National Association of Friendship Centres

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National Association of Friendship Centres

• National Programs

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NAFC National Programs

• Aboriginal Friendship Centre Program (AFCP)
• Program administration was transferred from DCH
  to the NAFC in March 1996
• Delivers core-funding for basic staff and
  operations to 99 Friendship Centres and 7
  Provincial/Territorial Associations

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NAFC National Programs

• Urban Multi Purpose Aboriginal Youth Centres
  Initiative (UMAYC)
• Designed to provide urban Aboriginal youth with a
  wide range of culturally based programs, services
  and activities
• Projects are locally controlled and designed in
  conjunction with Aboriginal youth

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NAFC National Programs

• UMAYC
• Structured in a manner that will empower
  Aboriginal youth to address the challenges they
  face and determine their own future in a safe and
  culturally relevant environment
• Primary goal of UMAYC is to create a network of
  urban Aboriginal youth centres to support and
  assist Aboriginal youth in enhancing their
  economic, social and personal prospects

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NAFC National Programs

• Young Canada Works

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Young Canada Works for Aboriginal Urban Youth

• One of four components of the Government of
  Canadas Young Canada Works Program
• Funded annually for 1.5 million, YCW for
  Aboriginal Urban Youth creates over 300 summer
  positions for urban Aboriginal youth in
  Friendship Centres and Provincial/Territorial
  Associations across Canada

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Young Canada Works for Aboriginal Urban Youth

• The objectives of the Young Canada Works for
  Aboriginal Youth program are
• To provide hans-on work experience in the
  culturally supportive milieu of the Aboriginal
  Friendship Centres and their affiliates
• To provide Aboriginal youth with earnings to
  assist them in financing their education

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Young Canada Works for Aboriginal Urban Youth

• Objectives
• Promote the employability of Aboriginal youth
• Encourage understanding and appreciation of
  Canadas achievements
• Build connections among Canadians, and
• Build connections to Canadas diverse places

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Young Canada Works for Aboriginal Urban Youth

• Youth employed assist in the delivery of programs
  to the community focusing on youth-related
  activities such as
• Recreation
• Special events
• Cultural activities
• Drop-in centres
• Outreach programs
• Peer counselling
• Health programs
• Exchanges
• Childrens programs

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Young Canada Works for Aboriginal Urban Youth

• Period of employment is from May 1 to September
  15
• 30 - 40 hours per week
• 6 to 16 weeks in length
• Wages reflect the level of education attained by
  the participants, but are not below the minimum
  wage of the province or territory

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Young Canada Works for Aboriginal Urban Youth

• Benefits to Employers, Employees and Participants
• Students gain valuable work experience and money
  to pursue their education
• Work experience can influence their future career
  plans

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Young Canada Works for Aboriginal Urban Youth

• Benefits
• Friendship Centres benefit from the capacity that
  is brought to their organization by the
  availability of a program which provides funding
  for positions
• Participants in projects are given access to
  culturally relevant activities in their community

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Young Canada Works for Aboriginal Urban Youth

• Cultural and Canadian identity
• Culturally supportive milieu of Friendship
  Centres allow students to gain work experience
  while maintaining cultural roots
• Promotion of cultural distinctiveness and pride
  in Canadian identity
• Integration into Canadian society while
  maintaining and experiencing cultural roots

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Young Canada Works for Aboriginal Urban Youth

• Community Partnerships and Cross-cultural
  Awareness
• Friendship Centres and Provincial/Territorial
  Associations develop partnerships with community
  organizations such as
• Royal Canadian Mounted Police
• YMCA
• Boys and Girls Clubs
• Community Hospitals

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Young Canada Works for Aboriginal Urban Youth

• Statistics
• In 2002/2003 there were a total of 325 positions
  created
• Almost 2/3 of the students employed were female
• 1/2 were Status Indian
• 1/3 were Metis
• 1/2 of projects delivered were focused
  specifically on Youth programming
• Over 7,400 people participated in some way across
  Canada

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Young Canada Works for Aboriginal Urban Youth

• Best Practices
• Annual Multi-Cultural Youth Gathering, Labrador
  Friendship Centre, Happy Valley-Goose Bay,
  Labrador-Newfoundland
• Presentations by motivational speakers, native
  games, sports, traditional crafts and food
• Participation of all Aboriginal groups in the
  area and people from other diverse backgrounds

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Young Canada Works for Aboriginal Urban Youth

• Best Practices
• Sizzling Summer Day Camp, Interior Indian
  Friendship Society, Kamloops, British Columbia
• Activities for community children aged 6-12
• Activities include sports, crafts, mask making,
  sculpture, tours and games

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Young Canada Works for Aboriginal Urban Youth

• Lessons Learned
• Development of NAFC Program Administration
  practices
• Employment and involvement help keep Aboriginal
  youth in the Friendship Centre Movement
• Develop Leadership skills
• Stable program funding is essential to the
  development of long-term program planning in
  communities

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Young Canada Works for Aboriginal Urban Youth

• Success Stories
• Zandra Wycotte

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National Association of Friendship Centres

• Young Canada Works for Aboriginal Urban Youth

FOR MORE INFO...

• Visit the National Association of Friendship
  Centres website at www.nafc-aboriginal.com or
  email nafcgen_at_nafc-aboriginal.com