"First of its kind" governance program celebrates graduates
- Tiffany Head | August 02, 2015
The File Hills Qu’Apelle Tribal Council and Brown Governance and Johnson-Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy are proud to be graduating the participants from the Director Education and Certification Program. Fifty-three graduates successfully completed the program.
“This professional designation in corporate governance is a first of its kind initiative in First Nations country and will produce immediate and long term impacts in the development of our communities,” said FHQTC Chairperson Edmund Bellegarde.
The program was specifically designed for FHQTC and its 11 tribal councils. Many of the participants that graduated from the program are Chiefs, council members, and senior administrators.
With the tools they have gained from the program, they will be able to serve their communities and achieve greater success in the years ahead.
The program was designed with of mix of adult learning model delivery mechanism with an emphasis on experiential learning such as break out groups and case studies in corporate governance.
Alvin Francis, the Economic Development, Public Works and Health Department Councillor from Nekaneet First Nation, has enjoyed the program and thanks Chief Edmund Bellgarde for the experience.
“He’s our Tribal Council Chair, I would like to thank him for putting this together because he’s the guy that looked into the future and said this is what’s going to benefit us,” said Francis.
The program was over a six-month period, with two days per month put in and they had to read and study 200-300 pages in each binder for every module.
“Four modules for eight days: we had to do an exam of 50 questions every time we finished a module. There were a hundred questions in the final exam,” said Francis.
Francis said the program made him more analytical and critical of the decisions that he makes.
“It lets you know our weaknesses, your opportunities and makes you think back and really analyze about any decision you’re going to make for your First Nations, to be critical about it,” said Francis.
He said the program definitely made the 11 tribal councils have something in common and also get more contacts.
“As we get to know more people, we get to have more contacts out there with different boards like SIGA and Silver Sage Housing, now that we have met them, we have contacts in that system now,” said Francis.
The community members will see significant impacts in their health centres, social and not-for-profits housing corporations, economic development and partnerships and will benefit from this program for years to come.
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