Peggy Revell
After more than a decade of providing programming for local youth, the United Native Friendship Centre here has had to close its youth centre program after not receiving federal funding.
“I’m really disappointed “ said Cultural Connections for Aboriginal Youth worker Brad Fyfe, noting he, himself, went through program for six years as a youth.
Located at the “Circle of Life” building on Mowat Avenue, the CCAY program (formerly known as the Urban Multi-use Aboriginal Youth Centre) was open after school and into the evening for youth, providing cultural programming, drumming, regalia-making, recreation, workshops, and numerous other activities.
“I just really hate to see it go. It’s something that we really need in the community,” Fyfe said, stressing that it was a place youth could go which was drug free, alcohol free, and a safe place to hang out and relax.
“High-risk, at-risk, no-risk, low-income, high-income, white, black, brown, all walks of life come through these doors every day,” said Mandi Olson, the program’s other worker, who noted more than 150 youth were active in the program.
While other youth programming does exist locally, there’s often a cost involved, added Olson, whereas the CCAY program always has been free.
Funding for the CCAY was overseen by the federal Heritage department, which defines the criteria for what programs qualify, explained UNFC executive director Sheila McMahon.
The ministry has an agreement with the National Association of Friendship Centres, which distributes the funds to the different provincial branches of the friendship centres, where a committee then fields the funding proposals and decides which programs get the money.
But through this process, there’s only so much money—and more proposals than money available, McMahon said.
And so after years of being funded, the local CCAY program didn’t make the cut this time around.
”I don’t know what the future is,” McMahon admitted. “As of March 31, that was the last day for CCAY.
“Is there any other funding out there? We’re looking at it,” she added. “There’s no promises, though.”
Despite the funding cut, the centre still will be open two nights a week—for the popular cooking/nutrition program on Tuesdays, and the Wednesday night drumming.
“We’ll make it work as long as we can. We will have a service available for the youth,” Olson pledged.
“Even if it’s only one day a week, even if it’s a couple hours or whatever, we’re not going to close the door ever. We’ll always be there.
“Right now we’re just maintaining the few hours we can a week, but it’s better than nothing,” she reasoned.
“[And] we’re going to work our butts off to find some funding,” Olson vowed.
Other UNFC programs continue to run out of the “Circle of Life” building.
As there is a lot of program integration between other UNFC programs with the CCAY, they’re “pulling together” to ensure that services to youth are available where possible, McMahon noted.
But she stressed the importance of working towards having the youth centre open every night again, and the need for funding—including for salary—so staff can provide guidance and support for the participating youth.
“When we were successful at getting the UMAYC program [in the beginning], we purchased [the ‘Circle of Life’ building] on the premise that we’re opening up a youth centre,” said McMahon added.
“We were really excited about that because I think there has always been a big gap in the community, where the youth can go hang out and be safe and be themselves.”
Funding for the program has decreased over the years, however. At the beginning, they could apply for up $120,000, had full-time staff with that, and did different activities.
But in the last few years, their budget had been $89,000—with Olson and Fyfe working part-time at 30 hours a week.
Funding issues also stem from recent changes by the ministry to the program and process, McMahon said.
Previously, the program was renewed on a five-year period with the government and the National Friendship Centre organization, she explained.
But changes to the process included proposals having to be submitted on a yearly basis—with funding applications for this past year only coming out in December and being due in January.
And despite the program’s name, the ministry changed funding criteria away from focusing on cultural programming to an emphasis on training, entrepreneurship, and community development, noted Olson.
So they took the key roots of the program—including drumming and cooking—with the rest of the program “totally revamped” to what the ministry was looking for, she said.
Changes to the funding process also has been difficult on CCAY programs across the province, added McMahon. Despite the financial year starting in April, actual funding for the last financial year didn’t arrive until December—meaning the programs actually shut down elsewhere.
“We’re fortunate,” McMahon said. “The board of directors took a stand and continued to support it, and were able to fund it until the money came through.”
Meanwhile, one important aspect of the program is that it’s youth-driven, said Olson.
“In the past year, or two years, we’ve really focused on building a strong youth council, and having that youth council decide what are the needs of the youth, what [they] want to see happen with this program,” she explained.
“[Fyfe and I] are the ones that do the paperwork, do the proposals, send in the stats, that kind of thing. But when it comes down it, it’s all youth-driven,” she stressed.
The most recent example of this was the “Hometown Heroes” concert the CCAY participants organized back in late February, featuring Angus Jourdain, Ryan McMahon, Wab Kinew, “Mack Sickz,” “DUBZ,” and Larissa Desrosiers.
And besides local programming, the CCAY gave youth—such as Fyfe when he was younger—the opportunity to attend both provincial and national meetings on the needs of urban aboriginal youth.
“It’s those kinds of opportunities that we like to see the youth get involved with, so it’s important,” McMahon stressed.
