Community and Culture

Strong cultural identity supports wellbeing in powerful and enduring ways. All Indigenous children and families living or staying in Toronto have a right to/deserve barrier free access to their cultural practices and traditional ways of being.  

At Native Child and Family Services of Toronto (NCFST), culture is at the heart of healing. Through ceremony, teachings, and community gatherings, we work to ensure that Indigenous children, youth, and families remain connected to their identities, traditions, and the strengths of their Nations.  

The Cultural Services Department is made up of a dedicated team of cultural workers, artists, facilitators, and community helpers who bring diverse knowledge, creativity, and lived experience to the work. Our team includes Knowledge Carriers, cultural facilitators, traditional artists, and program coordinators who lead workshops, ceremonies, and cultural gatherings throughout the year.  

Guided by the NCFST Elders Advisory Circle, the team works collaboratively to ensure that programming is delivered with respect for cultural protocols and community needs.  

The Cultural Services team is committed to creating spaces where Indigenous children, youth, and families can feel welcomed, supported, and connected to their culture. 

We offer individual cultural support, including traditional counselling, access to medicines and healers, Ceremony, teachings, language learning, regalia and traditional crafting, and Land-based practices.