Our Actions
The Quebec Native Friendship Centres are cultural anchors for urban Indigenous people. They offer a continuum of services that provide holistic support, based on students’ and their families’ specific situations, needs and aspirations.
Learning support services promote school retention and success while also strengthening cultural identity and empowerment in urban Indigenous people.
The Regroupement des centres d’amitié autochtones du Québec coordinates the education strategy in its member Centres and provides them with support for its implementation. The RCAAQ develops tools, offers training, encourages the sharing of expertise and supports the Centres in planning, monitoring and evaluating their services. It also works closely with strategic partners and invests in the continuous improvement of its practices.
Examples of the services offered in the Native Friendship Centres:
- Tutoring and homework assistance for elementary and high school students
- Support for students in post-secondary and general adult education programs
- Support during school transitions
- Coaching and support for parents in regards to schooling issues
- Cultural programming (crafts, language courses, etc.)
- Activities to pass down traditional knowledge on the Land
- Activities that foster closer ties between peoples
Fostering the educational success of urban Indigenous people
The Quebec Native Friendship Centre Movement has adopted an education strategy intended to intensify the development of integrated services and to promote educational success among urban Indigenous students at all levels (elementary, high school, general adult education, college and university).
Indigenous cultures and languages is an integral part of lifelong learning initiatives.
The Movement’s education strategy fosters the implementation of concrete actions to overcome the challenges Indigenous people experience when living permanently or temporarily in cities. Thus, it offers future generations multiple opportunities to develop to their full potential.
Tools
- 2022-2027 Native Friendship Centre Movement Education Strategy
- Guide d’accueil et d’inclusion des élèves autochtones dans les écoles primaires et secondaires québécoises
- Tool kit – Fostering Indigenous Student’s Post-Secondary Perseverance and Educational Success (2020)
- Val-d’Or Friendship Center’s Gabriel-Commanda Educational Kit
Research Projects and Reports
- Rethinking support for school transitions for Indigenous youth in an urban environment, by Natasha Blanchet-Cohen, Flavie Robert-Careau and Audrey Pinsonneault (2021)
- Fostering Indigenous Post-Secondary Student Retention and Success (2020) (FR Only)
- Understanding and Supporting Smooth School Transitions for Urban Indigenous Youth (2020) (FR Only)
- Knowledge Mobilization Tool: Overview of the Scientific Knowledge on Indigenous Languages, Bilingualism and Early Childhood (2020)
Position Paper