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·	From Theory To Practice

The bleak social conditions experienced by many Aboriginal people across Canada are matched by their impoverished economic circumstances. Aboriginal communities face chronically higher rates of unemployment and social assistance receipt than other Canadians. Over the past three decades, governments, communities, and organizations have attempted, through a myriad of policies and programs, to improve the social and economic circumstances of Aboriginal people. These measures have met with only limited success. Part of the problem with previous approaches has been their tendency to address the symptoms, rather than the causes, of problems. Another problem has been the constraints imposed on individual communities by existing legislation and guidelines for program development. Today there is growing recognition that the achievement of social and economic well-being for Aboriginal communities requires not only a more comprehensive approach than has so far been the norm, but also greater flexibility for individual communities in designing policies and programs best suited to their particular needs.

This report summarizes the results of two Lessons Learned studies commissioned by Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC) on Aboriginal human resources development. Both studies relied on key informant interviews, examinations of best practices in a number of communities, and reviews of academic and evaluation literature from Canada, Australia, and the United States. One of the studies focused on social and community development, while the other emphasized community economic and labour market development. In fact, social and economic well-being are closely interrelated. The goal of this report is to provide an overview of the general lessons learned that should guide an integrated approach to the social and economic development in Aboriginal communities.

This Lessons Learned study is timely. Aboriginal communities are experiencing profound changes, and the need to identify viable strategies for community and human resources development is now more critical than ever before. Increasingly, self-government is becoming a reality on and off reserves. In cities such as Saskatoon and Winnipeg, urban reserves are emerging; in British Columbia, there is a movement toward new, modern treaties; and in the north, the Inuit territory of Nunavut will soon be established. This Lessons Learned study is intended to help define future directions for Aboriginal human resources and community development policy.