IFA Organization Profile

Founded in 2015, the Indigenous Friends Association (IFA) is a non-profit Indigenous organization that was born out of the need for Indigenous youth in an urban and post- secondary setting to have a safe digital space, and for them to be able to connect with fellow Indigenous peers in order to rekindle their relationship with traditional Indigenous values.

Beginning with the Indigenous Friends Platform (IFP), the organization’s mobile application and web-based platform, the IFA has expanded its project scope to include initiatives that incorporate technological skills while remaining grounded in traditional Indigenous values. Through the INDIGital program, for example, the IFA is currently delivering a digital literacy curriculum, and using technological-based skills in order to empower Indigenous Peoples in today’s tech labour market.

In the aftermath of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the work at the IFA is further guided and reinforced by the pressing need to address the dark legacy of colonial policies upon Indigenous Peoples. The IFA thus aims to provide the necessary tools for Indigenous Peoples and allies alike to build partnership with one another, and to promote digital projects that place Indigenous understandings at its core.

If you would like to learn more about the IFA, please visit www.indigenousfriends.org or contact us via email at info@indigenousfriends.org.

The Indigenous Friends Association (IFA) is a non-profit Indigenous organization and a grantee of Canada Service Corps and the Ontario Trillium Foundation.

We are currently deploying two projects:

1) INDIGital Program: The deployment of digital literacy web courses in four locations across Canada: Sagamok Anishnawbek First Nation (ON), Prince Albert (SK) and Regina (SK). The programme has more than 120 Indigenous participants, who are learning coding fundamentals such as HTML and CSS to create their own digital projects.

2) Indigenous Friends Platform: The Indigenous Friends Platform (the IFA App), is a mobile and web- based platform for Indigenous Peoples in an urban and post-secondary setting. The App provides access to Indigenous resources, Traditional Knowledge Keepers, peer support, and academic information to users. Currently, it has more than 100 users from York University and Saint Paul University.