Lillooet Friendship Centre Society

The concept of a “Friendship Centre” originated in the mid-1950’s. A noticeable number of Aboriginal people were moving to the larger urban areas of Canada, primarily to seek an improved quality of life. In an effort to address issues, concerned individuals began to push for the establishment of specialized agencies. These agencies would provide referrals and offer counseling on matters of employment, housing, education, health, and liaison with other community organizations. In the late sixties, Friendship Centres began to organize into Provincial and Territorial Associations (PTA’s).

In 1969, a steering committee of Friendship Centres was struck to examine the feasibility of establishing a national body to represent the growing number of Centres. In 1972, the National Association of Friendship Centres was incorporated. Until 1972, Friendship Centres were dependent, to a large degree, on individual
volunteers and their ability to raise operating funds through various fundraising events, private donations and small grants from foundations and provincial and federal governments. Centres also began to evolve from the provision of referrals to the “front line” delivery of social services. In 1972, the Government of Canada formally recognized the viability of Friendship Centres and implemented the Migrating Native Peoples Programme (MNPP).

In 1976, the government conducted an evaluation of the MNPP which revealed the vital role that Friendship Centres played in the communities they served and the wide base of community support they had established. Centres were also able to utilize limited resources in a creative and flexible manner, while remaining accountable to their communities. In spite of many obstacles, the centres have continued to expand the programs and services offered to urban Aboriginal people. In 1983, the NAFC and the Department of the Secretary of State (DSOS) successfully negotiated the evolution of the MNPP to an enriched Native Friendship Centre Program (NFCP). This program, with a five year mandate formally recognized “Friendship
Centres as legitimate urban native institutions responding to the needs of Native people”.

In 1988, the NFCP became the Aboriginal Friendship Centre Program (AFCP), which secured the status of permanent funding from DSOS. Greater control of the funding base has been discussed within the Friendship Centre Movement at various times over the past sixteen years. On March 29, 1996, this discussion became a reality, as the administration transfer of the AFCP from the Department of Canadian Heritage (DCH) to the NAFC occurred during a celebratory signing ceremony. This transfer allowed the Friendship Centre Movement to fully demonstrate the effective and efficient capabilities evidenced over its history. The transfer also contributed to the further development of human resource capacity and provided greater opportunity to
urban Aboriginal people.

History of Friendship Centres Time Line:

• 1951 Friendship Centre established in Toronto, ON – North American Indian Club
• 1952 Friendship Centre established in Vancouver, BC – Coqualeetza Fellowship Club
• 1959 Friendship Centre established in Winnipeg, MB – Indian and Métis Friendship Centre
• 1968 26 Friendship Centres across Canada
• 1969 Friendship Centre Steering Committee established to examine the feasibility of establishing a national body to represent growing number of Centres
• 1972 National Association of Friendship Centres is incorporated
• 1972 Government of Canada implements the Migrating Native Peoples Programme (MNPP), providing funding to Friendship Centres across Canada
• 1972 43 Friendship Centres across Canada
• 1983 The NAFC and the Department of Secretary of State (DSOS) successfully negotiated the evolution of the MNPP to an enriched Native Friendship Centre Program (NFCP)
• 1983 80 Friendship Centres across Canada
• 1988 The NFCP became the Aboriginal Friendship Centre Program (AFCP), which secured the status of permanent funding from DSOS
• 1996 The Department of Canadian Heritage (DHC), formerly DSOS, transfers administrative responsibility of the AFCP to the NAFC
• 1996 114 Friendship Centres across Canada
• 2001 The NAFC renews AFCP transfer agreement between DCH and NAFC
• 2005 117 Friendship Centres across Canada