The Victoria Native Friendship Centre (VNFC) has been in existence for 40 years. The first official Friendship Centre was opened in Winnipeg in April 1959, and by the 1970’s, Friendship Centres like VNFC were sprouting across British Columbia.
Dedicated to improving the quality of life for Aboriginal people in the Greater Victoria area, the VNFC began as a meeting place in the city. Four moves and 40 years later, the VNFC now occupies more than 32,000 square feet of a former elementary school under a 99 year lease with the School District of British Columbia.
Credit: VNFC
We would like to acknowledge the Coast Salish People of the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations for their gracious hospitality. It is an honour and a distinct pleasure to work within their traditional territory.
VNFC provides services to an estimated 15,000 Aboriginal people living off reserve in the greater Victoria area; as well as the 5,000 residents from the First Nations communities in the southern Vancouver Island region, in addition to a sizeable Aboriginal population from across Canada. At VNFC you will be greeted by two totem poles that represent the Coast Salish and Kwakwakw’awk Nations with a third totem pole from the Nuchanulth Nation to be erected next completing the representation of the traditional territories on Vancouver Island.
Credit: VNFC
Addressing the Community’s immediate needs, VNFC delivers Career and Employment services, Health & Wellness and Social programs, vibrant Youth initiatives, Connecting Our Elders outreach, and dynamic Arts and Cultural practices. In addition to our programs and services, our wheelchair accessible facility hosts Little Paws Preschool, gymnasium, amphitheatre, meeting rooms, and outdoor basketball courts and playgrounds.
Our doors are open to all and we extend an invitation for you to join us.
Kina Gibezhigameh (We are all one ~ Ojibwe).
Hychka, Kleco Kleco, Gelakasla, Miigwech for visiting us on your virtual tour.
You can learn more about us here.
