ABORIGINAL FINANCIAL OFFICERS ASSOCIATION OF CANADA (AFOA) Public Sector Management Workshop June 12 to 14, 2011

Transcription

1 ABORIGINAL FINANCIAL OFFICERS ASSOCIATION OF CANADA (AFOA) Public Sector Management Workshop June 12 to 14, 2011 Ernie Daniels, CGA, CAFM President & COO

2 OVERVIEW AFOA Background Membership Certified Aboriginal Financial Managers (CAFM) Certified Aboriginal Public Administrator (CAPA) Workshops and Publications/Tools Professional Development On-line courses National Conference JAM Journal of Aboriginal Management Leadership Awards Youth Initiatives New Resources 2

3 AFOA BACKGROUND & MANDATE Founded in 1999 as a result of joint initiative of Assembly of First Nations (AFN) and Certified General Accountants Association (CGA) of Canada to raise financial and management skills in First Nations and build the foundation of self-government. 11th year in operation We believe that effective management is key to building social and economic prosperity and essential to successful Aboriginal self-government Many talk about the need to empower more Aboriginals. The AFOA has spent a decade producing results. Tony Ducie, FCGA, Chair of the Board, CGA-Canada

4 AFOA VISION STATEMENT Contributing to Aboriginal social and economic prosperity by building a professional, educated workforce that supports effective governance and administration Winner of 2006 Conference Board of Canada Community Learning Awards Your Association enables First Nations to acquire the financial knowledge and management expertise they need to thrive. Thanks to your organization, more and more Aboriginal communities are in a position to realize their full potential and all Canadians benefit. The Honourable Jim Prentice, Minister of Indian & Northern Affairs 2006 Conference, Winnipeg

5 HOW IS AFOA STRUCTURED? - Aboriginally controlled - Governed by Board of Directors - Non-profit - 8 Chapters - non-political - Headquarters in Ottawa

6 AFOA MEMBERSHIP Aboriginal Financial Managers Chiefs, Band Administrators Directors & Officers Program Managers Economic Development Consultants Tribal Council members Chief Financial Officers Accountants Chief Executive Officers Government 1,679 Members - March 31, 2011

7 THE CERTIFIED ABORIGINAL FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT (CAFM) PROGRAM Developed to: o Meet increasingly difficult challenges being faced by Aboriginal financial managers o Address the critical storage of qualified, competent people to fill key financial positions CAFM designation tailored to specific Aboriginal context Only one of its kind in the world Over 400 CAFMs in Canada including some of the most prominent Aboriginal managers and leaders in the country 7

8 THE CERTIFIED ABORIGINAL FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT (CAFM) PROGRAM AFM Educational Program and CAFM designation developed in partnership with Certified General Accountants Association (CGA) of Canada CAFMs receive advanced standing into Level 4 of the CGA professional studies At the AFN Assembly in 2008 Chiefs-in-Council passed a resolution supporting the CAFM designation as a preferred designation for financial management positions in First Nations A career in finance and management is very rewarding in many ways both personally and professionally. You can be involved on a broad or focused level in any industry, government, or services organizational. The best reward is seeing the community growth and benefits from the teamwork that you have been involved in. Lisa Douglas, CAFM, Finance Manager Seabird Island Band

9 THE CERTIFIED ABORIGINAL FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT (CAFM) PROGRAM CAFM ROLE MODEL - POSTER

10 WHY BECOME A CAFM? Fast track into 4 th level CGA program 97% employment rate Highly sought after by employers across Canada Only one of its kind in the world Communities are demanding more from their employees. Contribute towards healthier communities Increase the level of standards for our communities AFN General Assembly 2008, Quebec City, Resolution #32 Chief-in-Council passed a resolution that supports the CAFM designation and the important role of AFOA and Chapters.

11 WHAT IS A CAFM? Standards Ethical Standards Competency Standards General Management Technical Knowledge Leadership Professionalism A CAFM is a Certified Aboriginal Financial Management professional whose skills and knowledge are based on and tested against professional standards.

12 CAFM COMPETENCY STANDARDS General Management Technical Knowledge Leadership Professionalism G1 - Planning G2 - Human Resource Management G3 - Allocating and Managing Resources G4 - Communicating G5 - Aboriginal History and Culture T1 - Financial Accounting & Reporting T2 - Management Accounting and Performance Measurement T3 - Finance and Financial Planning T4 - Management Information Systems T5 Taxation L1 - Organizational and Strategic Leadership L2 - Team Leadership and Development L3 - Staff Coaching and Training P1 - Ethics and Trust P2 - Integrative Approach P3 - Problem Solving P4 - Professional Development P5 - Professional Self Evaluation

13 HOW TO BECOME A CAFM 3 options to apply for your designation Special Arrangement A Special Arrangement B AFM Educational Route As a First Nations professional, I am proud to have the CAFM designation. In my job, it is important to demonstrate that I have a good understanding of First Nations financial management. Having the CAFM designation helps me to establish credibility with both my clients and business contacts. Travis Seymour, CAFM - First Nations Financial Management Board, Ottawa 2010

14 SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT A CGA, CA, CMA designation 2 years Practical Working Experience in an Aboriginal Environment Sign an agreement to abide by the Standards of Ethical Conduct

15 SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT B 5 years Practical Working Experience in an Aboriginal Environment Complete AFM 4 & AFM 14 courses Pass the CAFM Professional Exam Sign an agreement to abide by the Standards of Ethical Conduct

16 CAFM EXAM & PREPARATION SESSION Exam Preparation Session 3 day session Next session: October 17, 18, 19, 2011, Ottawa, ON CAFM Professional Exam Can be written anywhere Next Exam: November 21, 2011

17 LADDERED EDUCATION CAFM Certificate 1 year CAFM Designation 3 Years CAFM Diploma 2 Years COTR SIIT Algonquin College Yellowquill College Management Degree 4 years B.Comm, BBA CGA, CMA, CA U of Sask University College of the North Masters/MBA Degree 5+ years

18 AFOA CANADA ONLINE COURSES Online courses run in a semester format-2 semesters/year Courses are 15 weeks in length and are 45-60hrs each All courses have qualified Instructors Students can access additional mentoring if requested Asynchronous Learning Style Online Course Registration Year Year Year Year 10-11

19 EDUCATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS College of the Rockies, Cranbrook, BC Algonquin College, Ottawa, ON Yellowquill College, Winnipeg, MB School of Community Government, Yellowknife, NT Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technology, Saskatoon, SK University College of the North, The Pas, MB

20 PARTNERSHIPS Block Transfer Agreements University of Saskatchewan s Edwards School of Business Certified General Accountants of Canada

21 POTENTIAL EDUCATION PARTNERS Confederation College, Thunder Bay, ON Dalhousie University, Halifax,NS Canadore College, North Bay, ON Centennial College, Toronto, ON University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB Cape Breton University, Cape Breton, NS Nipissing University, North Bay, ON Assiniboine College, Dauphin, MB

22 PARTNERSHIPS AGREEMENTS Native Women s Association of Canada Bank of Montreal First Nations Market Housing Fund

23 THE CERTIFIED ABORIGINAL PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR (CAPA) PROGRAM NEW CERTIFICATION PROGRAM Health and success of First Nations communities often directly linked to effectiveness and capacity of administration/management Band administrators key to community s viability and well-being Since 1970 s role of Band administrator increased in significance - knowledge and skills they require are extensive Currently no certification that directly targets needs of professional First Nation administrators July 2009, AFOA signed MOU with NCFNG signaling intention to work together to develop national certification for Aboriginal community administrators/managers

24 THE CERTIFIED ABORIGINAL PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR (CAPA) PROGRAM NEW CERTIFICATION PROGRAM AFOA well positioned to lead process: Solid reputation Experience in developing educational programs, certification (CAFM) Overlap-cross-over between financial management and management competencies/skills Council of Aboriginal representatives from across Canada formed to lead initiative Council meetings held January 2010, November 2010 and February 2011

25 THE CERTIFIED ABORIGINAL PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR (CAPA) PROGRAM NEW CERTIFICATION PROGRAM National Certification includes development of: national competency standards standards of ethical conduct certification standards sustainable educational program to meet above standards Development of program - multi-phased approach

26 WORKSHOPS FOCUSING ON KEY MANAGEMENT AND GOVERNANCE TOPICS Developing capacity among First Nation senior management and elected leaders is critical in our efforts to support First Nations governments and our social and economic goals. These workshops are designed to build that capacity National Chief Shawn Atleo Performance Measurement & Reporting in First Nations Developing an Effective Remedial Management Plan An Introduction to Comprehensive Community Planning Values & Ethics in the Aboriginal Workplace Strategic Planning in First Nations Introduction to Community Economic Development Reporting on Tangible Capital Assets Converting Financial Statements Instructors deliver workshops in communities 26 Workshops are also scheduled in cities across the country

27 PUBLICATIONS, TOOLS & RESOURCES Examples: Presenting and Understanding Financial Information Risk Management Developing Business Plans and Funding Proposals Managing Employee Performance Introduction to Document Management Dollars & Sense (designed for Youth) 27

28 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ON-LINE COURSES I found the courses to be very beneficial The courses allows students to work on the course material and complete the assignments at their own pace, which works well for me I would recommend the AFM courses to those individuals who work in First Nation environments and who wish to expand their knowledge Gary Lee, CAFM,, CMA, Chief Financial Officer, Onion Lake First Nation Examples of on-line courses: Aboriginal History & Developments Aboriginal Human & Fiscal Issues Community Economic Development Business Law Strategies & Decisions Aboriginal Management Practices And others 28

29 PROMOTES BEST PRACTICES & PROVIDES A FORUM TO SHARE KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE National Conference Largest conference dealing with Aboriginal management and leadership issues in the country close to 1,000 attend 12 th Conference - February 14-16, 2012 Saskatoon, SK It is easy for me to speak highly about the AFOA National Conference given that it is the one event I have attended religiously year after year for 10 years. I have watched it grow in scope from purely financial capacity development to the broader focus on governance capacity development. The organizers produce an extremely professional conference that attracts top quality speakers that represent a balance of First Nations leaders and administrators, academia and experts. It has quickly grown to be a national who s who of governance development. Ron Mavin, AFOA member 29

30 PROMOTES BEST PRACTICES & PROVIDES A FORUM TO SHARE KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE JAM The Journal of Aboriginal Management Only Journal in Canada focusing on professional Aboriginal management and leadership issues Published 2 X year 30

31 PROMOTES BEST PRACTICES & PROVIDES A FORUM TO SHARE KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE Excellence in Leadership Awards Previous winners include: Manny Jules, Tom Bressette, Clarence Louis, Edmund Wright, Harold Calla, Keith Martell AFOA website Comprehensive website with many resources available, discussion board etc.

32 ENCOURAGING ABORIGINAL YOUTH TO ENTER INTO FINANCE AND MANAGEMENT PROFESSION Great demand for finance and management professionals in our communities but few people are pursing an education in finance and/or management AFOA initiatives: Aboriginal Youth Financial Management Conference Awards 6 th year Scholarships & bursaries Aboriginal Financial Professionals Recruitment Strategy Composed of representatives from top financial institutions and professional firms Developed 3 year strategy to attract Aboriginal youth into the financial professions 32

33 SUPPORT ABORIGINAL ACCOUNTABILITY AND GOVERNANCE EFFORTS Partnerships and MOUs with: First Nations Financial Management Board (FMB) National Centre for First Nations Governance (NCFNG) Assembly of First Nations (AFN) Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators (CAMA) Participation in relevant government initiatives

34 NEW RESOURCES FOR ELECTED LEADERS WORKSHOPS AND GUIDES Politics of Ethical Decision-Making Creating ethical climate in communities Framework for ethical decision-making Financial Information & Elected Leaders Bridging the Gap Understanding financial statements Using financial information to make decisions Elected leaders financial role and responsibilities

35 WHY BECOME AN AFOA MEMBER? Professional development opportunities Exclusive access to research outputs, resources, tools, guides JAM: the Journal of Aboriginal Management Networking opportunities Be in the know get news, updates on issues that affect day to day work regularly Significant discounts on conference, workshops Be on the leading-edge of Aboriginal management and professional issues Support the creation of a professional workforce

36 For more information on AFOA Canada and its programs and services, please contact: AFOA Canada 1066 Somerset Street West Suite 301 Ottawa, Ontario K1Y 4T3 Tel: Toll free: Fax: Visit 36