FIMESIP First Nations, Inuit and Métis Essential Skills Inventory Project

Ontario Federation of Indian Friendship Centres – Alternative Secondary School Programs (ASSP)

The ASSP within Native Friendship Centres was originally established in 1990 to address the endemically high dropout rates for Aboriginal high school students in Ontario. The ASSP's aim is to help students to deal with the issues affecting their academic achievement by providing access to a number of culturally appropriate supports including culturally relevant curriculum, traditional teachings and a wide spectrum of programmes and services offered through the Friendship Centres.

Friendship Centres deliver the ASSPs in partnership with their local district school boards. Each program is considered a satellite campus to an existing host secondary school. Depending upon the individual program design, students work individually on Independent Learning credits or together in a teacher-led group.

Location Ontario
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Contact

Sylvia Maracle, Executive Director, Ontario Federation of Friendship Centres
416-956-7575 x. 281
smaracle@ofifc.org
219 Front Street East Toronto, On, M5A 1E8

Project Details
Community Urban, Reserve community
Scope of Project Provincial / Territorial, Local
Target Audience First Nations, Inuit, Métis, Youth (15-30 yrs), Adults (31-49 yrs)

Initiative Impact

What is the overall impact of the initiative and how is this measured?

Program sites, 11 in total, provide program reporting to the OFIFC on an interim and final report basis.  Program reporting is both narrative and quantitative in nature.  In addition, regular program monitors are conducted by both the OFIFC, from a program support and capacity development perspective, as well as site monitors required by the Ministry of Education, and conducted in partnership with the local District School Board.

  • All learners’ activities, skill attainment, and knowledge acquisition are tracked formally by the school board-hired ASSP teachers as part of regular business and according to Ministry protocols. Participation in cultural and social activities is tracked by the ASSP coordinators.
  • Regular program monitors are conducted by both the OFIFC, from a program support and capacity development perspective, as well as site monitors required by the Ministry of Education, and conducted in partnership with the local District School Board. ASSP coordinators are monitored and supported by the OFIFC and the Friendship Centre while ASSP Teachers are monitored and supported by their local District School Board.
What challenges have you faced and how were these overcome?

To date, there has not been a formal electronic data collection tool to support program and policy analysis on a province wide scale.

Incorporation of Essential Skills

Which Essential Skills are covered by the initiative? Reading Text Document Use Numeracy Writing Oral Communications Working with Others Thinking Skills Computer Use Continuous Learning
How do you assess participant Essential Skills?

All learners’ activities and skills attainment are tracked formally by the school board-hired ASSP teachers as part of regular school business and according to Ministry protocols.

Project Components

What are the components of the initiative? Academic upgrading Cultural, language, and tradition awareness and/or training
How do you support participant success in the program? Access to other in-house services
What do you think are the most important competencies and attributes for staff involved in this initiative to have?

Each ASSP is staffed by School Board appointed teachers, principal and counsellors and by Friendship Centre program staff.  Learners also benefit from staff and practitioners who work in other parts of the Friendship Centre.