Announcing the Seminole Tribe of Florida Native Learning Centers Indian Housing Training Conference

TULSA, Okla. - July 23, 2013 - PRLog -- The Native Learning Center (NLC), a Seminole Tribe of Florida program dedicated to the development of cultural and quality of life skills for all Native and Indigenous people, announces the expansion of our trainings outside the state of Florida! The Indian Housing Training Conference has been moved, and now hosted at the DoubleTree by Hilton Tulsa Downtown, Tulsa, OK on September 10-13, 2013.

The NLC will provide housing professionals with the tools to maintain good homes, build affordable homes, improve public safety, and provide essential building blocks to a healthy community in the heart of Indian Country. Over the course of this four-day conference, participants will be able to join critical sessions related to Tribal housing programs that are imperative to HUD’s Indian Housing Block Grant (IHBG) Program.

“By moving our Indian Housing Training Conference to a more centrally located region, we hope that more Tribes and TDHEs will have a better opportunity to participate in our free training. Our training will include NAHASDA and Indian Housing training to ensure financial accountability, growth, sustainability, and safety programs that every Native American community needs to thrive. These efforts are part of a broader commitment to ensure our Native American communities are being strengthened through better housing programs.” – Georgette Palmer Smith, (Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma/Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma) Executive Director of the Native Learning Center.

The Indian Housing Training Conference sessions include, but are not limited to:

“The History of Indian Housing: How Much Progress Has Been Made?” - Instructor Kevin Fitzgibbons, Fitzgibbons and Associates, will provide an overview of the changes that have occurred and the lessons that have been learned in Indian housing. An understanding of this historical context, especially the relationship between Tribes and the Federal government, will help to create more effective housing policies in the future. This session will discuss the future of Indian housing highlighting the many successes Tribes have experienced in developing sustainable housing.

“NAHASDA Essentials” – Instructor Linda Lee Retka (Minnesota Chippewa Tribe – White Earth Reservation), National American Indian Housing Council (NAIHC), will provide attendees with an exciting and interactive three-day training that includes a comprehensive introduction to the Native American Housing Assistance and Self Determination Act of 1996 (NAHASDA). The training will be presented through case studies, group discussions, team games, lectures, and hands-on exercises.

“Policy Development: Theory and Practice” – Instructor Rodney Clements, (Mechoopda Maidu Indian Tribe of Chico Rancheria), National American Indian Housing Council (NAIHC), will introduce attendees to both the theory and practice of policy development. Attendees will engage in discussions, peer review sessions, and self-critique, all in order to promote better leadership and skills in the policy development process.

“Fighting Methamphetamine and Pharmaceutical Abuse Issues Within Indian Country” – Instructor Ron Gurley, (Cherokee Nation), Gurley & Associates, LLC, will provide up to date information on two very real dangers in Native America, methamphetamine and pharmaceutical abuse. Discussions and best practice sharing will culminate in the participants taking home a ‘Plan of Action’ that will address their particular local issues.

To register for the Indian Housing Training Conference and see a preliminary agenda, visit: www.nativelearningcenter.com/indianhousingtrainingconference/ .

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The Native Learning Center (NLC) is an educational resource that offers Native and Indigenous people the opportunity to gain knowledge and skills that improve quality of life through housing related educational programs. The NLC hosts conferences and individual courses that bring Native and Indigenous people together to discuss vital topics that promote cultural development within Indian Country. In cooperation with the Housing and Urban Development Office, Eastern Woodlands Office of Native American Programs (EWONAP), and various Native American trainers throughout Indian Country, the NLC developed areas of concentration to complement current national organizations that support EWONAP’s mission to promote development of native housing and housing related activities. For more information, visit www.nativelearningcenter.com, or contact US at (954) 985-2300.
Contact: Christina Gonzalez at (954) 985-2300 ext. 10691 or via e-mail at: Christinagonzalez@semtribe.com.