Welcome to the

Alberta Native Friendship Centres Association

The Alberta Native Friendship Centres Association is a provincial organization that represents and provides support to the twenty Aboriginal Friendship Centres located in Alberta. The mission of the ANFCA to improve the quality of life for Aboriginal people in urban areas by supporting self-determined activities that encourage: the development of human and community resources; the improvement of socio-economic and physical conditions; better understanding and relationships between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal citizens; and the enhancement of Aboriginal culture among Aboriginal people and the communities they reside in.

The ANFCA Celebrates 40 years of Service - 1970 to 2010


Press Releases

1. Friendship Centre Elders Describe Their Experiences in Residential Schools - Human Rights Presentation @ University of Alberta Link: University of Alberta

2. Minister Moore Announces Renewed Investment in Aboriginal Youth OTTAWA, November 17, 2009 - The Honourable James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, today announced a six-year extension to the Urban Multipurpose Aboriginal Youth Centres initiative, now renamed Cultural Connections for Aboriginal Youth. Today's announcement ensures the stability this program will need to provide continued support to communities until 2016. "I am very pleased to announce this extension," said Minister Moore. "Our Government is committed to providing Aboriginal young people with culturally focused programming that helps tomorrow's leaders build strong communities and families." The newly renamed Cultural Connections for Aboriginal Youth has a proven track record. Since its creation, about 220 projects per year have been designed and implemented with support from Aboriginal youth advisory committees, ensuring that they are relevant and meaningful to participants. This $150-million investment will provide Aboriginal young people aged 10 to 24, living in urban settings across Canada, with programming that incorporates Aboriginal values, cultures, and traditional practices in projects and activities designed to improve their social, economic, and personal prospects and to strengthen their cultural identity. You can find the press release on the Canadian Heritage website under media releases:
Link: Department of Cdn Heritage

Current & Upcoming Events

The ANFCA will be hosting its first casino on Sunday, March 14, 2010 and Monday, March 15, 2010 at the Yellowhead Casino in Edmonton. We are looking for casino volunteers for this event. Contact us at jeri@anfca.com if you wish to volunteer with us.

Employment Opportunities

    No current employment opportunities available.


ANFCA Quarterly Meeting - March 5 and 6, 2010

The ANFCA will be hosting its March 2010 Quarterly Board of Directors' Meeting on March 5th and 6th, 2010. We will be meeting at the CANADIAN NATIVE FRIENDSHIP CENTRE's new location, 15001 - 112 Avenue.

Members can access the meeting information by using the following link:

Common Ground: Relationship Building Framework

December 1, 2008 - The ANFCA is pleased that the Rural Alberta's Development Fund (RADF) has recently announced their support for the ANFCA's Common Ground initiative. A $272,330 funding contribution from RADF will allow the ANFCA to develop a relationship plan and tool kit for use by Aboriginal groups, communities and municipal governments. This program is being piloted in High Prairie, Slave Lake, Red Deer and Rocky Mountain House. Common Ground commenced in February 2009.


Surveys

    October 1, 2009 – The ANFCA is pleased that the Office of the Federal Interlocutor (OFI) has approved $111,000.00 funding for the Edmonton Aboriginal Transition Initiative (EATI). This funding will allow the ANFCA to engage Edmonton agencies servicing Aboriginal people and community individuals about their experience(s) related to the delivery of services and programs they require upon arrival in Edmonton. This needs analysis will identify services (or gaps in services) that people may require within those first 48 hours to 7 days. A final report will provide a strategy for achieving these objectives in a collaborative and integrative way by clearly identifying: 1) the needs of the Aboriginal community as they relate to transition to the City of Edmonton and 2) a governance and management collaboration model amongst existing service providers for integrated delivery of services Please take a few moments to follow the survey links. One is for agencies and the other is for community members.

  • EATI Surveys: Community Members and Agencies

The Sacred Circle Project

Press Release - January 23, 2009: Alberta Health Services (Edmonton Area) and the Alberta Native Friendship Centres Association (ANFCA) have signed a letter of agreement to create the Sacred Circle project. The project will create a set of culturally-relevant and age-specific type 2 diabetes resources for Alberta’s Aboriginal children ages 8-12 years old. Project resources will be produced collaboratively between the Aboriginal Urban Diabetes Initiative (AUDI) of the ANFCA and the Holistic Interactive Program (HIP) to be Healthy project, including the Ways of Life for Families (WOLF) program, of the Aboriginal Diabetes Wellness Program of Alberta Health Services.

For more information click here:

New Dawn Rising Project

January 5, 2009 - The ANFCA is pleased to announce that Health Canada has approved approximately $170,000 in funding for the ANFCA's New Dawn Rising Project. This funding is being made available by way of Health Canada's Drug Strategy Community Initiatives Fund. Without this generous support the delivery of the New Dawn Rising Project would not be possible.

Follow this link in order to view the project summary: