Kina Gbezhgomi Child and Family Services and N’Swakamok Native Friendship Centre create new protocol agreement

WIIKWEMKOONG UNCEDED TERRITORY (March 28, 2022) — The N’Swakamok Native Friendship Centre (NNFC) and Kina Gbezhgomi Child and Family Services (KGCFS) are Indigenous culture-based organizations with mandates that are similar and complementary, yet distinct in responsibilities, governance, and community accountability structures. We believe that Indigenous children should be happy, healthy, resilient, grounded in their cultures and languages and thriving as individuals and as members of their families, communities and nations.

Our organizations provide uniquely distinct and overlapping services that are preventative in nature, ensure the needs of children who require protection are met, and work to support and preserve the wholistic needs of children, youth and families. We believe that children need to be supported in ways that nurture and promote their cultures, heritages, traditions, Indigenous languages, concept of the extended family, and connection to community.

In the spirit of partnership, we believe that bringing our services together by providing coordinated, collaborative, and accountable services will enhance the social, physical, spiritual and emotional well-being for Indigenous children, youth, and families. It is with this understanding that our organizations have embarked on a journey together which is detailed within our protocol agreement.

In the spirit of fostering positive relationships and partnerships, the NNFC and KGFCS agree that the paramount purpose of this protocol is to build and maintain a strong partnership that supports and promotes the safety and well-being of Indigenous children, youth, and families who access our cultural-based services.

This protocol agreement provides guidelines that both NNFC and KGFCS agree to follow with the objectives of enhancing communication, increasing collaboration, strengthening coordination, and supporting accountability.

Moreover, the goal of our relationship is to work together to support Indigenous children to be happy, healthy, resilient, grounded in their cultures and languages and thriving as individuals and as members of their families, communities, and nations.

We strive to have a strong, open, trusting, and transparent relationship where we respect and acknowledge each other’s mandates, support mutual capacity building, share resources, overcome challenges, celebrate successes, and maintain growth in our ongoing relationship.

The NNFC is a culture-based community hub organization that assists all Indigenous people migrating to or already living in the Greater City of Sudbury. The NNFC has developed and implemented programs and activities that serve the social, educational, cultural and recreational needs of the Indigenous community. The NNFC “is committed to preserving language and culture, enhancing quality of life and empowering family and community by providing supports, services and partnerships for the Indigenous community in the urban setting.”

The vision of the NNFC is “a wholistic, healthy Indigenous community centre which promotes culture, language and well-being in a balanced way.”

Kina Gbezhgomi Child and Family Services will honour and support our family’s and community’s inherent authority to care for their children based on unity, traditions, values, beliefs and customs. Our services ensure children are protected and stay connected with their culture, language and community while strengthening family and community relationships.

Kina Gbezhgomi Child and Family Services translates into “All of us, we are one,” and is driven by our commitment to delivering positive support to children and families through client-focused service delivery processes. KGCFS is committed to fostering strong families through its delivery by inclusion of First Nations cultural practices. KGCFS has three office locations (Wiikwemkoong, M’Chigeeng, and Sudbury) to service seven member First Nations and other families identifying as First Nation within the Districts of Sudbury/Manitoulin. Please visit us at www.kgcfs.org.

Contact:
Marie Meawasige
Executive Director
N’Swakamok Native Friendship Centre
705-674-2128
admin@nfcsudbury.org

Denise Morrow
Executive Director
Kina Gbezhgomi Child and Family Services
1-800-268-1899
dmorrow@kgcfs.org