement, not one-time consultation. Their knowledge shapes decision-making, timelines, and how responsibilities are carried.
are flexible and responsive. We work at the pace of the land, community, and season, recognizing that meaningful work cannot be rushed.
Timelines
do not end when a project concludes. We remain accountable to the relationships formed, the commitments made, and the long-term impacts of the work carried out.
Responsibilities
This is how we work.
Through these approaches, our principles take form as community-led projects, workshops, and gatherings that foster connections, support cultural continuity, and advance the health of people, lands, and waters.
Interested in partnering with us?
AG7F offers a variety of tailored workshops to Indigenous & non-Indigenous, communities, groups, and organizations, and we would love to work with you!