Searching for Indigenous Peoples

Access to funds for First Nations (status and non-status), Inuit and Métis people through the Apatisiwin Program, from the Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres. Services include:

• culturally relevant resources and information
• job search, resume and cover letter assistance, and interview skills
• job matching, placement and incentives
• job / training retention

Indigenous Youth Services:

• Youth Council, work experience, workshops, cultural teachings, access to Elders, Mentoring Program
• youth resume building and job searching
• after hours homework clubs
• holiday and cultural events
• volunteer hours and co-op
• secondary and post-secondary placement opportunities

Service providers / funding includes:

• Employment Ontario Service Provider (Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development ).
• Urban Aboriginal Employment Service Provider (UAESP) funded through the Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres (OFIFC)
• Aboriginal Skills and Employment Strategy (ASETS)
• Service Canada Apatisiwin

Services include:

• Comprehensive employment and job search services
• Assessment of skills, interests and experience
• Job search strategies, including resumé preparation
• Information about careers and occupations, local labour market, employment and training opportunities
• On-the-job training, work experience
• Help in maintaining employment
• Information and referral to other employment and community services

Better Jobs Ontario --Skills training and financial support for laid off workers * training program must demonstrate good job prospects * financial support based on need, may include tuition, instructional costs, books, transportation and/or a basic living allowance

For employers:

Canada-Ontario Job Grant -- financial support for individual employers to purchase training for their employees. Available to small, medium and large businesses planning to deliver short-term training for existing or new employees.

APATISIWIN PROGRAM
The Apatisiwin program offers a variety of employment programs, education, and skills designed to provide opportunities for Indigenous peoples in Ontario to maintain meaningful employment opportunities.
PROGRAMS OFFERED:

• Pre-employment training
• Purchase of training
• On the job training
• Training supports
• Apprenticeships
• Self-employment training
• Summer jobs

PRE-EMPLOYMENT TRAINING: This program is designed to address pre-employment barriers of Apatisiwin clients. The intervention also aids in helping those individuals who require additional assistance in order to maintain employment.Examples of pre-employment training includes but are not limited to:

• Essential Skills
• Basic computer skills and knowledge
• Literacy/numeracy
• General Education Diploma
• Skills upgrading

PURCHASE OF TRAINING: This program is designed to assist clients who are overcoming existing or anticipated labour force barriers by purchasing training courses in public, private institutions and through recognized trainers.Examples of Purchase of Training costs include:

• Tuition/course fees
• Mandatory training related costs

ON THE JOB TRAINING: This program provides on-the-job training and work experience to clients by providing wage subsidies and other specified costs to employers. The objective is to provide clients with the skills and competencies required to obtain employment.TRAINING SUPPORTSThis program is used to provide financial supports to eliminate barriers for clients participating in Skills Enhancement interventions.Financial supports may provide:

• Living expenses allowance
• Dependent care allowance
• Living away from home allowance
• Commuting allowance
• Parking costs
• Training course related costs (i.e. books, course kits)

SELF-EMPLOYMENT TRAINING: This program provides direct financial support, business training or professional support to enable a client to start their own business or continue in a career of self-employment.Examples of supports include:

• Business Training
• Business Plan Development
• Professional Advice for Marketing, Accounting and Financial Management
• Capital costs are negotiable

Employment counsellors work one-on-one with clients to eliminate barriers to long term employment success.

A counsellor will assist all urban Indigenous people in the region, status and non-status Métis, Inuit, and First Nations people with Apatisiwin funding to assist with employment supports and skill development.

Offers Employment Ontario Services and Apatisiwin Services.

This program connects Indigenous families with understanding and tools for parents to be their best selves in a culturally based setting.

• Food sovereignty
• Medical awareness
• Meal planning
• Cultural guidance

Court Support Program - helps individuals involved in all five courts (Criminal, Mental Health, Drug, Youth, and Family) of the justice system. Offer advocacy and mediation to ensure First Peoples can better access the justice system and have a range of other supports to assist those wanting to start their healing journey.
Services provided by Dehsahsodre:

• Healing Lodge Intakes/Referrals
• Assistance with Legal Aid
• Filling out Filing Legal Documents
• Referrals to Legal Representation
• Walkthrough of Court Processes
• Understanding Your Charges and What Happens Next
• Knowing Your Rights
• Gladue Principles
• Gladue Letters & Statements
• Gladue Reports
• Traditional Counseling
• Private Gladue Reports (public funder coming soon)
• Status Cards Applications
• Name Change Forms
• Family Custody Issues
• Family Court
• Child Protection
• Family and Children Services Support
• Family and Children Services Visitation Location
• Drop Off Location for Visitations
• Healing Circles
• Alternative Dispute Resolution
• Eagle Feather Available for Court Hearings
• Information and Training on First people's (FNMI) issues and Legislation for Lawyers, Justices, Crown, and Court Workers.
• Advocacy
• Mental Health supports and referrals
• Addictions support and referrals
• Bail Program (coming soon)
• Diversion Program (coming soon)
• IPC (Indigenous Peoples Court)

Comprehensive employment and job search services * assessment of skills, interests and experience * job search strategies, including resume preparation * information about careers and occupations, local labour market, employment and training opportunities * on-the-job training, work experience * help in maintaining employment * information and referral to other employment and community services


Better Jobs Ontario --Skills training and financial support for laid off workers * training program must demonstrate good job prospects * financial support based on need, may include tuition, instructional costs, books, transportation and/or a basic living allowance

Services for employers -- help in identifying human resource skills requirements * matching of workplace needs to workers' skills, capabilities, interests and experience * support for developing on-the-job training plans and monitoring of placements to support retention

Canada-Ontario Job Grant -- financial support for individual employers to purchase training for their employees * available to small, medium and large businesses planning to deliver short-term training for existing or new employees Apatisiwin Program - funding for individuals that identify as Indigenous. (Employment, Training, Education, Self Employment, Summer Jobs, Pre-Career Development, Tech - Mentorship Program)

Offers services for aboriginal and non-aboriginal individuals including:

Spirit Bundles: The Spirit Bundles program provides essential items to local Indigenous families during the pandemic.

Wellness and Healing: Provide traditional, spiritual, and cultural healing and wellness activities to the urban Indigenous community, with access to traditional knowledge keepers.

EarlyON: Child-centred, engaging programs and services for all children from birth to six years of age, and their families.

Employment Services: Employment, education, and training services to all eligible Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.

Indigenous Tech Mentorship and Employment: Mentorship program aims to fill employment gaps in Indigenous representation in the teach sector. This is accomplished by our development of a series of processes and training that can equip an Indigenous participants with the required skills and training to be employable in an entry level position in the tech sector.

Employment and training supports * Stay in school incentives

Offers Indigenous and non-Indigenous people and organizations, who desire to learn and grow together in a good way, culturally responsive learning environments to reflect on identity and practice
* mentoring
* personal development
* educational opportunities
* Indigenous Education Workshop Series

Currently raising funds for:
* Living Monument for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls MMIWG2S+
* Urban Indigenous Foundation of HOPE and PEACE for Wellness
* Mohawk Village Memorial Park

Overview of programs ranging from basic education and literacy to workforce preparation, career training and job search assistance programs, and directs to other related listings in this directory

ADULT LITERACY & BASIC EDUCATION
Reading, writing, speaking, communication, computation and/or problem solving skills:
* for adults who cannot read or write at a functional level) see Adult Literacy Programs here
* to strengthen functional skills in these areas see Adult Basic Education programs here


SECONDARY EDUCATION
Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD)
* to complete at locations in Halton, see here


PREPARING & TRAINING FOR THE WORKFORCE
Prevocational Training (for people with disabilities, including mental health issues)
Instruction and/or counselling to develop:
* physical and emotional tolerance for work demands and pressures
* personal-social behaviours
* basic manual, academic and communications skills needed to acquire basic job skills
* see Prevocational Training programs here

Career Awareness and Counselling
* Career Awareness (provides information and data about various industries and professions): see here
* Career Counselling (provides information and guidance in evaluating aptitude, abilities and interests, to choose a vocation or career and select the type of training): see here

Vocational Assessment
Tests skills, abilities, interests, personality traits and other attributes for success in different occupational areas or specific positions
* may include programs that allow people to try out jobs for short periods of time to see if there's a 'fit' and, for people with disabilities, determine what supports might be needed to succeed if hired.
* for programs see here

Job Training
* Vocational Education, see here
* On the Job Training, see here
* Computer and Related Technology Classes, see here

Work Experience/Internship Programs
* Work Experience Programs, see here
* Internship Programs, see here

Apprenticeship
* Apprenticeship Preparation, see here
* Apprenticeship training, see here

Job training expense assistance
Financial assistance or loans to help people pay for tuition, books, living expenses, transportation, disability supports, assistance in caring for dependents etc.
* for programs see here


JOB SEARCH
Pre-job Guidance
Provides skills in preparing a resume, job application letters/questionnaires, answering job ads and taking employment tests, tips on appropriate dress, personal appearance and interview techniques, etc.)
* for programs see here

Comprehensive Job Assistance Centres
One-stop centres that may include job counselling, testing and assessment, pre-job guidance, job matching and referral, labour market and career information, information on financial aid for education and training, and referral for job training, transportation, child care, personal and financial counselling, etc.
* for programs see here

Specialized Job Assistance Centres:
Disability-related programs:
* Comprehensive Disability-related Programs, see here
* Supported Employment (job coach works side-by-side with client in workplace), see here
* Centre-based Employment (separate and supported work centres for those with disabilities), see here

Ex-offender Employment Programs, see here

Immigrant/refugee Employment Programs, see here

Indigenous Employment Programs, see here

Summer Employment Programs, see here

Vocational Rehabilitation (for people with disabilities, emotional problems or history of substance abuse), see here

Youth Employment Programs, see here

A group of women who support, educate, and empower Metis women. Through reciprocity and the healing journey, the Circle aims to help Metis woman reclaim and celebrate their cultures, histories and identities.

Educates people about Indigenous culture. Advocacy work in solidarity with indigenous peoples.

Comprehensive employment and job search services

• assessment of skills, interests and experience
• job search strategies, including resume preparation
• information about careers and occupations, local labour market, employment and training opportunities
• on-the-job training, work experience, help in maintaining employment as well as information and referral to other employment and community services

Better Jobs Ontario
Skills training and financial support for laid off workers

• training program must demonstrate good job prospects
• financial support based on need, may include tuition, instructional costs, books, transportation and/or a basic living allowance

Services for employers

• help in identifying human resource skills requirements, matching of workplace needs to workers' skills, capabilities, interests and experience
• support for developing on-the-job training plans and monitoring of placements to support retention

Canada-Ontario Job Grant

• financial support for individual employers to purchase training for their employees
• available to small, medium and large businesses planning to deliver short-term training for existing or new employees

Comprehensive employment and job search services

• assessment of skills, interests and experience
• job search strategies, including resume preparation
• information about careers and occupations, local labour market, employment and training opportunities
• on-the-job training, work experience, help in maintaining employment as well as information and referral to other employment and community services

Better Jobs Ontario
Skills training and financial support for laid off workers

• training program must demonstrate good job prospects
• financial support based on need, may include tuition, instructional costs, books, transportation and/or a basic living allowance

Services for employers

• help in identifying human resource skills requirements, matching of workplace needs to workers' skills, capabilities, interests and experience
• support for developing on-the-job training plans and monitoring of placements to support retention

Canada-Ontario Job Grant

• financial support for individual employers to purchase training for their employees
• available to small, medium and large businesses planning to deliver short-term training for existing or new employees

Local contact for Secure Certificate of Indian Status (SCIS), registration inquiries, estates (decedent and living), and general departmental information

Assisting Indigenous adults charged with a criminal offence to better understand their rights, options and responsibilities when appearing before the court. Helping to navigate the court process

Helping Indigenous families to navigate through family law proceedings, as well as assisting youth charged with criminal offences under the Youth Criminal Justice Act

Services to improve indigenous health through access to health care and culturally appropriate programs. Health and wellness coordinators are able to provide family violence intervention, referrals, support and case management to clients to address existing and emerging issues to promote health, healing and wellness.

Services Include:

• peer counselling
• referrals
• Kanawayhitowin Taking Care of Each Other's Spirit
• Indigenous seniors 55+ program
• anger management
• Indigenous women's sharing circle (ages 13+)
• community education and training

Indigenous support centre providing advocacy, social, cultural and educational programming

Programs include:

• Criminal Court Worker - assists offenders to better understand their rights, options, and responsibilities when appearing before the court. Assists adults and youth charged with criminal offenses to navigate the court processes
• Combined Court Worker - helps navigate Indigenous youth, adults, and families through criminal court, family court and child services
• Indigenous Healing and Wellness - assists individuals to access services, provide crisis intervention, offers traditional supports, provides peer counselling to community members impacted by violence. Services are available on a one-to-one basis or in a group setting

  This program is currently on hold

• Cultural Resource Coordinator - provides access to cultural knowledge by fostering positive Indigenous identity essential to well being and resilience. Services are culturally reflective and prevention-focused, with a focus on maintaining cultural connections to identity, knowledge, traditions, ceremonies, education, training, and traditional support
• Apatisiwin Program Worker - provides services to youth and adults in employment counselling, job preparations (application processing, resume/cover letter assistance, referrals to agencies, etc), purchase of training, apprenticeship skills training, and training supports

  This program is currently on hold

• Pandemic Relief Worker - provides services to individuals/families who are currently positive for Covid-19 or in insolation due to suspected exposure
• Mental Health and Wellness Coordinator - provides a holistic and positive approach to support the needs of mental health and addictions for Indigenous people and their families. Implements programs to improve the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of both clients and their families that are culturally based and foster the learning of self-respect and identity
• Mental Health Peer Support Coordinator - provides networks of support and mentorship to Urban Indigenous people under community supervision orders as they seek to improve their mental health, reduce any harms associated with their behaviours, avoid justice system recidivism, and pursue a Good Mind

  This program is currently on hold