2013 Elders & Youth Conference
Call for Presentations
Submission Deadline: Friday, August 16, 2013
The First Alaskans Institute (FAI) Elders & Youth Conference will take place October 21-23, 2013 at the Carlson Center in Fairbanks, Alaska.
FAI is seeking presentation proposals from individuals and/or organizations wishing to present during the Conference. Presentations should be clearly tied to the conference theme, strive to achieve the purposes of the Conference, and be grounded in the celebration of who we are as Alaska Native peoples. The 2013 conference theme is:
"We Are Our Ancestors"
Topics may include, but are not limited to: culture, language, Native knowledge, leadership, identity, environment, land use, traditional foods and medicines, traditional and customary hunting, fishing and gathering, law, governance and policy, history, heritage, tradition, storytelling, dance instruction, education, health and wellness, spirituality, empowerment, art workshops, community building and organizing, successful models of youth and Elder programs, resiliency, etc.
Conference Purpose & Objectives
Provide an opportunity for Elders and youth to interact with and learn from each other.
Inspire pride in cultural identity and heritage.
Grow knowledge of community, culture, traditions, family, and self towards understanding the unique role that each person plays in our collective identity.
Strengthen participants' understanding and engagement with topics relevant to the Alaska Native community.
Empower youth leadership, innovation, commitment and sharing of their knowledge.
Foster statewide networking, sharing, discussion, and community building.
Prepare participants to be engaged and take action after the conference and in their lives by nurturing a practice of learning and leading.
Criteria for Presentation Review and Selection
Presentations submitted to First Alaskans Institute will be reviewed and selected by the Conference Project Lead Team using a consensus based process geared towards creating a total Conference experience that achieves the purposes noted above and reflects the 2013 theme. Selection criteria may include, but is not limited to:
Clarity of proposal and usefulness to participants
Emphasis on interaction between Elders and Youth
Connections to the conference purpose and outcomes
Relevance to the conference theme
Engagement and interaction with participants during the presentation
Appeal to the Elders and youth audience
Preference will be given to Alaska Native speakers and presenters
We respectfully encourage proposals that focus on the experience of the Elders and youth participants, rather than recruiting, research, or advertising. It is fine to mention your programs and opportunities, but not to allow those items to be the center or sole purpose of the presentation. Using participants as research subjects is discouraged, however, if you intend to do any research at the Conference, please make sure to indicate this in your proposal and FAI staff will follow up with you.
Timeline:
Deadline for Proposal Submissions: Friday, August 16, 2013
Notification of Selection to Presenters: No later than September 27, 2013
*Please note, selected presenters will be asked to register for the conference using the online registration system.
Incomplete proposals will NOT be considered.
Presentation submissions must include the following information:
General Information
Name:
Are you presenting on behalf of (CIRCLE ONE): YOURSELF ORGANIZATION GROUP PROGRAM
Title:
Organization/Group/Program (if applicable):
Address:
City, State, Zip:
Office Phone: Cell Phone:
Fax:
Email:
If Alaska Native, List Cultural Affiliation(s) of Presenter(s):
Presentation Information
Presentation Title (Provide the title as it may appear in the conference program guide):
My preference is to be considered for:
workshop session plenary session
My preference for presentation time (90 min max):____________________
*Please note: While preference is considered, if you are selected as a presenter you may be requested to expand or shorten your presentation time or format, depending on Conference need & space available.
Set-Up/Equipment Needs: If selected, you will be invited to register and at that time select any special set up and/or equipment needs you may have (there may be fees for certain items).
Have you presented at the Elders & Youth Conference before?
If you are a returning presenter, please provide details of previous involvement (i.e. Plenary or workshop session? Topic?):
Please include the following Additional Information:
Speaker Biographies
Please include a brief biography (100 words or less) for each presenter.
Presentation Length, Purpose and Description - (2 Pages Maximum)
Presentations should relate to the theme and/or Conference objectives. Please provide a brief description of your presentation, including how it will benefit the audience, reflect the theme & objectives, the message you want to deliver, and the format-style you would prefer to use. Please address how participants will be interacting with the speaker/presenter(s) and each other.
Special Presentation to Plenary Sessions
The purpose is to highlight, in a compelling manner a particular issue or topic, hear from Elders and/or Youth on current issues, activities, etc. Special presentations will be no longer than 45 minutes.
Workshop Presentations
Special emphasis will be placed on workshops that engage the participants and focus on the topics noted above on page 1. Workshop sessions will be no longer than 90 minutes.
Workshop outcomes should include at least two of the following elements:
participants will be engaged in learning and discussing issue(s),
participants will apply what they learned (e.g., creation of a product, writing a document, …),
participants will develop a plan for continuing their work after the Conference,
participants will leave the conference prepared, ready for action.
Important: FAI will do our best to accommodate time and proposal format preferences, however this cannot be guaranteed as the Conference need and objectives are the main priority in scheduling. We respectfully request and thank the selected presenters ahead of time for remaining open and flexible so they can best connect with Elders and youth participants.
Please Note:
First Alaskans Institute does not offer financial compensation for presentations.
All presentation proposals must be e-mailed, scanned, or delivered by Friday, August 16, 2013 to:
Ella Tonuchuk, Leadership Development Specialist
First Alaskans Institute, 606 E Street, Suite 200, Anchorage, AK 99501
First Alaskans Institute press release