Keyano College
Nechi Institute continues to partner with Keyano College to deliver the Aboriginal Addictions Services and the Community Wellness Certificate programs. The Aboriginal Addictions Diploma Program is being housed at the Institute in cooperation with the College.

Every year staff from Nechi attend and participate in the Graduation Ceremonies at the College in May.

First Nations Adult and High Education Consortium
Our fellow members of the Consortium include: Blue Quills First Nation College, Red Crow Community College, Maskwachees College, Old Sun Community College, Yellowhead Tribal Council Education, Yellowquill College, Piikani Post-secondary Adult and Career Centre, Nakoda Post-secondary Education, Bullhead Adult Education Centre. The Consortium is addressing the concerns of accreditation and Aboriginal post-secondary education.

Blue Quills First Nation College
Blue Quills First Nation College and Nechi Institute have worked in partnership whenever possible. We are privileged to be involved in a staff exchange with the College. At various times throughout the year staff may attend and/or facilitate sessions at each others campuses.

Grant MacEwan Community College
Select sessions of the Mental Health Diploma Program offered by Grant MacEwan Community College were facilitated in partnership with our Institute at their Edmonton campus. Finalized articulated agreements between our Institute and Grant MacEwan Community College resulted in our Institute graduates of the Community Addictions Training and Advanced Counsellor Training Series receiving 13 credits in their program. The Chair of the Grant MacEwan Mental Health Diploma Program makes a yearly presentation to Nechi student to encourage on-going post-secondary educational pursuits.

World Indigenous Nations Higher Education Consortium (winhec)
The World Indigenous Nations Higher Education Consortium (WIN-HEC) was officially formed in August 2002 in Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada at a meeting of the World Indigenous Peoples Conference on Education (WIPCE). Delegates from Indigenous-controlled colleges, universities and mainstream university Indigenous Studies programs were present during the founding meetings. Institutions of higher learning from New Zealand, Australia, Norway, Canada and the United States participated in the development of the organization’s rationale and founding documents. The Executive Board established two years ago continues to promote the mandate of WIN-HEC. One staff member appointed to the Board attended a meeting in Wellington, Aotearoa, New Zealand near WINHEC’s international headquarters.

These events followed years of effort which involved planning meetings in Alaska, New Mexico, New Zealand and Hawaii. Generally, planning meetings were initiated by how a number of Articles in the 1993 United Nations Draft Declaration of Human Rights of Indigenous Peoples related to higher education around the world. Meetings began to evolve toward the creation of an international organization when the Wananga (university) Presidents from New Zealand, the Tribal College and University Presidents from the United States began to compare notes at a meeting in Hilo, Hawaii funded by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation. There considerable commonalities between these Indigenous institutions from different parts of the world; after years of struggle and trial, they were making significant impacts upon the overall educational success of their respective peoples.

WIN-HEC currently has the following seven (7) goals:
1. To recognize the educational of Indigenous Peoples.
2. To recognize the significance of Indigenous education.
3. To protect and enhance Indigenous spiritual beliefs, culture and languages through higher education.
4. To accelerate the articulation of Indigenous epistomology (ways of knowing, education, philosophy and research).
5. To create an accreditation body for Indigenous education initiatives and systems that identify common criteria, practices and principles Indigenous peoples live by.
6. To create a global network for sharing knowledge through exchange forums and state of the art technology.
7. To advance the social, economical and political status of Indigenous Peoples in ways that contributes to the well-being of Indigenous communities through higher learning.

There are several active working groups: Research, Funding (international), Portability Programs and World Indigenous Accreditation Authority, Journal, Courses over Distance, Website Development, New Indigenous Institute in Communications, Immigration/Faculty Exchanges and News Releases. The Accreditation Authority has been established and has developed accreditation procedures and principles and the “WINHEC Accreditation Handbook”. A fundraising strategy has been developed, a few projects are underway and a website has been deployed.

Native Counselling Services of Alberta
The Aboriginal Resource Centre is an exciting joint venture of Native Counselling Services of Alberta and our Institute which houses both agencies’ collections of books, manuals, and videos; many of which have been mostly inaccessible to outside agencies. These are unique resources, the true value of which are determined by the students, professionals and agencies accessing the information housed in the centrally located Edmonton site of NCSA’s Regional Office. A qualified librarian staffs the Centre and manages its day-to-day operation.

Alberta Aboriginal Committee on FASD
The Alberta Aboriginal Committee on FASD is comprised of provincial agencies, community members and birth parents who are committed to this issue. Monthly meetings are attended by representatives of various agencies, organizations and communities, some of whom are parents or adoptive parents of children affected by this Syndrome. Currently the co-chairs facilitate meetings alternating between two First Nation communities, Samson First Nation and Siksika First Nation.

Youth Solvent Addictions Committee
The Youth Solvent Addictions Committee (YSAC) is comprised of representation by ten (10) Canadian youth treatment centres and another youth treatment centre from Alaska. Our Institute partnered with YSAC for the successful development of training specific to youth workers. The first course, Youth and Addictions, was first delivered during the summer of 2002 and since has been delivered both in-house and off-site. The second and third courses, Communicating with Youth and Survival Skills for Youth Workers were successfully delivered early this year. Additional courses to the existing three are planned with development dependent upon financial resources.

Nechi Institute provided the office space and resources for the Coordinator of the Committee as well as administering the finances.

Poundmaker’s Lodge Treatment Centres
As of this date Nechi shares common facilities with Poundmaker's Lodge.

Two Spirit Circle of Edmonton
Our Institute partnered with the Two Spirit Circle of Edmonton to successfully host a Two Spirits & Elders Tobacco Gathering in September, 2003. Our Institute plans to partner with the Two Spirit Circle of Edmonton in the coming year to design, develop and implement a variety of community-based population health projects targeting this group.

University of Alberta, Faculty of Medicine
There exists an exciting partnership with the University of Alberta, Faculty of Medicine. Our Institute is honoured to host a one-day training event for 1st year Medical students with an Aboriginal focus. We anticipate maintaining this tradition in the future.