NAFC Pleased With Budget Commitments Supporting Urban Aboriginal People

OTTAWA, ON--(Marketwired - April 22, 2015) - The National Association of Friendship Centres (NAFC) was pleased with a number of positive commitments in the Federal Government's Economic Action Plan 2015 including mutual priorities in the areas of skills development, social finance and survey data.

"We believe Budget 2015 is headed in the right direction in that it signals a focus on labour market opportunities for urban Aboriginal people and an understanding that innovative approaches are required," stated Jeffrey Cyr, NAFC Executive Director.

Of the approximately 400,000 young Aboriginal people that will become of working age over the next decade, the vast majority live in urban areas and are served by Friendship Centres. The federal budget continues support for Aboriginal labour market programming, including the Skills and Partnership Fund, which will help to ensure that Aboriginal people are able to get the skills and training they require. 

"Friendship Centres have long been successful in delivering employment and training projects. We are pleased that the Government recognizes the scope of the challenge and the opportunity it represents," said Cyr. "We are optimistic that through this budget, Friendship Centres will have increased access to Aboriginal labour market programs."

Friendship Centres have a long history of fostering innovation to improve the lives of Aboriginal people in Canada's urban centres. The proposed Social Finance Accelerator Initiative is a further indication of the Government's commitment to the continued development of social innovation and social finance.

The NAFC is also pleased to see investment in surveys on Aboriginal Canadians. Current data is critical to positive and effective program development and will provide much needed insight around economic participation.

About the NAFC
The NAFC is democratically governed, status blind and is accountable to the federal government and directly to the urban Aboriginal community. Friendship Centres are Canada's most significant off-reserve Aboriginal service delivery infrastructure. Established in 1972, the NAFC is a network of 117 Friendship Centres from coast-to-coast-to-coast.