Native Child and Family Services of Toronto

Registered Name: NATIVE CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICES OF TORONTO

Business No: 131621765RR0001

We are a multi-service urban Aboriginal agency providing holistic, culture-based programs and services for Aboriginal children and families.

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about

Our Mission

Native Child and Family Services of Toronto strives to provide a life of quality, well-being, caring and healing for our children and families in the Toronto Aboriginal community.

We do this by creating a service model that is culture based and respects the values of Native people, the extended family and the right to self-determination.

About us

Native Child and Family Services of Toronto (NCFST) is a multi-service urban Aboriginal agency providing holistic, culture-based programs and services for Aboriginal children and families. NCFST strives to provide a life of quality, well-being, healing, and self-determination for children and families in the Toronto urban Aboriginal community. We do this by implementing a service model that is culture-based and respects the values of Aboriginal people, the extended family and the right to self-determination.

Established in 1986, by Elders, knowledge keepers, grassroots leaders, and community members, NCFST has been supporting Aboriginal children and families in Toronto for more than three decades. In 2004 NCFST was directed by the Aboriginal community to accept a child welfare mandate to decolonize Aboriginal child welfare in the City of Toronto. NCFST continues to do this work through the integration of holistic, culturally-based prevention services that are child centred, family focused, and community driven.

Guided by the vision of providing holistic, culture-based integrated services with the guidance of the Aboriginal community, NCFST offers a full range of prevention programs, treatment and healing services, early years programs, youth programs, and cultural and recreational programs to all members of Toronto’s urban Aboriginal community.

Service Model

Founded in 1986, our service model was developed through four days of ceremony by Aboriginal Elders, knowledge keepers and community leaders. It directs us to develop a holistic and sustainable multi-service organization to support the quality of life of Aboriginal children and their families in Toronto. The community that came together to create NCFST was responding to the impacts of residential schooling and a European model of child welfare on Aboriginal children and families. Our service model directs us to develop and deliver integrated services for healing, wellness, and family supports sufficient to provide Aboriginal children and their families with multiple pathways to a quality life. We do this by developing programs and services that are grounded in Aboriginal values, knowledge, best practice and worldview.

The Community We Serve

The Aboriginal population of Toronto is estimated at 60,000 adults and children. Of these, approximately 45,000 are status Indians; the others are Métis, non-status, and Inuit.

Most of our clients are self-referred single parents with young children. Many are currently involved with our Child Welfare Services, and some have children in our care and wish to work toward their return. Most are poor and isolated, without support in an environment deemed insensitive and inaccessible to Aboriginal people.

Across Canada, Aboriginal people lead in the statistics of suicide, alcoholism and family abuse. Aboriginal individuals, families, and communities often experience high levels of dysfunction resulting from feelings of powerlessness, hopelessness, and stress.

Aboriginal people, as compared to any other racial or cultural group in Canada, have the lowest life expectancies and highest infant mortality rates, live in substandard and overcrowded housing, experience lower education and employment levels, and have the highest incarceration rates. It has been estimated that an Aboriginal child in Toronto is five times more likely to be apprehended and placed in the care of the CAS than any other child. Many of these children have graduated to living on the streets in Toronto.

Indigenous Spirit Fund

The Indigenous Spirit Fund (ISF) is a new Fund established in 2018 by Native Child and Family Services of Toronto (NCFST), Canada’s largest Indigenous non-profit multi-service organization. Working together with your investment, the ISF will improve the quality of life for Indigenous children and families by supporting programs and services delivered by Native Child and Family Services of Toronto for Indigenous families, especially those families impacted by the child welfare system.

By supporting the Indigenous Spirit Fund with your CanadaHelps donation, you will help deliver much-needed support to some of Toronto’s most vulnerable children and families through community-driven and culture-based services, including summer culture camps, employment and education programs, and arts and entrepreneurship programs offered by Native Child and Family Services of Toronto.

What people are saying

"I want to be with my people that understand me and use my culture as a way to guide me through this. I really want to stay in Toronto and be close to my supports at NCFST"

“Ashley”, Participant in Tikinagan Pre and Post-Natal Program

supporter wall

Martha C donated $1,000.00!
Continue the amazing work you do.
Carolynn B donated $200.00!
Grateful for your work in the community!
Stan R donated $35.00!
In Honour of (Ret.) Officer Randall Arsenault
John Z donated $100.00!
Thank you for your work in fostering your rich and deep culture. We have so muc...
HUB International donated $620.00!
Thanks for everything you do!
Paul A donated $150.00!
May the future be bright for your community.

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REGISTERED CHARITY ADDRESS

30 COLLEGE STREET

TORONTO, ON, M5G 1K2

Visit our website

Our Impact

overview

Native Child and Family Services of Toronto (NCFST) is a multi-service urban Aboriginal agency providing holistic, culture-based programs and services for Aboriginal children and families. NCFST strives to provide a life of quality, well-being, healing, and self-determination for children and families in the Toronto urban Aboriginal community. We do this by implementing a service model that is culture-based and respects the values of Aboriginal people, the extended family and the right to self-determination.

Our results

92%

Child and Family Well-Being92% of Aboriginal children and youth involved with our Child and Family Well-being services remained with their immediate/extended families following an initial assessment of concerns.

Family Finding for Aboriginal children and youth in alternative care30 Aboriginal children and youth that required alternative care between 2019-20 that were placed in a Kin out of care home.

421 campers

Cultural Summer Camps: Camp Grundy; Glen Rouge Day Camps; Downtown Day Camp; Scarborough Day Camps421 Aboriginal participants attended and were engaged by our 2019 cultural summer camps. Campers were exposed to various recreational and cultural activities, including fasting camps and canoeing.

65 children

Aboriginal Head Start ProgramIn 2019-2020, the Aboriginal Head Start program served 65 children and their families.

12, 509 meals

Native Youth Resource CentreIn 2019-20, the Native Youth Resource Centre had 5,443 Aboriginal youth visits and served 12, 509 meals.

83 people served

Transitional Housing: Young Aboriginal Men; Young Aboriginal Women and their FamiliesIn 2019-20, our transitional housing program served 46 young Aboriginal men and 37 young Aboriginal women.

Some of the programs and services Native Child offers include... (13)

Testimonials: What our community is saying...

"This program has helped me so much with my education and personal life. I feel motivated and empowered to be a strong woman for my daughter. This program taught me that no matter what barriers you have you can still make things work and make things happen."Anonymous YouthCentennial Business Administration Program Student

"I enjoyed the sweat lodge with the adults. I learned more about the medicine wheel, the 4 seasons and Elements. I looked forward to Circle and group smudge each morning. I enjoyed teachings from facilitators and their sharing of wisdom.New skills learned at camp was plant knowledge as well as learning how to make a shaker and my own personal bundle"Anonymous CamperCamper in our Summer Cultural Camps, Family Camp 2

supporting information*

Revenue and Expenses by Year ($)

Reporting Period End Date: 2023-03-31

NCFST is experiencing unprecedented growth. As a result of this trend, unique opportunities and challenges have emerged in the finance and administration area including the Information Technology (IT) and Facilities Teams. Given the pace of growth, administrative functions must accommodate NCFST’s changing needs to support community members more efficiently.

387

full-time employees

part-time employees

$33,114,555

total compensation for all employees

$1,157,936

professional & consulting fees

Work continues in the areas of developing and strengthening sustainable strategies in Recruitment, Onboarding, Learning and Development, Succession Planning, Performance Management, and Employee and Labour Relations, with a strong emphasis on culture and communications within each program area at every level of the Agency.

*Based on the information Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) provides to CanadaHelps