OUR STORY

The Turtle Island Wellness & Inclusivity Collective (TIWIC) was created to bring together art, advocacy, and understanding in a way that supports both Indigenous and settler communities in building meaningful relationships.

It exists because healing and reconciliation require more than words, they require spaces where people can learn, feel, and grow together. We believe wellness is political, relational, and creative.

TIWIC was founded to make culturally grounded and inclusive learning accessible, especially for Indigenous people who live in urban, rural, or disconnected contexts, and for settlers and allies seeking to engage respectfully and meaningfully in reconciliation.

Our History

Turtle Island Wellness & Inclusivity Collective began as a vision carried through several community-rooted projects and workshops created by Syndel Thomas Kozar and Caitlyn Lepine.

These included Just a Child in Canada, an interactive anti-racism and empathy exercise exploring intersectional youth experiences; Crafting Kinship, a series of online and in-person art-for-wellness workshops centering Indigenous youth; and Representing Our Spirit, a Two-Spirit regalia reclamation and ribbon-wear workshop.

Each project was a thread in the same larger story, the need for spaces that blend cultural learning, creative expression, and community care. As these programs grew, so did the vision: to create a collective that could braid together all these strands, art, education, advocacy, and wellness into one living network.

In 2025, Syndel and Caitlyn brought these projects under one name: The Turtle Island Wellness & Inclusivity Collective, a social enterprise designed to sustain free or low-barrier programming for Indigenous youth while offering paid learning opportunities, speaking engagements, and workshops for communities and organization, both Indigenous and allied.

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Our Purpose

  • Uplift Indigenous voices and leadership by creating platforms for youth, artists, and Knowledge Keepers to share, teach, and lead.
  • Support cross-cultural understanding by helping settlers and allies learn in trauma-informed, accessible, and relational ways.
  • Foster holistic wellness through programs that combine cultural teachings, art-based healing, and mental health awareness.
  • Advocate for systemic change by transforming conversations into community-driven education, collaboration, and creative action.
  • Build a network of care and inclusion that celebrates Indigenous resurgence and creates opportunities for others to grow within it.
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Blog Posts & Media

Read blogs written by our members about Indigenous focused projects, supports, and possibilities.

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Contact us!

We'd love to hear from you. Have questions about our workshops or looking for customized care. Send us an email at turtleislandwic@theircollective.ca.

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Our Team

Syndel and Caitlyn first met through Indigenous Youth Roots (IYR), where they both participated in the online national advocacy program called Indigenous Youth Advocacy Week (IYAW) which opportunities to connect with government leaders and policymakers to share their ideas, visions, and priorities on a range of key issues.

Their shared passion for art as medicine, community care, and accessible learning quickly turned into an online friendship and now into a holistic collaboration. Through their friendship, they realized the power of bringing their strengths together, Caitlyn’s deep connection to cultural artistry, mental wellness, advocacy, and community facilitation, and Syndel’s experience in art, education, advocacy, and systems-level change.

From that partnership grew the Turtle Island Wellness & Inclusivity Collective (TIWIC), a home for Indigenous creativity, advocacy, and relational healing.

Syndel Thomas Kozar (she/they/any)

Who is Syndel?

A Two-Spirit, neurodivergent nehiyaw (Plains Cree) and settler advocate, artist community-based educator, and consultant. A band member of One Arrow First Nation with familial ties to the Chakastaypasin Band in James Smith Cree Nation, Syndel was born and raised in Melfort, Saskatchewan.

Their work bridges education, advocacy, and art, grounded in the belief that cultural connection and collective healing are essential to individual and systemic wellbeing.

Full Bio

Syndel’s practice focuses on decolonial education, relational facilitation, and community advocacy, supporting organizations, schools, and grassroots initiatives in building more inclusive
and accountable spaces. Drawing on their background in Indigenous Studies and Women’s & Gender Studies at the University of Saskatchewan, they integrate lived experience, academic insight, and cultural practices to create learning rooted in reflection, compassion, and transformation.

As the founder of the Turtle Island Wellness & Inclusivity Collective, Syndel leads projects that merge culture, wellness, and education, including the Crafting Kinship youth cultural arts program and the Just a Child in Canada anti-racism initiative. Their facilitation and consulting work centers Indigenous knowledge systems, decolonial frameworks, and the power of creativity as a tool for connection and systemic change.

Current Offerings

Learn more here.

E-mail/Contact

E-mail: turtleislandwic@theircollective.ca

Use the contact form. Here.

Caitlyn Lepine (she/her)

Who is Caitlyn?

Caitlyn Lepine is a Cree/Dene artist, mental health coach, advocate and community-based educator from Treaty 8 territory Fort Chipewyan, Alberta. She is a proud member of the Mikisew Cree First nation, with family ties to the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation.

Her work bridges art, advocacy, and wellness, focusing on Indigenous mental health, cultural education, and identity. Guided by the belief that healing is deeply connected to creativity, land, and community care, her practice emphasizes holistic and culturally grounded approaches to well-being.

Full Bio

Rooted in Trauma informed and culturally grounded approaches, Caitlyn creates inclusive spaces that honour intergenerational healing and self expression. Her work also incorporates her background in animal-assisted and equine-assisted wellness, where she integrates connection with animals as part of holistic healing and emotional well-being.

Through this work, she combines Indigenous knowledge with experiential learning to support growth, confidence, and community connection. Overall she intertwines visual art with education and advocacy to foster connection, empowerment and collective healing. 

As a co-founder of the Turtle Island Wellness & Inclusivity Collective as well as Crafting Kinship a youth cultural arts program, She leads initiatives that merge culture, art and healing.

Her work reflects a deep commitment to community empowerment, systemic change, and the continuation of Indigenous resilience through creativity, compassion, and connection.

Current Offerings

Coming soon.

E-mail/Contact

E-mail: turtleislandwic@theircollective.ca

Use the contact form. Here.

OTHER WORK & SPONSORSHIPS

Learn about aligned organizations and projects we work and volunteer with.

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LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

At Their Collective, we acknowledge that we are situated on the traditional lands of Indigenous peoples across Canada. We recognize the history and ongoing relationship that Indigenous communities have with these lands, and we honor the diverse cultures, languages, and traditions that enrich this territory.

In Treaty 2, where co-founder Megan Johnston resides, we acknowledge the Anishinaabe and Métis peoples, who have stewarded this land for generations. In Treaty 6, where co-founder Chelsea Bleau resides, we honor the Cree, Saulteaux, Nakota, and Dene peoples, among others, who have long-standing connections to this territory. We acknowledge the impact of colonization and the importance of decolonization efforts to restore Indigenous sovereignty and rights. We recognize the significance of the land to their cultural identity, spiritual practices, and community well-being.

As a national mental health business, we commit to best practices in cultural safety and trauma-informed care, ensuring that we respect and honor the stories of all individuals we serve. We understand that our work is situated within a broader context of reconciliation and healing, and we strive to actively support Indigenous voices in our initiatives.

Our policies state that we must always first attempt to access a 2SLGBTQIAP+, Neurodivergent, or Indigenous contractor or employee. Amplifying Indigenous voices is a role we take very seriously, and we are dedicated to ensuring that these perspectives are not only heard but also celebrated in our programs and practices.

Both Meg and Chelsea maintain personal anti-racism practices, recognizing that this is essential work we hope to facilitate at Their Collective. We aim to create an inclusive environment where everyone can engage in meaningful conversations about race, privilege, and systemic oppression.

We pledge to pay Indigenous artists, educators, and mental health professionals generously for their contributions and to elevate their expertise within our offerings. We believe in building meaningful relationships with Indigenous communities, recognizing that our collective healing and growth depend on honoring and respecting their rights and histories.

We invite everyone to join us in this commitment to learning, growth, and allyship as we work towards a more just and equitable society for all.

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