Qqs Projects Society
We are a registered nonprofit society established by and for the people of the Heiltsuk First Nation. We are based in Bella Bella on the remote Central Coast of British Columbia, in the heart of the Great Bear Rainforest.
Qqs, pronounced "kucks", is a Heiltsuk word meaning "eyes". It is our mandate to open the eyes of our young people to their responsibility as stewards of our environment and culture.
We actively support, and are supported by, the hemas (our traditional leadership) and the Heiltsuk Tribal Council (our elected leadership).
Our Mission
Qqs Projects Society is dedicated to supporting Heiltsuk youth, culture, and environment in order to create a strong and vibrant future for our children, our Nation, and our territory.
We are devoted to building capacity and revitalizing our culture by supporting important community initiatives that will uplift the Heiltsuk people. We empower our youth and families by providing opportunities to learn and practice our gvi‘ilas (traditional values and laws) as well as Hailhzaqvla, our language.
We establish and participate in Heiltsuk-run projects focused on the monitoring and stewardship of Heiltsuk traditional lands and resources in the belief that our environment is the foundation of our culture.
Our goal is to help create a new generation of Heiltsuk leaders who are committed to the revitalization of our culture and to the sustainable management and use of our lands and resources.
We strive to build and maintain an efficient and effective organization that is accountable to our members, our staff, our partners, our Board, and the wider Heiltsuk community.
Our Values
Qqs Projects Society is a value-based organization. We are guided by and pursue our work based on the following principles. We, along with our partners and supporters, share a common commitment to realizing these values both in our actions as individuals and in our work as an organization:
- We value our youth. We believe that our young people are our future and that they deserve opportunities to grow and learn.
- We value our culture. We believe in the strength of our Heiltsuk culture and traditions and are committed to cultural revitalization that transcends generations.
- We value our environment. We believe that the health of our land and waters is deeply tied to the health of our people.
- We value our traditional Heiltsuk laws that govern who we are, how we act, and how we speak.
- We value education and learning as a tool to help our Nation to build itself into a healthy, strong, and vibrant people.
- We value respect for each other, our environment, and our friends and partners.
Our Project Areas
Our three project areas are the pillars of our commitment. These three things are all essential to each other and are inseparably connected. None of these can be healthy without the others, and the health of one requires an investment in all three.
- Youth are our future. In our youth we see the next generation of community leaders and stewards of our culture and environment.
- Culture is our way of life. Our culture gives our youth strength and gives us the traditional knowledge to respect and sustain our environment.
- Environment is our home and our sustenance. Our culture and our youth cannot be strong without a healthy environment.
PO Box 786, Bella Bella, BC V0T 1Z0
phone: 250-957-2917 • email: info@qqsprojects.org