NNAPF and National Training
Renewal through Training
The General Review of NNADAP, as well as the recent Health Strategies promoted by the Federal Government and Aboriginal National organizations recognise that training and accreditation of Aboriginal professionals working in the field of Addictions is a need and a priority.
From the 37 recommendations of the 1998 NNADAP General Review, these have been collapsed into seven broad categories of enabling functions, and one of the Foundation’s categories speaks directly to training:
To establish a networked training system to support the development of the human resources required to ensure effective and efficient addictions services for Aboriginal people regardless of where they live; and, to establish a national certification program for community prevention and treatment centre personnel.
NNAPF’S mandate to renew the Aboriginal Addictions System in order to assist its evolution into a more efficient, culturally-appropriate and relevant program, administered and delivered by trained and experienced Aboriginal Health and Addictions specialists, means that it has a direct contribution to make in promoting and facilitating training, accreditation and certification of Aboriginal Health and Addictions specialists.
NNAPF’s five-year Strategic plan and National Training Strategy includes specific activities to do this, in particular the hosting of Annual Training Conferences.
Annual Training Institutes and idea exchange Forums will be hosted annually by NNAPF. These institutes will not only provide formal Training but will serve as venues for the sharing of ideas, consulting and securing input into program renewal Plan»
National Native Addictions Partnership Foundation
Strategic Plan
June 2003
Responding to specific needs
From the field, the Foundation does know that Wellness and Addictions Counsellors tend to obtain specific skills that are related to the tasks of their positions. They tend to prefer practical learning situations - best provided by semi-formal or informal training such as workshops, seminars, training conferences, ad-hoc courses, etc., offered externally or internally. As well, attention must be paid to the recognition of the Wellness and Addictions Counsellors’ informal but usually comprehensive training portfolio, coupled by real-life professional experience acquired through this training and through their work.
The NNAPF Regional Working Groups activities have achieved equally amazing results supporting workforce development, such as, but not limited to these training initiatives, for example:
- In Alberta region, the development of Prevention Manual for Addictions Counsellors, and where training is provided in required competencies for certification, with funding support for the certification for wellness/addiction Counsellors. Subsequently, more that 80% of Alberta’s front line workforce has been certified through CCPC;
- In Manitoba region, the development of Orientation Manual for Addictions Counsellors;
- All regions have supported formal and informal training for addictions Counsellors;
- In British Columbia, the training of treatment Counsellors to a degree entry level; and the implementation of a First Nations Wellness/Addictions Counsellor Certification Board, and many other examples of regional innovation, and last but not least;
- Specific to workforce development, the Youth Solvent Addiction Committee activities “include everything that is meant to improve staffing, staff training, and credentialing or staff management.” As noted earlier, the YSAC can boast of the development of core competency curriculum modules for youth addictions training that have been CCPC certified, in Research Methods and Client Follow-Up, Clinical Supervision, as well as Resiliency and Client Care, Emotional Intelligence and Addictions.
Activities undertaken by NNAPF to fulfil its national training role
«One of the roles of the Foundation is the renewal of the Aboriginal addictions system, in order to assist its evolution into a more efficient, culturally-appropriate and relevant program, administered and delivered by trained and experienced Aboriginal Wellness and Addictions specialists. »
To fulfil this role, NNAPF has undertaken a number of initiatives, including surveys, a directory of training institutions, the development of a workforce strategy, initiatives to support the development of training models in treatment centres, drafted a proposal for video conferencing and organised six national training conferences to date. Here is a resume of NNAPF continued effort to pursue play a part in the advancement of Aboriginal Wellness and Addictions specialists.
National Workforce Development Activities 2000-2006
|
2001-2002 |
|
2002-2003 |
|
2003-2004 |
|
2004-2005 |
|
2005-2006 |
|
2006-2007 |
|
2008 |