Thunderbird Training

Thunderbird’s training courses are developed from a culture as foundation, strength-based trauma informed approach. Indigenous Knowledge and culture as foundation guide all aspects of the training.

The method of training delivery is structured to support the content and engage participants in a shared learning space that includes Indigenous teaching circle concepts. Ensuring these Indigenous principles and values are applied throughout in-person and virtual training along with tools available through virtual platforms creates a group experience and expression of Hope, Belonging, Meaning and Purpose.

We continue to expand our training with the goal of building a national network of regional First Nations trainers across Canada. These trainers deliver Thunderbird’s certified curriculum via our Train-the-Trainer (TTT) model. Our goal is to increase the capacity of First Nations across the country to access certified training in order to support their communities.

After completing their training, trainers are enrolled in an online hub called the Community of Practice (CoP). Individualized training hubs added to the CoP ensure training participants and former training participants can share resources, discuss their specific training, and find peer support. Thunderbird creates the online hubs for all of its training courses.

Thunderbird promotes any available seats for scheduled training sessions through our partner networks and the Thunderbird Community Wellness Hub. Thunderbird’s training courses are available at no charge for NNADAP/NYSAP treatment centre employees and First Nations community wellness workers.

Here is what people are saying about our virtual training:

Training Opportunities

The Training and Education Team at Thunderbird offers a variety of different learning platforms and opportunities. If you have any questions about training and education learning opportunities, please contact us. 

Training Calendar

The Training and Education Team at Thunderbird offers a variety of different learning platforms and opportunities. If you have any questions about training and education learning opportunities, please contact us!

Community of Practice - Community Wellness Hub

The Thunderbird Partnership Foundation’s Community of Practice (CoP) is a virtual community designed to connect people, enable dialogue, stimulate learning, capture, and share existing knowledge, introduce collaborative process and generate new knowledge. The Community Wellness Hub (CWH) is open to persons currently employed as NNADAP Workers (and In-Patient Treatment Addiction Workers), and persons who work with an Indigenous specific treatment and wellness program. The CWH is housed within the CoP.

Knowledge Exchange

Thunderbird’s Training & Education team has developed a series of micro-learning knowledge exchange videos. These micro-videos were developed from existing training course content, to highlight key concepts and information on Indigenous trauma informed care approaches, and harm reduction, in brief easily accessible formats.


The 6 micro-videos highlight Life Promotion presentations from the Indigenous Youth Action Group at the 2021 World Indigenous Suicide Prevention conference. The Indigenous Youth Action Group was comprised of youth from across Turtle Island and their presentations shared essential elements of the Life Promotion toolkits they developed supported by Elder Ed Connors and Thunderbird Partnership Foundation. The micro-videos are an opportunity to share empowering, inspirational messages of youth encouraging life promotion through a connection to self, spirit, land, and community.