Richard Froese
South Peace News
High Prairie Native Friendship Centre will receive funding from the town to support a youth program.

At its regular meeting Aug. 8, Town of High Prairie approved an administration recommendation to approve the request for funding in the amount of $1,000 for the youth leadership and employment program from the town’s operating budget on an ongoing basis until further notice.

Funding would be provided under the Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) provincial grant, treasurer Terri Wiebe says.

“The town should probably identify two or three organizations to receive consistent ongoing funding from the town’s share of FCSS funding,” Wiebe says.
“Since I knew that the Friendship Centre has many ongoing programs and thought some may be eligible, I spoke with the administrator (Lyanne Grammer).”

It appears the organization has a few programs that are preventative in nature and would qualify under the FCSS guidelines, Wiebe says.

“While the employment portion of the program dose not qualify under FCSS as they feel it is the responsibility of ‘employment’ both on the provincial and federal levels, the leadership portion does qualify.”

Wiebe says she and CAO Brian Martinson will meet with a provincial FCSS official in September to clarify the criteria and qualifications to support local organizations and programs.

“We have to find some qualifying and deserving organization,” Mayor Linda Cox says.

Wiebe says the town still has $1,500 to provide to local programs.