FNPSS connects community needs with resources and initiatives, often leveraging our partners and their strengths. These initiatives are meeting specific needs identified by individual First Nations through sharing of expertise, funding, and collaboration.
Institute of Public Administration of Canada - Volunteer Indigenous Policy Project
The VIP Project is an initiative that aims to match experienced policy expert volunteers from the Institute of Public Administration of Canada (IPAC) with First Nations with policy project needs. A key principle of the VIP Project is mutual and reciprocal learning; the IPAC expert will not perform the work for the community but will assist by sharing expertise. This approach achieves two goals: building capacity within the community while meeting a real policy need that the community might otherwise have hired a consultant to undertake.
The VIP Project is based on the success of the Transitional Governance Project implemented using this model in Lil’wat Nation. The Lil’wat Nation presented at the FNPSS 2019 Breaking Barriers – Building Connections conference, and you can hear them speak about their experience by watching the IPAC webinar.
In partnership with FNPSS, IPAC is piloting VIP Projects with BC First Nations communities and IPAC volunteer experts. There are three pilot projects currently underway:
First Nations Well Being Fund
The First Nations Well Being Fund supports First Nations in their efforts to promote well being, increase quality of life for all community members (both on and off reserve) and reduce poverty at the community and/or Nation level.
Collaborative Community-Federal Projects
As one initiative under the Strengthening Public Service Institutions Initiative, Collaborative Community-Federal Projects bring together community-identified needs and priorities with resources, expertise and training available in the federal government.
The objectives include:
- Building capacity and development opportunities for First Nations administrations based on their identified needs and priorities
- Building capacity and development opportunities for federal public servants around strengthening Indigenous awareness and cultural competencies
The first project underway is a collaboration between Musqueam First Nation and Statistics Canada. As Musqueam First Nation embarks on their third community census as part of their larger community planning process, Statistics Canada is supporting their work through training around data collection, management and analysis.