May/June 2012: First Nations Establishing National Training Center at HQ in Colorado For U.S. Justice Department’s Office on Violence Against Women

The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women has provided start-up funding to launch a new national training center at First Nations Development Institute's headquarters in Longmont, Colorado.

The First Nations center, with seven to eight learning stations, will provide on-site training for people involved with tribal coalitions that deal with domestic violence and sexual assault.  Some of the coalitions already exist while others are just now emerging. The new center will allow for improved training through intensive personal interaction individually or in small groups.  The instruction will focus on strengthening, building the capacity, and improving the management of the Native nonprofit organizations, rather than on direct training on domestic violence and sexual assault issues.

Due to homelessness, poverty, medical problems and basic lack of services, Native women are disproportionately impacted by prostitution, and are subject to high rates of violence and assault. The nonprofit coalitions and groups that deal with these issues are crucial to generating awareness and advocating for policy changes to reduce and, hopefully, end domestic violence and sexual assault altogether.

“Our new center will go far toward better meeting the learning and skill-building needs of individuals and teams who are working hard on the front lines in Native communities to end violence against women,” said Michael Roberts, First Nations president. “Our goals are to make the training lessons and materials relevant, convenient, affordable and fun in a high-quality, interactive learning environment.  We anticipate immediate and long-range benefits to the nonprofit leaders who want to create positive change in their communities.”

The new center is opening in late spring 2012.

As part of its mission, First Nations provides Native communities with the tools and resources necessary to create new community-based nonprofit organizations and to strengthen the capacity of existing nonprofits. For more than 30 years, First Nations has supported hundreds of model projects that revitalize Native communities, while integrating social empowerment and economic strategies.

You can support First Nations in its mission by giving generously online or by mail.