Programs boosted

Page 10

Programs directed at Aboriginal youth in Saskatchewan cities will receive almost $10 million over the next five years, according to a Feb. 12 announcement by Canadian Heritage.

Regina, Saskatoon and Prince Albert are among six western cities that will take a share in the $100 million Urban Multipurpose Aboriginal Youth Centres Initiative - $10 million of which Canadian Heritage is holding back for itself.

Prince Albert will receive $2.7 million over five years, while Saskatoon and Regina can each expect $3.6 million. The money is being targeted at youth between the ages of 15 and 24 years of age living in urban areas of 1,000 people or more to provide a range of culturally relevant programs and activities. Things like encouraging completion of school, career counselling and training, improving self-esteem, finding recreational opportunities and becoming more involved culturally and peer counselling are the goals of the money.

In announcing the funding at a press conference in Edmonton, Ethel Blondin-Andrew, secretary of state for children and youth, said it fulfills a Liberal Red Book promise designed to support the development of a network of urban multipurpose Aboriginal youth centres linked to local friendship centres and other organizations.

"Aboriginal youth - particularly here in the west - face serious challenges and are the most visibly disadvantaged sector of our society," Blondin-Andrews said.

The urban Aboriginal youth population has been tabbed as the fastest growing group in Canada. Problems faced by this growing population include unemployment, lack of education and alcohol and drug abuse. The first installment of the money will be available as soon as community consultation processes can be set up to identify local priorities in each city.

Al Dreaver, executive director of the Prince Albert Indian and Metis Friendship Centre, said the $120,000 his community can expect in 1999 will go a long way to making tangible benefits happen for youth.

"Now is the time that we can walk the talk and start doing something for youth," Dreaver said.

Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver are the other cities that will split almost $30 million of the fund.

Another $43 million over five years will go to the National Association of Friendships Centres to fund programs in smaller centres across Canada, $10.8 million will go to the Metis Nation of Canada and $6.3 million will go to the Inuit Tapirisat of Canada.

Money has already been approved by the NAFC for 14 Saskatchewan communities to develop proposals for the youth fund. La Loche, La Ronge, Buffalo Narrows and Ile a la Crosse are among the 14 repayable grants of $7,500 approved to help communities win access to the fund

For the western cities portion of the funding, Heritage Canada has hired a consulting firm to coordinate the community consultation talks in the cities involved, and Ottawa has stated that the youths themselves are to be given a large say in how this money is spent.