Skip to content

Province invests thousands in aboriginal education

BY HEIDI ULRICHSEN [email protected] The N'Swakamok Native Friendship Centre is receiving another $62,000 a year from the province to provide a program for pre-teen children called Akwe:go.
BY HEIDI ULRICHSEN

The N'Swakamok Native Friendship Centre is receiving another $62,000 a year from the province to provide a program for pre-teen children called Akwe:go.

Jason Martin and his daughter Naomi, 3, hung out in a play area at the N'Swakamok Native Friendship Centre Monday as Minister of Children and Youth Services Mary Anne Chambers announced a new program for native children called Akwe:go.
The funding is part of $2 million to be handed out annually to operate the program at 27 friendship centres across the province.

Akwe:go will ensure aboriginal children between the ages of seven and 12 have access to after school care and counselling, said Minister of Children and Youth Services Mary Anne Chambers, who made the announcement at the friendship centre Monday.

She was joined at the event by Minister of Aboriginal Affairs David Ramsey.

"It's partnerships such as this one that can help more of Ontario's young people to succeed. Aboriginal children and youth face significant and multiple challenges to healthy development," she said.

"Akwe:go is a great example of how our government and the aboriginal community can come together to deliver services in a manner that respects the unique culture and very precious traditions of aboriginal people."

Akwe:go, which means "everybody" or "all of us" in Mohawk, will be available at N'Swakamok starting in early 2005, said Marie Meawasige, executive director of the friendship centre.

She's already in the process of hiring someone to look after the new program, which will include culturally appropriate after school activities for about 15 children.

The friendship centre will also work with the children's families to resolve problems through counselling or referral to other social agencies. They can also access health resources through the program.

Until 1995, the friendship centre offered a program for school-aged aboriginal children called Little Beavers, but funding was cut by the former Conservative government.

"Akwe:go will make a difference to their future. Right now we see people coming into the friendship centre that have been involved in the previous program we had (Little Beavers)," said Meawasige.

"Now they're either students that have graduated, or volunteers or staff. They're successful young men and women."

The Akwe:go program is only one part of the province's strategy to help natives, said Ramsey.

He recently attended the first minister's meeting in British Columbia, where the federal government pledged to spend $5.1 billion to improve the quality of life of aboriginal people.

The province will announce more programs for aboriginals in the new year once the federal election is over and they know how much funding is available.

"Whatever government is in place after the election, we certainly hope that those commitments go forward, because they're very necessary," he said.

"We've never before seen the stars so in line with this country and with public opinion that we really need to move forward when it comes to helping aboriginal people."

For more information about Akwe:go, phone the friendship centre at 674-2128.

Comments

Verified reader

If you would like to apply to become a verified commenter, please fill out this form.