About Us

Our Story

Established in 1998 by the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, the Manitoba First Nations Education Resource Centre Inc. (MFNERC) provides the province’s leading education, administration, technology, language and culture services to First Nations schools in Manitoba.

The AMC established MFNERC through resolution to provide coordinated second and third level education services to Manitoba’s First Nations schools. To date we provide services and support to 58 First Nations schools from 49 Manitoba First Nations.

Over the years, MFNERC has evolved from its humble beginnings, providing service on demand with a handful of employees, into a multifaceted organization that meets the needs of Manitoba’s First Nations schools with a variety of services and support.

Respecting the diversity of Manitoba’s First Nations is an essential facet of the Centre’s ability to support the schools in our communities. Best practices informed by academic research and extensive experience working with First Nations, are promoted through the various departments, using a service delivery team approach.

Professional development training is provided for school board members, administrators, teachers and teaching assistants. MFNERC works in partnership with Manitoba First Nations to ensure the highest standards of education are achieved in First Nations schools.

MFNERC promotes and encourages First Nations involvement in all aspects of the development and implementation of educational change.

Organizational Chart

For more information contact us at:
(204) 594-1290
info@mfnerc.com

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Mission & Vision

The mission of the MFNERC as approved by motion of the MFNERC Board of Directors on December 5, 2004:

“To help First Nations improve education for all learners to achieve: mino-pimatisiwin (Cree/Ojibwe/Ojibwe-Cree)”

“To help First Nations improve education for all learners to achieve: honso aynai (Dene)”

“To help First Nations improve education for all learners to achieve: tokatakiya wichoni washte (Dakota)”

The purpose of the MFNERC is to provide education specialist service delivery to First Nation schools. The focus of the services is to provide assistance towards the implementation of programming that is relevant to First Nation students’ needs, to provide the direction and leadership for long term education reform that will lead to the development of a First Nations Curriculum, and to provide training, guidance, and support to First Nations staff and educational leadership to facilitate capacity building.

The vision of the MFNERC is:

“Support First Nations to develop and implement a comprehensive holistic educational system inclusive of First Nations languages, world views, values, beliefs and traditions with exemplary academic standards, under First Nation jurisdiction.”

The vision is to develop and design quality curricula, standards, and outcomes that will address the learning needs of First Nation students, and that will provide equitable and transferable knowledge and skills required in today’s global economy. This process will require First Nation students, Chiefs and Councils, parents, educators, Education Authorities, administrators, as well as other First Nation stakeholders to lead, control, own, and participate in the process of curriculum development and systemic educational change.

In the interim, the focus of the MFNERC is to help improve effectiveness in the classroom through the provision of facilitator services and to assist in the adaptation and implementation of the new Provincial curriculum. These facilitators travel extensively to First Nations to deliver on-site workshops, seminars, conferences, courses, training and support services.

Staff consists of education specialists in English Language Arts, Special Education, Science, and Technology. In addition, Education Psychologists, Speech and Language Pathologists, and Reading Clinicians are also available at the request of First Nation schools. Other services provided by the MFNERC include professional training and development, research and data collection, and an instructional resource centre.

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Mandate

As per the AMC resolution of June 2012, MFNERC’s amended mandate is to offer enhanced second level services (school division-type services) while continuing to work on developing an enhanced education system(s) for First Nations, including third level services (department of education-type services) such as facilitating the development of education law templates (local/aggregate), accreditation, certification, curriculum development, training, advocacy and other supports required by First Nations in Manitoba.

FAQs

MFNERC Inc. is an Education Resource Centre providing the province’s leading education, administration, technology, language and culture services to First Nation- run schools in Manitoba.

The MFNERC has its head office on the Swan Lake First Nation, Manitoba and has sub-offices in Winnipeg, Manitoba and Thompson, Manitoba. It is also available online 24 hours a day at www.mfnerc.com.

During the 1970s, First Nations began the process of administering their own schools, but chronic underfunding and lack of supports required the creation of an organization that would meet the needs of those schools. In 1998 the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs gave a mandate and established MFNERC to provide administrative, technical, language and educational second and third level supports (school division type services) to First Nations-run schools in Manitoba.

The majority of staff at the MFNERC are specialists in First Nations education, administration, language and technology with skills that are uniquely suited to providing support to First Nations schools. The minimum education and experience for many professional specialists is a Bachelor of Education with a number of years working in First Nations Schools. Staff with Ph.Ds and Masters degrees in their area are common; but regardless of education level, experience working within a First Nations educational environment is of the highest importance.

MFNERC receives its direction from a Board of Directors, First Nations Education Authorities and the schools. The process is First Nations driven; services are holistic and address expressed needs; and authority remains with the First Nations. The programs and supports that have been developed since 1998 were and are developed in partnership with Manitoba’s First Nations, their leadership, and the First Nations Schools.

The First Nations schools make their own decisions regarding which programs, services and supports they require from MFNERC. When the school establishes its school plan, it consults with MFNERC staff regarding what is available and how MFNERC can meet the school’s particular needs.