FIRST NATIONS EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION

This is a very attractive alternative in supporting First Nations Education as a standalone foundation mandated to assist and improve the safety standards each student will need in

preparation for the opportunities he or she will meet as an adult.

Aboriginal communities must have more flexible authority over the resources available to them to strengthen local, social, economic and cultural conditions in ways that relate to health and safety outcomes.

Vision:

First Nation Educational Foundation (F.N.E.F.) will support First Nations for their educational development initiatives assisting in creating healthy communities.

Mission:

To support the creation of a thriving First Nation community through the introduction of SafeStart First Nation Educational program or other similar programs.

Objectives:

The Foundation will assist each community to raise the required monies to finance specific educational programs.

The Foundation will ensure that it is culturally sensitive to each First Nation applicant/recipient’s community.

The Foundation will ensure to work with an inter-agency from the First Nation community in implementing for example the SafeStart program.

Ensuring that the SafeStart program will achieve Provincial Accreditation Standards.

The Foundation will also offer to assist in other unique beneficial educational programs.

Strategies:

The First Nation Education Foundation will be raising funds for First Nation Educational Institutions to support the students enrolled in the SafeStart program.

The Foundation will also raise funds for First Nations communities for other related initiatives as per the approved desires of the First Nation educational institutions and the Board of Directors of (F.N.E.F.).

Team members of SafeStart to go through a cultural sensitizing program with the community.

To establish linkages with other agencies as prescribed by the community.

Why Create a Foundation

There is a huge need in First Nations communities for an innovative approach to support their educational institutions. Financial support for FN education contributions from Federal Government and its policies for FN education makes the challenges insurmountable for financial support for new cutting edge programs.

The Foundation will address the financial needs of First Nations for their development of a successful educational program delivery by enhancing their programs such as the introduction of the universal successful SafeStart program.

Through various business and government contacts the Foundation will fund raise funds through these groups and especially with those organizations that have business linkages with FN communities.

Advantages of Foundation

The Foundation is an attractive way for donations from corporate donors especially when they are briefed with the high rate of untrained First Nation young people as compared to the rest of Canada. The challenges vary in each First Nation; however the common denominator for all communities is the high rate of school drop-outs. Without education there is little hope for employment and no employment leads to severe poverty. Which eventually leads to an early death?

The Foundation can enhance the education of young First Nations members commencing in the early stages of the education with a program such as SafeStar teaching the ability to pre-prepare for attentive focus on the potential hazards that cause accidents.

The Foundation will expedite resource delivery to First Nations without having to go through all the different levels in First Nation administrative structures. The Foundation will work directly with First Nation educational institutions with the minimal amount of overhead costs being applied to the donation.

First Nation Education Foundation Structure

Will be comprised of 3-5 Directors. Will have administrative costs kept at a minimum. Will endeavor the meet all fund raising challenges. Will keep a positive relationship with SafeStart as a core program. Will continue to promote Good Governance. Will promote First Nations Education Objectives.

This is a very attractive alternative in supporting First Nations Education as a standalone foundation mandated to assist and improve the safety standards each student will need in preparation for the opportunities he or she will meet as an adult.

With a national labor shortage upon us across Canada, some employers are expecting the availability of qualified Aboriginal employees to be part of the solution. Aboriginal people want to be included. From industry’s perspective, they must be included and to include programs like SafeStart safety program further enhances this goal.

Aboriginal communities must have more flexible authority over the resources available to them to strengthen local, social, economic and cultural conditions in ways that relate to health and safety outcomes.

 

To narrow the educational gap in teaching safety, First Nations Educational Foundation has developed strategies around greater incorporation of First Nations values and languages in the classroom, increasing parental involvement, development of culturally-relevant curricula and ensuring that schools are accessible, healthy, safe and well-resourced, among others.  

CEO Message: Chris ShadePast Blood Chief Chris Shade states “First Nations communities have a need to address statistics for the high rate of body injuries as a result of accidents related to or caused by the prevalence of alcohol or drug use/addictions in First Nations. The communities have programs in the different agencies which are attempting to address the pandemic and with the result of minimal success. First Nation SafeStart is one such program that could begin to work in the K-12 grades in FN schools and in an integrated approach with other service providers in the community”.

Researchers point in the direction of FN education as a means of improvements to the current statistical outcomes which are impacting First Nation children. A component of the culture of most Aboriginals around the

world as well as First Nations communities was they lived in harmony, however this all changed through the different governments imposing colonialistic government policies such as the Indian Act. However, today we are witnessing the communities beginning the healing process by re-discovering the value of their cultural values which has pre-existed before the first explorers set foot in North America. This is being taught in various communities as means of addressing the low self-esteem through the teachings of elders in the classroom.

First Nation SafeStart is in the process of launching their programs in First Nation communities with the knowledge that improvements will be accomplished by virtue of working the different agencies in a community, this is an approach that realizes that FN communities have not lost their ancestral values of creating harmony.

What good does it do to treat people's in-adeptness then send them back to the conditions that made them in-adept?

Board of Directors:

Chris Shade: CEO 

Chief of Blood Tribe for eight years. Ability to deal with the public in a professional and concerned manner. Grand Chief of Treaty 7 for five years. Spokesman for the Blackfoot Confederacy for two years. Liberal Candidate for the Macleod Riding. Headed up Asian Trade Mission for aboriginal businesses and artisans. Board Chairman and Director of several organizations. Senior Executive experience in health, finance and programs.

 Management and Organization

Managed a health facility and programs. Financial Comptroller for eight years. Initiated the development of inter-agency activities. Development of policies such as finance and human resources. Opened new grounds for a first nation health organization to be recognized by Alberta

Health. Instituted an improved accountability process for management

 Planning and Controls

Development of work plans. Ensured long-term plans were developed in health, finance and human resources. Ensured annual budgets were completed and monthly reports were provided to Board

of Directors. Ensured annual reviews of policies were undertaken. Ensured monthly and annual reports were provided. Developed the financial plan as part of the Blood Tribe Five Year Master Plan.

 Development

Development of improved financial controls by upgrading financial policies. Lead the team that develops protocols for the establishment of a Memorandum of

Understanding with Chinook Health Region. Successful in negotiating with Federal Government with the establishment of the

Kainai Continuing Care Center. Successful in negotiating for the Levern satellite clinic. Successful in negotiating for the provision of mental health counseling services.

Staff development by instituting training programs in finance, home care, emergency services, disaster services and community health.

 

Consulting

Business plans for the small to medium sized business clientele. Financial analysis and advice for small business entrepreneurs. Development of organizational systems. Negotiating on behalf of clientele for financing of the business.

 1996-1996 Senior Executive Officer Blood Tribe Department of Health Inc.1983 -1992 Consultant Self employed1975 –1983 Financial Comptroller Blood Tribe Administration1973-1975 Accountant Edmonton Power 

Education and Specialized Training Certified Management Accounting (4th Level) 1973-1975Society of Industrial Accountants

Phil Gardner: VP Communications/Director

Philip L. Gardner, B.A., M.A., Dipl. Mgmt., C.L.P. A foundation education in England, culminating with studying engineering at university, was followed by positions with leading U.K. consulting engineering and computer companies. A move to Canada led to a shift to economics and business management after graduating from several Canadian and U.S universities. Over the past 45 years, Mr. Gardner’s career has included:

Past President, CEO and Director of Advanced Applied Physics Solutions Inc., (most recently retired),

Senior executive of TRIUMF physics research laboratory, with, joint responsibility for developing and operating a $200 million budget, sole responsibility for filing and administering over 175 patents worldwide sole responsibility for commercial operations, which resulted in a 200% increase in

commercial revenue, sole responsibility for medical isotope production, increasing it threefold to $34 million

p.a. member of every major TRIUMF corporate committee, including, Senior Management,

Safety, Quality Assurance, Budget, 5 Year Planning, Promotions, Hiring, Compensation, etc. etc.,

Initiated and published “TRIUMF Technology Transfer Newsletter”, over 500 copies sent out worldwide, every quarter, for 15 years,

Member of a 3-person economic development advisory team to the government of British Columbia,

Made over 1,000 presentations to various groups, small and large, from foreign and domestic Senators and Politicians to Corporate Leaders to school children,

Assisted with numerous small technology company start-ups, Operated a small private family company for twenty years.

 International Business Activities 

Chair, Regional Economic Development Plan Review Committee, Hangzhou, China, 2009

Canada-Russia Team Canada Mission, Moscow and St Petersburg, July, 2000 Canada-Russia Intergovernmental Economic Commission, Moscow, July, 2000 Led Two Person team sponsored by the IAEA, Vienna, to assist Centro Atomica Ezeiza,

Buenos Aires, Argentina, November, 1999 Canada-Russia Business Forum, Ottawa, October, 1997 Canada-Russia Intergovernmental Economic Commission, Ottawa, October, 1997 Chair, Technology Commercialisation in Eastern Europe, NATO Advanced Workshop,

London, England, 1996. Member of Four Member Team Representing the Government of Canada in Negotiations

with Japanese and Korean Governments, in Japan and Korea, 1991, One of a three-person team presenting a paper on, ‘Science Policy in Western Canada’ to

the O.E.C.D. Paris, 1987.

Directorships 

Advanced Applied Physics Solutions, Inc., Canada, Westlink Technology Transfer Association, Canada, Exware Solutions Ltd., Canada, Canadian Association of Physicists, ISMOT, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China Law and Research’ track for 2005 and 2006 Annual Meetings

Society of Research Administrators 

Stuart Brame: VP Corporate Development/Director

Mr. Brame has extensive experience in the area of corporate development and financial structuring with over 30 years of marketing and managerial experience. He has held the position of President and Director of Medical and Resource positions in public companies and was instrumental in establishing the financing and structuring of those companies to meet future growth. With his extensive international business experience, Mr. Brame has developed an extensive network that will assist in the long term positioning of the foundation.

Senior officer of MachLink Corp 2011-2014 establishing international business. ·Mr Brame was one of the founders of IGEN Networks Corp.(IGEN) a US trading

company with a distribution license from MachLink Corp.-2011 Founder of Bio Business Development Corp. (THE COMPANY) a diagnostic distribution

company with the patented rights for BSE and Scrapie diagnostic tests with exclusive distribution to the Pacific Rim, Australia, New Zealand and India-2007-2010

CEO of Lifespan Inc. A US public company-2006-2007 Director and founder of Piita Energy Corporation, a company designed to partner and

advance wind energy within First Nations Reserves - 2004 / 2005 Director of BIO Design Canada Inc. a diagnostic company with offices in Toronto and

Tokyo, Japan – 2001 / 2004 Chairman and CEO of White Raven Investment Trust Ltd. – 2001 / 2002 President of Boston Management, a financial management company with offices in Ft.

Lauderdale, Florida – 2000 / 2001 Financial consultant to varying start-up companies and a senior consultant for Treaty 7

Blackfoot Nations – 1991 / Present President of Harvard Scientific, a biomedical US public company based in Reno, Nevada President of HMC Healthguard Inc. a VSE public company Senior officer of Reward Mining, a Vancouver based public company – 01 / 19 Co-owner, with Joe Martin (Cambridge House) of Home Owners Journal, a newspaper

publication with a circulation of 200,000 – 04/1989 The founder of Victoria House, an Ontario based private treatment center for adolescents

in eastern Ontario – 1980 / 1986 Owner of The Eganville Hotel – 1984 / 1986  Founder of Lucras Ltd. that became and formed Green Leaf Whole Foods a whole food

distribution company – 1975  Founder of the first Whole Health Food Store in Hamilton, Ontario - 1973

 

Doug Nelson: VP Education/Director Douglas brings with him an incredible amount of experience with over 35 years of innovative and diverse expertise in the delivery and execution of training and educational

programs including teaching, consulting, supervising, managing, researching, writing, and designing and a widespread network in the Education field.  

Dr. Nelson worked in the Edmonton Catholic School Board as school and district administrator. 

He is very experienced in developing specialized programs at the primary, secondary, and post-secondary schools in Canada. 

Douglas is the sole owner and Director of Nelson Educational Consultants Ltd. The  company offers educational consulting services to different schools, school boards and  other  organizations. 

Doug is also a certified trainer for the Safe Start program.

Dr. Nelson has demonstrated a rich path of success highlighted by awards of merit from peers, employers, and our government.

Academic success in the completion of graduate degrees and the assignments taken in several universities and colleges as well as with several government departments.

A consistent and broad record of establishing strong and successful teams through positive mentorship and vision: serving as Chairman of the Student Finance Board of Alberta over 7 years is one example.

A proven record of solving problems and completing projects within budget and within timelines.

Doug led a multi-faceted department of professional and para-professional educators and instructors in carrying out the department’s mandate of serving the needs of FNMI students in District schools and sites.

Special Accomplishments

o Awarded the Laureate Citation by Omicron Field Chapter of EPTo Appointed by Chief and Council Alexis First Nation to the Board of Educationo Received Award from Ben Calf Robe Society “Service to Youth” Awardo Received Alberta Heritage Award of Excellenceo Received Provincial Excellence in Teaching Awardo Middle Years International Baccalaureate Training for Heads of School I, II, IIIo Chairman appointed by Cabinet, Student Finance Board o Member appointed by Cabinet, Student Finance Appeals Board o Member appointed by Cabinet, Board of Directors for Private Vocational Schools o Received Ice Diving Dive and Master Diver Certificates for PADI Scuba Divingo Director of Training for Edmonton International Air show o Appointed to the Mayor’s Task Force on Safer Citieso Doctorate of Education from Arizona State University o Awarded “Teacher of the Year” by ATA Specialist Council

Larry Wilson: Founding member of First Nations Educational Foundation and Chairman of the Board.

I have been sharing the SafeStart Process around the world for 20 years and what I hear and truly believe is that the most important group who should receive the skills, knowledge, and attitudinal shift is our children. The deaths and disabling accidents of youth around the world

has been labelled by the United Nations  as the “Hidden Epidemic.” I hope to one day say we have rendered the Hidden Epidemic cured. Larry Wilson, author of SafeStart

 No one, no matter their attitude, is ever trying to get hurt and this is one area where SafeStart makes a difference."

SafeStart First Nations Circle Process – The Circle Model the ancient indigenous model of the Circle offers a different approach. Circles bring students together who have widely different

backgrounds and experiences. In fact, the more diverse the group and the more divergent the views, the greater the possibilities are for truly innovative and unprecedented outcomes. Circles are not about amplifying sameness. They are about culling wisdom from different experiences and engaging a wider knowledge base from which to make balanced and sustainable decisions. The Circle Model is a decision making and delivery model that provides a shifting in the framework from one of power over to inclusiveness (stepping toward understanding personnel safety). It reflects the commitment to doing things in a different way and working through life's challenges that brought us to where we are now. It is a call for students and teacher relationships, a way to do things differently in a holistic way, sharing safety preventative information, enhance capacities and are open to transformations in how we understand safety and the ways of preventing avoidable accidents.

SafeStart is the most successful safety training process in the world for developing personal, 24/7 safety skills—proven to reduce injuries 30%–70% by more than 3,000 clients in 60+ countries.