About Us

The Thunderbird Partnership Foundation is a non-profit organization that is committed to working with First Nations to further the capacity of communities to address substance use and addiction. We promote a wholistic approach to healing and wellness that values culture, respect, community, and compassion. Our top priority is developing a continuum of care that would be available to all Indigenous people in Canada. 

Vision

Cultivating and empowering relationships that connect us to our cultural strengths and identity within wholistic and healthy communities.

Mission

The Thunderbird Partnership Foundation is the leading culturally centered voice advocating for collaboration, integrated, and wholistic approaches to healing and wellness.

Mandate

The Thunderbird Partnership Foundation is the national voice advocating for First Nations culturally-based addictions services.

Core Frameworks

The First Nations Mental Wellness Continuum Framework

The Indigenous Wellness Framework

Honouring Our Strengths

Guiding Principles

The interest of clients must always be paramount, with all other considerations being secondary.

Before beginning any program of change, a person must be committed to taking responsibility for his or her own healing, sobriety and healthy lifestyle choice. Clients should not be blamed for their problems, but encouraged and supported in their efforts to take primary responsibility for their own solutions.

Harm Reduction saves lives and can prevent overdose and related harms.  People who use drugs are people!  People who have the right to health and social supports.  They need positive relationships, and a community who believes that they have a right to live life. Reducing the risk of harms for people who use drugs also reduces the risk of harms to family and community.  Harm reduction benefits everyone. 

It is fundamental that both management organizations overseeing the renewal of NNADAP and service providers themselves carry out their duties in a way that reflects accountability and transparency.

The rationale, process and outcomes of the Renewal must be communicated to all stakeholders. Active, continuous communication of relevant information and opinions from service workers, researchers and clients are essential.

The Renewal strategy will draw its strength from vigorous working partnerships with Aboriginal and Inuit stakeholders and institutions and with the Federal Government.

Program methodologies and human resource development must be continuously and objectively evaluated, adapted, and when necessary, modified, changed or upgraded to reflect the needs of clients.

As determined by clients, families and communities, both traditional and contemporary approaches to healing will be respected and valued.

Substance abuse and addictions service methodologies should be demonstrably effective, as indicated by scientific, evaluative research.

Substance abuse and addictions services should be delivered by accredited, highly skilled people dedicated to empowering community members, by sharing prevention skills, as well as ideas about healing and sobriety with substance abusers and addicts.

First Nations and Inuit substance abuse and addictions program personnel should have access to relevant, comprehensive and accurate information that can inform a range of decisions. Relevant information should be available to support choices regarding healing methods or secondary support needs of clients with distinctive cultural or linguistic needs or with mental or physical challenges.

Values