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Get access to equitable resources. Our resources help you to navigate the Education System.
What is the Student and Family Advocate (SFA) Program?
The Student and Family Advocate Program (SFA) is a Black community based program designed to support Black families and students as they engage with the education system.
There are 17 Black led organizations with SFAs across Ontario.
The SFA program is ‘Systems Navigation’ by another name. We are your village.
No matter what type of support you need we’ll stand beside you as you engage with your child’s school.
As SFAs we also acknowledge, understand, and address Anti-Black Racism and its impacts on Black families and students through advocacy, accountability and action for transformational change.
Advocacy
Advocacy
Black advocates who understand the way Black/African, African Caribbean, African Canadian, Afro-Lantinx families are impacted by the education system.
Accountability
Accountability
Located in Black led agencies and organizations across Ontario and available to help you!
Transformational Change
Transformational Change
Your support system. We will stand beside you, attend meetings with you, help you draft letters, ensure accountability for your children, as you interact with the school system.
When should you contact a Student and Family Advocate?
You can contact us for any reason and for any type of support you need with your child’s school (or any other system). You can also contact us in cases of Anti-Black racism.
What should you know about Anti-Black racism in the education system?
Anti-Black racism can take many different forms in the education system. It can be subtle, like a teacher consistently sending notes home about your child, or it can be direct like your child being racially bullied or beat up because of their race. Here are some questions to consider when deciding if you should reach out to a Student and Family Advocate:
Do you have questions about the way school works for your child?
Do you feel your child isn't being treated fairly at school?
Are you receiving frequent notes home from school about your child?
Is your child in a special program or on an Individual Education Plan (IEP) that you have questions about?
Is your child being bullied or experiencing racism from other students?
No matter what support your need. Contact us for help!
What Happens When You Contact a Student and Family Advocate?
Search
Step One:
Find the Student and Family Advocate for your region
Document
Step Two:
You may be asked to complete an intake form (each SFA organization is a little different)
Connect
Step Three:
Someone will contact you to talk about what your child or your family is experiencing. They’ll create a plan of action and will work to wrap around and support you.
Who are the Student Family Advocates (SFAs)?
Britannia Woods Community House
Advocacy supports and case management, school navigation supports, and community information sessions benefitting Black students (ages 6-15) and parents from low-income communities in Ottawa-West.
Languages: English, French, Amharic, Somali and Arabic
Centre for Resilience & Social Development
Advocacy/”Cultural Broker” supports and services, capacity building workshops and mentoring, and Cultural Broker Community Program targeting Black students (ages 6-25) and families from marginalized low-income communities in southern Ottawa.
Languages: English, French, Somali, Arabic,Amharic, and Persian
Delta Family Resource Centre
Advocacy supports, culturally relevant mentorship, navigational supports and referrals, and sessions on anti-Black racism benefitting Black students (ages 6-25) and families in Toronto’s Rexdale, Firgrove/Jane-Finch, and Kingsview Village neighbourhoods and the Municipality of Brampton (Peel Region).
Languages: English, French, Somali, Spanish, Swazi, Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele, Urdu and Gujarati
Durham Family and Cultural Centre
Advocacy supports, pathway planning and culturally relevant mentorship programming, and anti-Black racism resources for teachers and administrators benefitting Black children ages 6-12 and their parents in the Pickering, Ajax, and Whitby communities of Durham Region.
Languages: English and French
Early Childhood Development Initiative
Advocacy supports/services, capacity building and system navigation, and initiatives in collaboration with schools/boards and other community groups benefitting newcomer Black West African children ages 6-12 and their families in Toronto’s York South-West and Humber River-Black Creek communities.
Languages: English and French
Empowered Squared
Advocacy supports/services, navigational supports and resources, leadership and consultation on anti-Black racism and culturally relevant workshops benefitting newcomer students ages 10-20 in Hamilton.
Languages: English
For Youth Initiative in Toronto
Advocacy supports and 1:1 case management, social programming, and community education sessions benefitting Black youth ages 13-25 and their families, including newcomers and those experiencing poverty, in Toronto’s York South-Weston, and Oakwood-Vaughan communities.
Languages: English and Spanish Translation as needed.
H.M. Youth Foundation
Anti-Black racism training/education, advocacy and pathway planning supports, mentorship and career/leadership skills development, and youth/family roundtable talks benefitting Black youth (ages 13-18) and families in Mississauga.
Languages: English with French Translation as needed
Malvern Family Resource Centre
Advocacy supports, capacity-building and system navigation supports, culturally relevant learning and career/pathway exploration opportunities, and food/childcare supports for Black students (ages 6-12) and families, including Caribbean, East/West African Canadian born and single parent/caregiver families and families with no/limited post-secondary education, in Toronto’s North-East Scarborough and Malvern communities.
Markham African Caribbean Canadian Association
Advocacy supports/services, capacity building, and navigational/research resources targeting Black children (ages 4-12) and adolescents (ages 13-19) in and leaving care, and/or their families/caregivers in York Region.
Languages: English, French and Local Arabic (Sudanese)
Midaynta Community Services
Advocacy supports, 1:1 culturally relevant mentoring, drop-in mental health and wellness supports, and community information sessions targeting Black students ages 6-18 and their families, including those living in low-income households, in Toronto Northwest and Etobicoke.
Languages: English, French,Somali, Swahili, and Arabic
Parents of Black Children Canada
Advocacy supports/services and system navigation resources and workshops benefitting parents of Black children and young people between ages 6 and 25 residing in the Greater Toronto Area.
Languages: English with French Translation as needed
Patches 360 Inc.
Advocacy support, enrichment and tutoring, and parent engagement initiatives targeted to Black students ages 6-12 from low income families, lone parent/single households, and new immigrant families living in Mississauga and Brampton.
Languages: English with French Translation as needed
Roots Community Services Inc.
Advocacy supports/services and case management, culturally relevant programming, referrals, and workshops targeting Black children and youth and their families, including those with child welfare involvement, in Peel (ages 6-18) and Halton (ages 6-23).
Languages: English, French and Arabic
Success Beyond Limits Education Program Inc.
Advocacy supports/services, mentoring and academic supports, and community information sessions targeting Black youth ages 13-21 and their parents/families in Toronto’s Jane and Finch neighbourhood.
Languages: English, Somali and French Translation as needed
Urban Rez Solutions Social Enterprise
Advocacy supports for parents, skill-building and positive Black identity programming (e.g. R.E.A.L. School program) and community information sessions benefitting youth ages 11-17 in Toronto’s East Scarborough community.
Languages: English with support from French language translators as per need
Women’s Health in Women’s Hands Community Health Centre
One-on-one culturally/gender responsive navigational/advocacy supports, student-, family- and community-centred workshops, and community-level training opportunities to address barriers to educational attainment for African, Caribbean and Black-identified women in downtown Toronto, North York, and Scarborough. Community information sessions will also be open to organizations and families residing in the regions of Peel and Durham.
Languages: Provides Translation Support and Services for Any Language Needed