Executive Producer: Women's Equity Business, with Faith Hale

FAITH HALE

Faith is a graduate of Wayne State University, M.Ed., BA. Soc., Brock University, B.Ed., and St. Clair College, RECE.  As a certified Trainer of Trainers in the High/Scope Curriculum Approach focusing on Aboriginal culture and education, she has trained numerous Registered Early Childhood Educator’s in the High/Scope Approach on- and off-reserve.    

Faith is currently the Executive Director of the Ska:na Family Learning Centre (SFLC), the first Aboriginal owned childcare centre in Windsor.  As a founding member of SFLC, she has been instrumental in the ongoing success of SFLC which has evolved into four fully operational and profitable child care centre’s in Ontario, Canada.  With her twenty-nine years of experience in the fields of Early Childhood Education, Children and Youth Programming, Community Development, and Aboriginal Adult Education, she has been recognized as a significant contributor in advancing the vision of leadership in both the Aboriginal and mainstream organizations. 

Furthermore, Faith is passionate about Urban Aboriginal leadership and the advancement of Aboriginal people in all levels of government.  Some of her esteemed accomplishments include: being elected and serving as President of her local Friendship Centre, the development of local Aboriginal networks advising Municipalities on children and youth services and the development of PEACE (Progressive Early-childhood Aboriginal Centres of Excellence) a network that provides professional development and advises the Ministry of Education on Aboriginal Early Learning practices.       

WOMEN'S EQUITY BUSINESS

Women's Equity Business (WEB) was formed as an answer to the Calls to Action of the 94 points of the Truth and Reconciliation Report. The main focus of WEB is the independent, financially enable Indigenous woman. 

The report on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls struck a chord in Faith Hale and Sophia Peltier. Long-time colleagues and like-minded in many ways, Faith and Sophia dedicated many years to the building of Ska:na Family Learning Centre, from a small childcare centre birthed out of the Friendship Centre movement to become a multi-site, urban Indigenous organization operating in three municipalities in Southwestern Ontario. 

Deciding to move beyond the focus of Early Years and Early Learning, WEB was formed to work with women of skill and passion who want to build an independent financial life. Research shows that many women do not leave violent domestic situations due to lack of resources. WEB aims to support women creating their own resources. Having a skill, or an idea does not translate into operating a business. Budgeting, accounting/bookkeeping, regulations, reporting and other details are difficult for first time entrepreneurs. WEB works with women to access funds through business plan development to find grants, loans, partners or whatever is needed to become the independent financially sound woman they envision themselves to be.