IVS Connections Inc. has extensive consultation experience in government, economic development and service sectors, with a specific focus on issues affecting Indigenous peoples across Turtle Island.

IVS Connections Inc. has a thorough, proven process to help clients articulate and negotiate their needs and to reach beneficial agreements. Our consultation experience includes incorporating traditional and evidence-based knowledge into complex organizational structures, which helps them to reach their policy and legislative goals effectively.

Our approach often includes:

• Managing the consultation process
• Writing and producing communications materials and project updates
• Coordinating group meetings, open houses and project information sessions

From research, auditing and logistics management to planning, implementation and evaluation, IVS is committed to helping communities and organizations thrive.

• Consultation/Engagement with Indigenous stakeholders – working with Indigenous Nations to facilitate meaningful dialogue, application and implementation of complex plans for industry and government, as well as within First Nations on programs and services
• Research/policy Development – helping communities to develop plans, policies, protocols and capacity for governance and economic development
• Capacity Development – providing tailored training courses to enhance communities’ skills and capacity for research, policy development and negotiation
• Partnership Development – creating positive relations with stakeholders at various levels of government in political, social and economic environments
• Conflict Resolution – providing solutions that all parties can agree to while maintaining or even improving the relationship between parties
• Team Performance Evaluations – reviewing and incentivizing individual and team performance
• Program Evaluation – Formative (ie: building strong new programs), Process (ie: on operating program system(s) or Summative (ie: determining effectiveness)
• Strategic Planning – providing analytic planning to assist leaders in determining their vision and identifying their goals and objectives
• Meeting Facilitation – designing, organizing and facilitating small and large-scale engagement programs or events, with a focus on encouraging meaningful dialogue
• Human Resources Structuring – planning and implementing organizational restructuring
• Ethical Decision-Making – ensuring moral, principled and culturally-aware solutions for First Nations by First Nations

• Program planning and coordination
• Creative, innovative problem solving
• Funding, proposal writing, resource planning and procurement consultation
• Analyses
• Negotiation
• Facilitating work group sessions
• Dissemination of information and data
• Advisory work

• Leadership, self-government and all levels of government
• Child and family services
• Not-for-profits and fundraising
• Small business
• Health policy and systems
• Social and community programs
• Advocacy

Inez Vystrcil leads IVS Connections Inc. with 20 years of consultancy expertise. She is a member of the Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation, and uses her Indigenous perspective to create common vision and meaningful collaboration for all parties in governmental, business and industry sectors.

With a Masters in social work from the University of Manitoba, Inez lends her holistic understanding of social issues to her skillful strategic planning, analysis and negotiation. She is equally adept at program coordination and advisory work, with a quick perception of organizational strengths.

Inez has committed her professional life to lifting up First Nations communities and organizations, in projects as varied as Child and Family Services and Jordan’s Principle governance, Manitoba First Nation Technology Council advocacy, H1N1 crisis management, and Tuberculosis strategy.