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friendship centre
DCHP-2 (Oct 2016)
Spelling variants:friendship center
n. — Aboriginal, especially First Nations
a centre offering services for Aboriginal people in cities.
Type: 5. Frequency — Friendship centres are non-governmental, self-governed entities organized by and for Aboriginal people, recognizing the distinct needs and cultures of its patrons. The need for centres supporting Aboriginal people in urban settings has been recognized since the 1950s (see Canadian Encyclopedia entry) (see, e.g. the 1963 quotation, Langford 2016). The term is more than three times as frequent in Canada as in the US (see Chart 1). Its sister term native friendship centre, however, referring to the same concept, appears to be Canadian in Origin.
See also COD-2, which marks the term "Cdn".
See also COD-2, which marks the term "Cdn".
Quotations
1963
One Winnipeg Indian teacher, Flora Zacharia, called the Winnipeg Indian and Metis Friendship Centre "a bridge from one way of life to another."
1978
Mrs. Heath and her staff of two field workers, operating on an annual budget of $123,000, have picked 157 such administering agencies in the province. The agencies vary from municipal offices in towns, villages and rural areas to organizations like the John Howard Society in Regina and the Indian Metis Friendship Centre in Saskatoon.
1983
Since the beginning of January, Mr. Shead, a non-status Indian, has been director of the federal Secretary of State's Native Citizens Program. As such he has been responsible for the financing and support of many native programs across the country - friendship centres, social and cultural programs, native communications society programs.
2004
The Pulaarvik Kablu Friendship Centre in Rankin Inlet recently threw a week-long birthday party to celebrate its 25 years in the community.
2008
Other grants include $50,000 to the Selkirk Friendship Centre to co-ordinate community input for a five-year neighbourhood renewal plan; $15,000 for the Selkirk and District Community Learning Centre to explore renovations to the centre; and $10,636 for the Nova House to mentor unemployed single parents.
2015
The 21st annual Realtors Care Blanket Drive kicks off on Nov. 16. The program is the Lower Mainlands largest and longest-running blanket drive.
Each year, the drive provides warm clothing and blankets to more than 19,000 Lower Mainland residents in need.
In Mission, the drive will support five organizations Lydia Home, Hope Central Ministry, Mission Community Services, the Mission Friendship Centre, and Mission Youth House.
References
- Canadian Encyclopedia • "Friendship Centres"
- COD-2
- Langford (2016)
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