January, 2008, Just Announced: NCFNG and UVIC announce first courses toward Certificate in First Nations Governance, Administration, and Management
Professional Development Services
Scope
The Centre’s Professional Development Services is aimed at enhancing the administrative and political skills of First Nations people who are already working or seek to work in, or with, First Nations governments and organizations. The Centre ensures that it is delivered in a culturally relevant manner.
Programs and services developed by Professional Development will be designed to encourage and support the efforts of public educational institutions across Canada, as these institutions seek to provide relevant and culturally sensitive degree programs for present and future First Nations government leaders and administrators.
One of the key aims of the Centre’s professional development programs and services is to contribute to the establishment of a stable and effective First Nations public service.Activities
Since there already exists a number of academic and other organizations offering training and development services to First Nations people, the Centre is in the process of compiling a comprehensive list of governance-related programs and courses currently available. The Centre will serve as a clearing-house for disseminating this information in communities and facilitate access to these programs by interested individuals. Efforts will then be made on a continuous basis to establish partnerships with these organizations and/or to encourage them to offer relevant programming that would meet the needs identified
through research and advisory services. Ultimately, the Centre will form a consortium of academic institutions where information on respective programs could be exchanged, joint ventures initiated and cooperative planning undertaken for the benefit of First Nation/Aboriginal citizens and organizations.
In order to achieve these objectives, the Centre will continue to engage in an active program of training and development in: community organizing skills, strategic planning, human resources development, financial administration and board management. It will continue to develop programs that can be used by other institutions and delivery agents across
Canada and provide professional accreditation opportunities.