Indigenous Governance in Child and Family Wellbeing

Native Child and Family Services of Toronto (NCFST) must reflect the holistic Indigenous worldview so that we better reflect what we are supposed to be: a thriving and growing Indigenous multi-service urban agency. We need to align the decision-making principles and processes with historical and traditional forms of governance from the region in which we serve. Aligning agency governance with traditional forms of governance should lead to decisions that are consistent with cultural values and expectations. NCFST is transitioning from a mainstream hierarchical leadership structure towards an Indigenous governance model grounded in consensus-based decision-making. This transition requires an intern to conduct historiography and oral history research with similar non-profit organizations to determine best practices for the organizational change we plan. Our process of organizational change may also help other organizations to develop a governance model based on Indigenous ways of knowing and being.

Faculty Supervisor:

David Newhouse

Student:

Partner:

Native Child and Family Services of Toronto

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Public administration

University:

Trent University

Program: