Youth centre falls victim to funding woes

Story and photos by Nikki Jo Mattinas, Special to BayToday.ca.

The North Bay Indian Friendship Center (NBIFC) is experiencing the closure of the Youth Drop In Center this year. The Urban Multipurpose Aboriginal Youth Center did not grant the centre funding for this fiscal year to keep the program in operation.

Former Youth Coordinator Eric Nahwegahbow says he is let down to see this happened in the community. Even though the NBIFC did not receive funding, staff members each take time out of their day to supervise the Youth Drop in center three days a week.

The Youth Drop in center is a facility that provides youth with Internet and television access, pool tables, reading materials and a safe environment to socialize. Nahwegahbow says that without the full time operation of the program the youth are vulnerable to committing crimes outside of the NBIFC.

Nahwegahbow states, “Youth are disappointed, funding should always be there.”

Over all there were 166 registered youth attending the local program, not just aboriginal youth, the centre is open to all youth and has non-aboriginal, Métis and Inuit, attending from the North Bay community, however, a number of youth who travel from the outer lying areas to be a part of the Youth Drop in center.

“There is a large area being affected” Nahwegahbow adds.

The North Bay Indian Friendship Center Youth Drop-in center is open for youth of all ages.