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Matt Thorpe

ABOUT

Matt Thorpe wearing sunglasses, sitting holding chin up with hand

I am an Aboriginal person and high-level Thought Leader, educated by the school of hard knocks. I am driven by commitment, integrity, and authenticity to ensure the success of all the work I facilitate, with over thirty years of experience in the world of training, entrepreneurship, mediation, workplace learning/facilitation and coaching.  My dynamic badass approach, skills, knowledge, and ability successfully shift individuals quickly into the space of authentic resolution and profound self-awareness.

I am a strong front-line leader with a win-win attitude. My rigorous commitment, discipline, and reliability, combined with my dynamic and inclusive communication style, have allowed me to successfully work with diverse groups, their communities and organizations across Canada and the US.

My best and most potent learning comes from the non-traditional teachings I have acquired. In addition, my life experiences, acute intuition, and ability to deeply connect with people from different walks of life have served my clients well in getting to the root causes in all the facilitations/coaching and mediations I have conducted.

I am consistently in touch with who I am, why I do what I do and why it matters. As one of my mentors once said, "If you are in the job of service, you want to make sure you are doing your own work” – something I have been committed to for over 35 years.


I am the Founder and CEO of M. Thorpe & Associates Inc., a company committed to Conflict Resolution, Learning Circles and Coaching Services. I am acutely aware of the need for cultural sensitivity whenever disputes occur between members of different communities and organizations. In mediations/facilitations, I value humanness, which allows all participants to be heard and gain a deeper awareness of fairness, honesty, and interpersonal responsibility.

 

My work has involved working with victims and offenders, unions and management, human rights complainants, federal and provincial courts, hospital staff and management, teachers and students, family, and Aboriginal community members, each case posing specific and, in some ways, unique challenges.

 

I am frequently invited as a special advisor and keynote speaker at various forums and national conferences. Some topics include Positive Lifestyle Choices, Lateral Kindness, Embracing and Celebrating Diversity, Power and Freedom Through Story and Stress Management.  One of my most exciting keynotes was the first World Summit of Indigenous Entrepreneurs and the World Mediation Summit in Madrid, Spain.

  • High Standard of Accomplishment and Appreciation, Commissioner of Correctional Services, Ottawa

  • Problem Solver and Team Leader, Ministry of Corrections, British Columbia

  • High Standard of Volunteer Service, Ministry of Corrections, Ontario

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

  • Mediation Certificate from Harvard Law School (2003)

  • Advanced Mediation Course from Harvard Law School (2015)

  • Mediation Training from Carleton University and the Canadian Human Rights Commission

  • Balanced Lifestyle Program, Risk Management, Critical Response Training with Correctional Services Canada

  • Cross Cultural Training Certificate

  • Executive Transformational Coach

  • Personality Types and Behavior

  • Ethics 2000 and Beyond (AARSW & CSC Symposium)

  • Completion of Curriculum for Living from Landmark Education

  • Community Justice Forum Facilitator Training with the RCMP

  • Entrepreneurship Training Program from Lokken Career Training

FORMAL LEARNING ACCOMPLISHMENTS

  • Appointed to the Family Law Court and Youth Justice Committee of Vancouver

  • Team Leader and Facilitator of Violent Offender Program in Secondary School (Sherwood Park, Alberta)

  • Coordinator and Facilitator of Cultural Awareness Training (Nationally)

  • Facilitator of Family Violence and Substance Abuse Programs (Nationally)

  • Elected to sit on the Consultative Committee with the Ministry of Correctional Services, Metro West Detention Centre (Ontario Region)

  • Facilitated life skills workshops for male, female and young offenders (Ontario Region)

VOLUNTEERISM EXPERIENCE

  • Developing and facilitating workplace restoration/healing circles and mediation of hundreds of situations towards mutual understanding and successful resolution within the private and public sectors and non-profit organizations.

  • Facilitator and Keynote Speaker at various government functions and non-profit organizations on wellness, self-expression, and personal responsibility topics.

  • Facilitation of multi-party negotiations to satisfy all parties involved, some involving monetary settlements.

  • The investigation, fact-finding, and settlement of over 50 cases for the Canadian Human Rights Commission and Department of Justice also involved working with legal councils. These cases had not previously been resolved because of the cultural background of the parties.

  • Executive Coach for Senior Government staff.

  • Research, development and implementation of Healing Lodge and Alternative Justice projects within Canada.

  • Development of crime prevention initiatives (including training video for the Edmonton Police Service on gangs) in Alberta, British Columbia, and Ontario secondary schools.

  • Assistant Director, CCRF Healing Lodge in Vancouver, British Columbia.

  • Director of the Langford Youth Center in Victoria, British Columbia: responsible for the restructuring of the facility’s administration and programs, coordination of programs for substance abuse, self-esteem, anger management and life skills, development and facilitation of a successful “Bullying” Program recognized by the Premier of British Columbia.

  • Native Liaison Advisor in several Federal Institutions, working to establish links between Aboriginal Offenders and Correctional Authority and between offenders and the community. The work involved negotiating mandates and clarifying roles and responsibilities in the best interest of all parties involved, conducting investigations about human rights issues, providing cross-cultural and communication training for institutional staff and national parole board members and providing conflict resolution and life support services to Aboriginal offenders in three different regions.

WORK ACCOMPLISHMENTS

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