Knowledge is power and opens doors of opportunity so that dreams and goals can be reached. The mission of the Native Learning Center is to provide Native and Indigenous people with knowledge and skills that improve quality of life through housing related educational programs. The vision of the Native Learning Center is to be the recognized educational resource for the development of cultural and quality of life skills for all Native and Indigenous people.
Background of the NLC
The Native Learning Center was established in October 2008, as a program of the Seminole Tribe of Florida Housing Department. The Native Learning Center developed areas of concentration to complement current National Organizations that support the mission of promoting the development of Native Housing and housing related activities. The NLC primed the field by conducting initial needs assessment surveys throughout Native communities, and invited Natives to convey needs that they faced in their homes.
NLC conducted its first conference where courses focused on Sustainable Design, Financial Wellness, and Grants Education. These courses were developed and designed to address the issues received through feedback of the needs assessment surveys. The NLC fostered the positive learning environment with a highly motivated and professional staff, to ensure that quality of the content was delivered to all participants.
The Native Learning Center (NLC) offers free Training and Technical Assistance to Native Americans and those working within Indian Country, with an emphasis on the educational needs of Tribal members and their communities. The NLC established a partnership with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in 2008 for Native housing and housing related activities. The NLC’s housing related training opportunities and resources focus on areas that are critical to the growth and improvement of quality of life for Tribal communities, and provide participants with best practices that they can share with their communities. Their unique and culturally specific trainings cover subjects that support the primary objectives of NAHASDA which include but are not limited to:
• Promoting affordable housing activities to develop, maintain, and operate affordable housing in safe and healthy Native communities;
• Ensuring better access to private mortgages for Native American Tribes and their Tribal members;
• Promoting self-sufficiency of Native American Tribes and their Tribal members;
• Coordinating activities to further economic and community development for Native American Tribes and their Tribal members;
• Promoting development of private capital markets in Indian Country and allow such markets to operate and grow.
Looking Toward the Future
The Native Learning Center will produce and provide free, culturally specific learning content for its participants. The learning management system, Kerretv (Key-Thee-Duh, Creek for “Learning”) Online Training, will become more robust to provide both materials and other resources, including student-led (asynchronous) and instructor-led (synchronous) trainings, and recorded, and live webinars.
The NLC will continue to provide face-to-face (on- and off-site) events, allowing people to come together and learn about topics that are both current and relevant in Indian Country, while providing those participants with an opportunity to network with others in attendance at these events.
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