Akwe:kon and Wasa-nabin
Akwe:kon is for youth aged 7-12 and provides a space where our youth can feel safe to be themselves and accepted for the wonderful little humans they are.
Wasa-nabin is programming for youth aged 13-18 and includes group activities incorporating sports, life skills, and traditional knowledge together.
Both programs occur Mondays from 4 - 6 p.m.
Alternative Secondary School Program
(ASSP) is funded through the Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres. This established, province-wide program offers standard Ontario secondary school curriculum, cultural programming (cultural credits), promotes Indigenous student success, and provides an alternative learning environment for Indigenous learners wishing to obtain their Ontario Secondary School Diploma. tyet@limestone.on.ca
Apatisiwin
Apatisiwin will directly serve urban Indigenous individuals and communities, supporting people of Indigenous ancestry within the Kingston region.
Apatisiwin is a Swampy Cree word meaning “employment, training, and jobs” and the vision of the Apatisiwin Program is to ensure Indigenous people gain education, experience, and skills to achieve and maintain meaningful employment and improve their employability.
The Apatisiwin Program will work collaboratively with community partners to ensure Indigenous job seekers have access to the supports they need to succeed, and build relationships with local schools, community colleges, universities, training institutes, agencies and businesses.
We offer workshops and presentations on education, employment, cultural supports, and any other subjects relevant to advancing community goals.
Garden Programs
Our garden programs aim to promote indigenous food sovereignty through growing, gathering and food literacy courses. This includes planting sessions, garden care, food processing workshops and take home garden/ food kits.
Indigenous Language Revitalization
We offer programming in Anishinaabemowin (Ojibwe language, Anishinaabe) and Kanyen’kéha (Mohawk language, Kanyen’kehá:ka, Haudenosaunee Confederacy). We offer weekly in-person beginner Anishinaabemowin and Cree classes, and organize various language events throughout the year! If you’re interested in our language programming, please reach out to our Indigenous Languages Program Coordinator at: claire.scruby@kncln.ca.
Intergenerational Strength and Resiliency Program
Peer counselling/ relationship building - Community outreach support --Workshops, cultural, and land-based learning opportunities -- Knowledge sharing --Resources, community connections and referrals (planning in circle of care) --Client lead Wellness Planning. Our program supports all self-identifying urban Indigenous community members, and families. If you or a client who you support is interested in learning more about the ISR program or to set up an intake meeting please reach out to: Isr@kingstonnativecentre.org
Lifelong Care
The program’s objectives are: to preserve and enhance the quality of life for clients through the provision of ongoing supports for mental, physical, emotional and spiritual well-being; to promote a positive and secure environment for clients to engage in community-based, culturally appropriate social activities; to support clients to remain in the community and foster valuable relationships through community engagement; to educate client and their family caregivers on lifelong health and support services; and to develop integrated service delivery with other Friendship Centre programming and connect urban Indigenous individuals to community, government support and health care services.
For more information, please contact yessi@kncln.ca
Legal Aid
Through our partnership with Queen's Legal Aid, we are able to provide a wide range of free legal services to the Indigenous community of Kingston, Napanee and surrounding areas, and to Queen’s University students. Our services range from civil claims or defences, defending criminal charges, disability benefits appeals, employment issues, human rights complaints, provincial offences, and tenant rights.
We can represent clients at the Ontario Court of Justice, Provincial Offences Court, Small Claims Court, Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, Landlord Tenant Board, and the Social Benefits Tribunal.
Please visit the Queen’s Legal Aid | Queen's Law Clinics website for more information about services.