Elders in Residence Programs: What They Do and How to Access One

What an Elder in Residence Does

An Elder in Residence is a respected Indigenous community member, usually chosen by local Indigenous communities or an institution's Indigenous advisory council, who works on campus to support students. The role blends counselling, teaching and ceremony. You can visit an Elder to talk through a hard semester, ask about a cultural protocol, or simply sit and listen. Elders are not chaplains and the role is not tied to a single religion. Conversations stay confidential in the same way a conversation with a counsellor would.

Many campuses pair the Elder in Residence program with the Indigenous student centre, so the same physical space that offers academic and financial help also hosts the Elder's office hours. Others run the program through a wellness centre or a stand-alone office reporting to the provost or student affairs, so check more than one part of the website if you cannot find it right away.

Ceremony and Cultural Support

Elders lead or guide smudging, pipe ceremonies, talking circles, feasts and seasonal gatherings. Some campuses invite an Elder to open events like orientation, convocation or a powwow with a prayer or teaching. If you want to learn about protocol before attending your first ceremony, an Elder or the student centre staff can walk you through what to expect and how to show respect, including proper gift-giving through tobacco or cloth where the community follows that practice.

Ceremony access is not limited to major events. Many Elders hold a weekly smudge or talking circle open to any student who wants to attend, no registration required beyond showing up. If a specific ceremony belongs to a particular nation or tradition, the Elder will tell you directly whether it is open to all students or reserved for community members, so ask rather than assume.

Personal and Academic Guidance

Students use Elders for more than ceremony. Common reasons to book a visit include homesickness, family loss, conflict with a professor or roommate, questions about balancing school with community obligations, and general stress. An Elder brings a different kind of guidance than a campus counsellor: less clinical, rooted in relationship and often extended over multiple visits rather than a fixed number of sessions.

Some students book a single visit before a hard decision, like whether to take a leave of absence or change programs. Others build an ongoing relationship with the same Elder across their whole degree, checking in every few weeks. Both approaches are normal, and staff do not expect you to commit to a schedule up front.

Who Can Access an Elder in Residence

At most Canadian campuses, Elder in Residence programs are open to any student, Indigenous or not, along with staff and faculty in many cases. You do not need status card documentation or band membership to book a visit. First-generation students, international students and anyone curious about Indigenous perspectives can usually request time with the Elder through the same booking process as everyone else.

How Programs Differ Across Institutions

A large university may fund multiple Elders representing different nations and traditions, with rotating schedules covering most weekdays. A smaller college might host one Elder a few days a week, or bring in a visiting Elder for specific events rather than year-round office hours. Some campuses distinguish between an Elder in Residence and a Knowledge Keeper in Residence, where the Knowledge Keeper focuses more on language, land-based skills or specific cultural practices rather than pastoral counselling. Ask your student services office which model your campus runs before you assume the program looks a specific way.

What to Expect at Your First Visit

A first meeting usually starts with introductions and small talk rather than jumping straight into a problem. Bringing a small gift like loose tobacco is common practice at many institutions, though staff will tell you in advance if that is expected and where to get it if you do not already have any. You control how much you share. Elders are practiced at letting a conversation go at your pace, and you are free to end a visit early or come back another time if you are not ready to talk.

How to Access One

Start at your Indigenous student centre, wellness centre or general student services page and search for "Elder in Residence." Booking usually works through email, an online form or a drop-in schedule posted at the centre. If your campus does not list a program, ask student services directly. Some smaller institutions bring in an Elder through partnership with a nearby Friendship Centre or First Nation rather than hiring one on staff, so support may exist even without a dedicated office.

If you are weighing schools before you apply, ask each campus directly whether an Elder in Residence program exists, how often the Elder is on site, and whether the service is open to all students. A campus with strong Indigenous student support usually lists this clearly, and staff can tell you exactly what to expect before you commit to a program.