Chief Liz Lasaga of the Flat Bay Band Inc. said her band is assisting other band councils by Capacity Building through mentorship and training.
She said in a prepared release more than 1,000 individuals make up their membership, residing within the village of Flat Bay, across the province and nation.
“With vast connections, we often outreach beyond our vicinity to mentor other organizations and Indigenous peoples.”
During the decades they have successfully delivered thousands of initiatives and infrastructure programs.
She said Flat Bay Band Inc. co-hosts with the Bay St. George Mi'kmaq Cultural Revival Committee the only pow wow to be held on the west coast of the province, with thousands of visitors from all over the globe.
“We founded and mentored numerous organizations and groups in the region and province. As our members live all over the nation, we often span our services by virtual delivery so they can access our programs and services,” Lasaga said in the release.
In their 2018-19 strategic plan the band is helping its sister bands establish and grow. As an experienced mentor in the province they will assist with ideas for revenue generation and mentor them on proposal writing to strengthen economic growth, service delivery and project management.
Recently, in partnership with the College of the North Atlantic, under this initiative, the band was able to acquire a number of items as donations and disperse it to various groups.
For his group, the Indian Head First Nations Band, Chief Hayward Young said donations from the College of the North Atlantic are great and well appreciated.
“This is the second time they’ve assisted in donating office furniture. Back when I was chief in the early 2000s they help furnish our office.”
He said the mentorship program will be timely in reviving their band and bringing youth on side. He said their membership has many skills and experiences to share, right from youth to seniors and elders.
Mentee Groups:
· Indian Head First Nations Band — Office Furniture
· Burgeo Band of Indians — Office Furniture
· St. George’s Indian Band — Museum display show cases & shelving
· Benoit First Nation — Offices and Learning Centre Furniture & Equipment
Local Groups:
· People Complex — Chairs
· Fire Department — Cabinetry and Workshop tools
Flat Bay Band Inc.:
· ABE program resources
· Children Centre furniture and resources
· Visual Arts Supplies to establish our Elioq Art Studio
