What Guides Our Work

Our Purpose

The Amiskwaciy Cultural Society nurtures children’s and students’ gifts and talents by providing a strong support system committed to incorporating Aboriginal perspectives into their everyday lives.

The Society was created in 2013 to support Aboriginal students entering post-secondary education with financial and counselling supports. On review, it broadened its catchment to include children and youth, so that all Aboriginal young people can succeed not only in mainstream education but as individuals in life — with the role models and supports to feel valued and proud of who they are.

Our Cultural Foundation

The Society’s work is grounded in Indigenous ways of knowing. Culture is not an addition to our programming; it is the ground the programming stands on. Language, ceremony, teachings, and relationships with Elders and Knowledge Keepers shape how children learn and how families are welcomed.

We recognize the importance of Indigenous cultural protocols and the protection of Traditional Knowledge and Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property. These responsibilities are carried in our governance as well as in our classrooms.

The Six Components of Aboriginal Head Start

Our programs are built on the national Aboriginal Head Start framework, which brings together six interconnected components:

1. Culture and language — the foundation of identity and belonging.
2. Education — early learning through play, relationships and experience.
3. Health promotion — supporting the wellbeing of the whole child.
4. Nutrition — meals and teachings that support growth and learning.
5. Social support — connecting families with the help they need.
6. Family involvement — recognizing families as a child’s first and most important teachers.

Our Commitments