History of the Friendship Centre Movement
Friendship Centres emerged out a grassroots movement in the 1950s. The Friendship Centre Movement worked to establish organizations that could provide programs and services to a growing number of Indigenous people who had migrated to urban centres. This migration was largely a result of enfranchisement and assimilation policies in Canada, that meant many people were not allowed to return to their home communities and were forced to relocate to towns and cities. Some of the earliest Friendship Centres in Canada include the North American Indian Club, which was registered as a society in Toronto, Ontario, in 1951, the Coqualeetza Fellowship Club which opened its doors in 1952 in Vancouver, British Columbia, and the Indian and Métis Friendship Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba. By 1968, there were 26 Friendship Centres in Canada. That number grew to 80 in 1983, and 118 in 2009.Provincial Territorial Associations
Friendship Centres may be represented by multiple associations at the national or provincial level. There are 7 Provincial Territorial Associations (PTAs) in Canada including the National Association of Friendship Centres (NAFC), Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres (OFIFC), Aboriginal Friendship Centres of Saskatchewan, Manitoba Association of Friendship Centres, Alberta Native Friendship Centres Association, BC Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres, and the Northwest Territories/Nunavut Council of Friendship Centres.National Association of Friendship Centres
The National Association of Friendship Centres (NAFC) was established in 1972 to represent the growing number of Friendship Centres at the national level. The primary objectives are: to act as a central unifying body for the Friendship Centre Movement: to promote and advocate the concerns of Aboriginal Peoples: and, to represent the needs of local Friendship Centres across the country to the federal government and to the public in general. The NAFC is a non-profit organization governed by a voluntary Board of Directors composed of eleven regional representatives and a youth representative. There is also a five-member Executive Committee, composed of the president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer and youth executive. The composition of the NAFC Board of Directors is determined by the PTA's, which each appoint one representative. Where no PTA exists, the Friendship Centre can appoint one representative. Executive Committee members are elected for two year terms, at staggered intervals, at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Association. The AGM is attended by delegates from each member Centre and each PTA. The NAFC Board of Directors meets quarterly during the year and thePrograms and service delivery
Friendship Centres offer a variety of programs and services in a culturally appropriate manner, practising an open-door policy where anyone, regardless of race, religion, income or nationality can access programs. Visitors to Friendship Centres can often find access to referral and advocacy services, cultural programs, education and training, employment counselling, health programs, justice programs, children and youth programs, recreation programs and economic development. Friendship Centres also offer language training, entrepreneurial training, skills development, computer training, work site placements, nutrition programs, healing circles, alcohol and drug counselling, summer camps, day care centres, youth peer counselling, youth drop in centres, organized sports and leagues, wilderness training and facility rentals. Many Centres also have arts and crafts shops and organize pow-wows and other events throughout the year. Friendship Centres provide over 1.3 million client contacts across Canada within the programs and services offered every year.Senate
Part of the Friendship Centre Movement, senators are individuals who are recognized for representing a set of values which reflect past developments of the Movement while allowing the current leadership and Membership the right to define their own direction. The Senate are established by and part of the National Association of Friendship Centres governing Constitution and Bylaws. Senators attend as advisors, on a rotating basis, all meetings of the Board of Directors, Annual General Meetings and other such special meetings of the membership, when invited.Aboriginal Youth Council
The Aboriginal Youth Council (AYC) discusses and identifies youth priority issues, including stay in school initiatives; healing and wellness; suicide; preserving culture and heritage; cross cultural awareness; homelessness; youth leadership; employment and training; youth involvement at all levels of the Friendship Centre Movement; and more specifically, youth involvement in the decision-making processes of the Movement. The AYC defines youth as being between the ages of 14–24.Funding Programs for Friendship Centres
In 1972 theExamples
* N'Swakamok Native Friendship Centre, in Sudbury * Native Friendship Centre of MontrealReferences
External links
* * Archives of the National Association of Friendship Centre