COVID-19: New Ways of Running Friendship Centre Programming
In light of the current COVID-19 pandemic, Friendship Centres have proven their commitment to their community members in finding new ways to reach them through social media and technology! Here are a few examples of what we've seen over the past several weeks;
- British Columbia Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centre: Helping to encourage people to connect online during physical distancing. Providing resource lists/highlighting the impact this will have on Indigenous communities.
- Mission Friendship Centre Society: Wellness Kitchen Live, every Wednesday at 2 p.m. PST (week 1: handwashing and bannock making). Women’s group workshop: making hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes on Facebook live.
- Dze L K'ant Friendship Centre Society: Providing printable signs for seniors and high-risk individuals that do not have the means of communication. Looking at collecting information re: emergency services for off reserve members. An update on their HIV treatment and prevention programming.
- Alberta Native Friendship Centre Association: Sharing advice for teens, and general social media shareables for COVID-19 like posters.
- Athabasca Native Friendship Centre: Providing online resources for arts and crafts, continuing pow wow club online.
- Canadian Native Friendship Centre: youth engagement through contests on social media. General engagement from survey, sharing heartfelt videos and workout videos.
- Hinton Friendship Centre: Providing food bank services for the vulnerable by social media or by phone.
- Riverton & District Friendship Centre: Providing shopping services through call orders for those unable/supporting local food banks.
- The Pas Friendship Centre: Lunch bag donation and delivery.
- The Portage Friendship Centre: providing care packages to their community while also looking for donations.
- Regroupement des centres d'amitié autochtones du Québec: Support and information. Sending out a massive thank you to Friendship Centre employees and volunteers.
- Centre d'amitié autochtone de Val-d’Or: Moving the services of Chez Willy, a place of respite for the homeless, to the Hall Hécla Quebec de la Place Eagle Place. Daily updates provided re: the work they’re doing and essential services to their community (day five update)
- Native Montreal: Craft Circle, embroidery and beading through Facebook Live.
- Centre d'amitié autochtone du Lac-Saint-Jean: providing herbal medicine kits to their community.
- Centre d'amitié autochtone de Maniwaki: Online challenges/contest every few days on Facebook.
- Centre d'amitié autochtone du Saguenay: Maintaining essential services.
- Centre d'amitié autochtone de Sept-Iles: Video conference training for their entire team.
- Centre d'amitié autochtone du Lac-Saint-Jean: Delivering activity kits to their community members.
- Barrie Native Friendship Centre: Staff rotate providing updates from their homes.
- Mi'kmaw Native Friendship Centre: Started a daily engagement challenge on social media. Drumming in Mi'Kmaqi.
- People of the Dawn Indigenous Friendship Center: Creating virtual spaces for their community to connect.
- First Light St. John’s Friendship Centre: Providing virtual and teleconference call for community and cultural programs. Many activities via Facebook Live; concerts, Mother Goose sessions, men’s drumming, Inuit programming (see all virtual programming for the week)
Do you have a program or story you would like to share on how your Friendship Centre is supporting your community during COVID-19? Please send us an e-mail!