“What do you base your answer on? For example, is it from observation, or have you done any formal surveys/interviews in your organization at a previous time?” Sixty-four per cent of practitioners -7 out of 11- said their previous answer was either based on observation or on interviews, surveys, one-to-one personal tutoring, or from providing child care for the literacy program.

When asked where most of the financial support for their program came from, about 50 per cent of the practitioners said from HRDC/Miziwe Biik Employment and Training. Twenty per cent said other funders. Another 20 per cent gave no response and 10 per cent mentioned the Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities.

Practitioners were also asked the frequency of their respective funding support sources. Twenty per cent indicated that funding was provided annually. Sixty per cent of practitioners said funding was offered through various funders but did not specify how frequently. One person said funding was offered every two years and one other gave no response.

Practitioners were asked, “How often and under what conditions must financial support be given in order to achieve optimum success for your program and learners? In other words, how would you prefer money to come into your organization for optimal success of the program and its learners?” Their replies were:

• tokens/childcare/living expenses
• I don’t have enough knowledge of the flow of money to and from our program to answer this question.
• I am new to this program and I don’t know exactly know the financial situation of the program.
• Every year, the funders should take a look at what the program is lacking, for example, textbooks and computers, and keep the program up to date and running on good terms that benefit the students.
• There’s not really a whole lot more you can provide to the students. We help out as much as we can, and Council Fire’s First Nations Skills Development and Training also provides a lot of other services from which they benefit.

Practitioners also raised the following needs and concerns:

• childcare services for students
• tokens/bus passes
• tokens/childcare/living expenses
• not so many complications when applying for funding - not too many attachments
• stability: easier for participants to plan and staff can afford to develop skills
• sufficient financial support and incentives for participants
• linkages and recognition of program by mainstream to make transition easier
• follow-up support for participants