What exactly is the Indian Friendship Centre?


The Kapuskasing Indian Friendship Center is a non-profit organization providing services to Kapuskasing's aboriginal community. Its mission is to improve the quality of life for aboriginal people in an urban environment by supporting self-determined equal access to and participation in canadian society and which respects aboriginal cultural distinctiveness. The organization was established in August of 1985, at a time where the Centre didn't even have a building of its own. However, the activities were still took place at the Kapuskasing Civic Centre and in private homes, until a proper establishment was founded in 1988.

To find out about ways the Indian Friendship Centre promotes the aboriginal well-being and lifestyle in the community, click here



The Aboriginal Healing & Wellness Program



The "Aboriginal Healing & Wellness Program" at the Friendship Centre is part of its strong connections to the aboriginal community. The program was put in place to ensure that the Healing and Wellness needs of the aboriginal community are addressed in order to reduce family violence, promote healthy lifestyles and culture-based programming and healing.

Individuals and Families

- To assess family and/or individual neeeds to determine the extent of services required
- To intervene in crisis situations
- To make referrals to appropriate services
- To provide on going liaison service(s) and follow up to ensure family and individual needs are being met
- To promote healthy lifestyles by conducting home visits, workshops, seminars and public education forums
- To work with in-house programs and staff of the Kapuskasing Indian Friendship Centre to promote a coordinated approach to healing and wellness


Community


- To coordinate children, youth, men, and women's healing circles
- To facilitate community events to promote healing, wellness, addictions free activities, positive parenting, family interaction and cultural awareness
- To establish a system of referrals
- To promote relationships with community service providers so that the aboriginal community can have greater access to wholistic healing and wellness approaches

For any information about the program, please contact Ernie Lafontaine (Aboriginal Healing & Wellness Coordinator) by

Telephone: (705) 337-1935
Email: [email protected]



As part of their community involvement, the Indian Friendship Centre
established a homeless shelter in town to help the ones in need.
To visit the shelter, click here



To learn more about or to find information on the town of Kapuskasing,
click on the picture below to link to the local community website


Hosted by www.Geocities.ws

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