Searching for Indigenous Peoples

Develops, provides, facilitates and/or coordinates a variety of community and culturally based programs geared to the prevention of individual abuse and family violence, including the following:

• Violence awareness and prevention education
• Programming for women survivors of abuse or violence
• Individual support, case management, advocacy
• Access to traditional healing practices/resources
• Coordination of a variety of workshops including but not limited to cooking, bannock making, health and nutrition, sewing, painting and self-defense techniques
• Referrals to required services such as police services, counselling, social and mental health services
• Opportunities to participate in community education campaigns and activities in local settings (such as schools) or at local community events such as powwows and health fairs

Delivers a parenting support program and promotes child development

• Offers individual prenatal classes on an as needed basis
• Provides information on the stages of pregnancy
• Offers parents handbook of pregnancy and baby care (Baby's Best Chance)

Program participants are provided with:

• Advocacy and support
• Emergency supplies for child's basic needs (diapers, formula, baby food and milk)
• Follow up via telephone within 48 hours of discharge from hospital
• Home visits pre-birth to prepare family for new arrival
• Home visits post birth to offer support to new mothers
• Home visits during child's early years to offer development guidance
• Referrals to other programs and services

Also offers:

• Educational and promotional workshops and presentations to schools, community groups and parents
• Hosts cultural events

• Provides individuals with access to a full range of traditional healing practices
• Coordinates referrals for visits to Traditional Doctors, Healers, Knowledge Keepers and Medicine Keepers
• Maintains resources on local area elders and healers
• Provides education on traditional healing methods

Offers a variety of activities and services including but not limited to:

• craft and language classes
• drumming circles
• men's and women's healing sweats
• medicine walks
• support groups
• traditional teachings
• wild food bank

• Provides access to health education, information and resource materials
• Assists community partners with program development and partners with many community organizations to offer programs/services
• Coordinates workshops, educational sessions and health fairs
• Raises community awareness around current health issues affecting the Indigenous population

Health promotion activities can include but are not limited to:

• Bowling
• Cooking with kids
• Life-style coaching
• Nutrition education and bingo games
• Smoking cessation and a Quit Smoking Café
• Strawberry picking
• Yoga and YMCA fitness sessions

Provides support, tools and health programming to help build upon child's ability to make healthy choices

• Provides overall assessment of needs
• Develops action plan to address identified needs (addresses needs of child and parent/caregiver)
• Provides customized programs based on identified needs
• Provides appropriate referrals to community agencies to assist with identified needs
• Offers support to children with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) and disabilities who are at-risk of additional challenges

Focuses on the following:

• Provision of social supports to address poverty related self-esteem issues and peer pressure to engage in unhealthy behaviours
• Health and physical development

Program participants are offered the following:

• Assistance with homework
• Afterschool, evening and weekend activities
• Cultural crafts
• Elder teachings
• Outdoor activities

Provides a culturally based program to support and address concerns of Indigenous youth who are at risk of negative behaviors

Addressing Violence

• Provides education on how to end violence in Indigenous communities
• Teaches about the effects of drug and alcohol abuse

Education

• Encourages youth to remain in school and provides support for obtaining high school diploma
• Offers homework assistance and time at the Centre to complete homework with access to computers and Internet

General Social Supports

• Provides individual counselling for areas that youth may be struggling with such as socialization and peer pressure
• Offers Native craft classes and regalia making sessions
• Teaches Native dancing, singing and drumming
• Allows the youth to participate in Elder's Circles

Healthy Living and Physical Development

• Holds individual and group educational sessions on healthy lifestyle choices including good nutrition and traditional food preparation
• Supervises non competitive recreational activities

Justice Intervention

• Accompanies any youth registered in agency programs to court proceedings if requested
• Provides education and information about the criminal justice system and court procedures

Youth in Care

• Provides cultural education and support for youth living in foster homes within community and also to biological and foster families

• Delivers a parenting support program
• Offers a variety of resource materials including parenting and self help books, children's cultural books, pamphlets, print materials, hands on activities and reading kits

Provides:

• Free milk coupons and diapers when necessary
• Follow up via telephone within 48 hours of discharge from hospital
• Home visits pre-birth to prepare family for new arrival
• Home visits post birth to offer support to new mothers
• Home visits during child's early years to offer development guidance
• Referrals to other programs and services
• Facilitates various cultural workshops

• Provides one-on-one assessments and support for both adults and youth who have drug/alcohol addictions
• Offers referrals to detoxification, recovery homes and rehabilitation/treatment centres
• Assists individuals in rebuilding their lives by gaining their cultural identity, dignity, respect and traditional knowledge

Uses various methods to help individuals overcome addiction such as:

• 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)
• Four Directions Wheel
• Life Cycle
• Counselling Wheel
• Healing Wheel
• The Seven Stages of Life
• Pipe Ceremonies
• Traditional Ceremonies

• Promotes growth and healing for Indigenous people through Indigenous-specific services
• Provides information to raise awareness of family violence and strategies to stop it

Services include:

• Crisis intervention
• Emergency transportation and translation
• Hospital visits
• Monthly community health related workshops
• Ongoing liaison services and follow-up
• Ongoing support to families in crisis
• Public education forums
• Referral to appropriate staff or agencies
• Translation services for Indigenous individuals accessing mainstream health care

Offers a holistic and culturally inclusive alternative educational program for adults, providing:

• Individual and independent learning based on individualized, independent learning courses that students can complete at their own pace
• One on one tutoring
• Small and large group instruction

Wakendaasijig Program

Provides alternative learning environment for students considered to be at risk of not completing high school and have achieved few credits

Assists Indigenous individuals prepare for, obtain and keep jobs by offering a variety of employment services such as:

• Employment counselling
• Resume/cover letter assistance
• Job search information
• Self-employment training
• Computer/Internet access
• Photocopier/fax use

Provides financial assistance for pre-employment training, on-the-job training, employment and training supports, and training courses

• Assists people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, to obtain and maintain housing
• Offers culturally-relevant, wholistic and supportive programs and services that address issues related to homelessness of urban Indigenous people

Program services may include:

• Daily breakfast programs
• Mobile hot meal distribution
• Food, clothing, furniture banks
• Men's, women's and female youth transitional housing
• Emergency shelter services
• Cultural and traditional workshops, activities and teachings
• Socials, feasts, soup kitchens, lunch 'n learns
• Legal/financial/educational supports and advocacy
• Parenting and life skills workshops
• Addictions and mental health referral/counselling
• Outreach, drop-in centres

Offers a variety of core mental health services designed to assist individuals address everyday mental health concerns, mental health problems and mental illness using a combination of Western and Traditional practices

Services offered include:

• Art/Craft Drop-In
• Meditation
• Men's Support Groups and Workshops
• Mindful Way Workshops
• Scheduled counselling sessions
• Soup Drop-In

Provides expanded services over the phone as required; all mental wellness services will be provided over the phone ONLY; currently not providing shuttle services

Health Centre focused on family and community health

• Offers primary health care, clinical services, health examinations, immunizations and a combination of Indigenous traditional healing methods and Western medical practices
• Provides chronic disease management

Offers a variety of programs and services, including:

• Child and Youth Program
• Clinical Program
• Diabetes Care
• Healthy Choices Program
• Health Education Promotion Program
• Mental Wellness Programs

Provides family members of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQI+ People access to confidential, culturally responsive, trauma-informed and victim-centered assistance

• Supports families by facilitating connections with culturally appropriate referrals and supports
• Facilitates the gathering of case-specific information about police investigations, coroner's reports/reviews, court proceedings or other government processes and provides information to family
• Family Information Liaison Unit (FILU) staff members are of Indigenous ancestry, knowledgeable, culturally competent and responsive to the needs of the family members they serve

Note: If you don't live near an FILU location, call the Ontario Family Information Liaison Unit toll-free to arrange for FILU staff to travel to your location

Works collaboratively with partners to improve access to high quality services for First Nations, Inuit and Métis, with the vision to support and empower Indigenous peoples to independently deliver services and address the socio-economic conditions in their communities

Programs offered include:

Aboriginal Business Canada

• Provides support in business planning, start-up, expansion and marketing
• Offers financial assistance
• Provides business information and resource materials
• Offers referrals to other possible sources of financing or business support
• Provides assistance to new businesses, existing businesses, young entrepreneurs and to aboriginal organizations

Post-Secondary Student Support Program

• Provides tuition support for students; may include fees for registration, tuition and the cost of books and supplies required for courses
• Provides travel support for students who must leave their permanent place of residence to attend college or university
• Provides a grant for students to return home once every semester
• Grants also covers any dependents that live with the student
• Provides living expenses for full-time students to help cover the costs of food, shelter, transportation and day care

University College Entrance Preparation Program

• Offers financial assistance for students with the cost of tuition fees, books and travel, and living allowances

Special Education Program

• Provides access to special education programs and services that are culturally sensitive
• Offers direct school-based services
• Provides support for First Nations schools to design and implement special education programs

First Nations and Inuit Summer Student Career Placement Program

• Supports opportunities for career-related work experience and training
• Provides wage contributions

First Nations and Inuit Youth Work Experience Program

• Funds proposals from First Nation and Inuit governments and organizations to provide supervised work experience
• Pays minimum wage plus benefits for a period of six to nine months

First Nations and Inuit Science and Technology Camp Program

• Promotes science and technology as career choices
• Participants gain first-hand experience in various science and technology disciplines
• Provides funds to First Nation and Inuit governments or organizations either to design and run a science camp or to provide sponsorship

First Nations Schools Co-operative Education Program

• Funds proposals to establish or expand co-operative education programs in First Nation schools on reserves
• Creates school-based work/ study opportunities that provide meaningful work experience in a supportive environment

Responsible for consultations in policy areas related to lands and resources

• Collaborates with other groups and government agencies on a wide range of proposed and ongoing projects and initiatives throughout traditional territories
• Includes energy, mining and forestry with a view to increasing Métis participation in these sectors by fostering economic development and resource benefits sharing
• Conducts research aimed at developing a province-wide Métis Traditional Land Use or Métis Way of Life Framework (WOLF)
• Works to collect traditional Métis knowledge to help gain a better understanding of Métis interests, rights, harvesting patterns and land use