Guardians Program
Inuit Stewardship. Community Strength. A New Path Forward.
The Kivalliq Inuit Association’s Guardians Program is a major step forward in protecting Inuit lands, waters, wildlife, and cultural knowledge across the region. Led by Inuit and rooted in Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit, the program strengthens community well‑being while building long-term environmental resilience.
The Guardians Program marks a turning point for KIA and the region. It responds directly to community calls for stronger environmental leadership and provides a clear, concrete path forward.
The program:
- Demonstrates KIA’s active leadership in protecting Inuit-owned lands
- Builds trust through transparency, partnership, and accountability
- Creates meaningful employment and training opportunities for Inuit
- Strengthens Inuit well‑being by supporting training, employment, and skills development that create meaningful opportunities for Inuit across the Kivalliq Region.
- Strengthens cultural preservation and intergenerational learning
- Supports balanced decision-making—protecting the environment while creating opportunities
- Reinforces KIA’s long-term regional vision for stewardship and sustainability
Led by Inuit, for Inuit
The Guardians Program is designed and guided by the communities it serves. Decisions are made through collaboration, respect, and shared responsibility—ensuring stewardship reflects local priorities, cultural values, and traditional knowledge.
The Guardians Program provides on-the-ground capacity, environmental monitoring, and community leadership.
This fall, KIA will begin hiring Guardians and Community Coordinators in communities across the region. These are good-paying, meaningful jobs that support local economies, build skills, and create long-term career paths for Inuit.
Guardians are trained experts who work on the land—monitoring wildlife and sea ice, supporting search and rescue, sharing traditional knowledge, and helping communities prepare for challenges like climate change and biodiversity loss. Their work reflects the values, priorities, and leadership of the people who call the Kivalliq home.
What Guardians Do
Guardians support community well-being through:
- Environmental monitoring – wildlife health, sea ice conditions, land changes
- Food sovereignty – safe, sustainable harvesting and distribution of country food
- Cultural continuity – learning from Elders, sharing knowledge, supporting youth
- Search and rescue support – trained assistance during emergencies
- Community education – workshops, visitor engagement, cultural interpretation
- Stewardship and protection – ensuring activities on Inuit lands follow proper steps and respect Inuit rights
Their work blends Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit with modern conservation science to protect the land for future generations.
Hiring Begins This Fall
KIA will begin recruiting Community Guardian Coordinators and Guardians in multiple communities. Training will include First Aid, navigation, environmental monitoring, safety skills, and land-based knowledge development.
These roles are ideal for Inuit who:
- Spend time on the land
- Have strong cultural knowledge
- Want to support their community
- Are interested in environmental protection
- Want a meaningful career rooted in Inuit values
More information on job postings will be shared on the KIA website and Facebook page.
A Movement for Positive Change
The Guardians Program is more than a job—it is a regional movement to protect our lands, strengthen our culture, and build a future we can be proud of. Community members, Elders, youth, hunters, partners, and stakeholders all have a role to play.
KIA invites everyone to stay involved, ask questions, and participate as the program grows across the Kivalliq.