Indigenous-run charity
We believe sports advance achievement
First Assist is an Indigenous-run charity that advances educational achievement in Indigenous communities through sport.
Programming
In each Indigenous community, we work with the local schools and teachers to implement structured sports programs that help solve problems and support students.
Partner Communities
We consult the local communities to identify issues impacting them. We invite community members to work with us to support their youth.
Coaches
Our sports coaches and educators run programming based on positive environment principles (PEP) that promote healthy lifestyles and mental well-being in Indigenous communities.
Financial
First Assist was granted charitable status in January 2021 and uses the calendar year as its fiscal year. As a volunteer-managed charity, your donation will be used directly in our partner communities.
Our vision is for all Indigenous youth, regardless of where they are born and their athletic ability, to graduate from high school and have hopes for the future.
Why it matters:
Indigenous communities have these school-related problems in common:
Higher absenteeism and dropout percentages compared to the rest of Canada
Distracted and/or disengaged students in the classroom, connected to behavioral problems
Lower rate of high school graduates and participation in secondary education
- Graduation rate of an Indigenous school* 17%
- Graduation rate of an Indigenous school* with full sports program 85%
* This example is referring to the full sports program integration in the Cree Nation of Eastmain. They had a graduation rate increase over six years from 17% to over 85%.
This is the increase we strive for in each of our partner communities.
Mission
Our mission is to help Indigenous students find success in school – especially those hardest to reach.
First Assist’s mission is to help Indigenous students – especially those hardest to reach – find success in school by using sport as a motivational tool to:
promote attendance
increase classroom engagement
and promote healthy habits for life
John Chabot
Founder
Our Story
First Assist was founded by John Chabot, a former NHL hockey player from the Algonquin community of Kitigan Zibi First Nation. John started developing relationships with other Indigenous communities at the beginning of his hockey career and has continued the work for over 30 years. His work started with hockey clinics and role model / motivational talks but evolved to include health and education through sport in Indigenous communities across the country. Through the work he has done he has forged relationships based on friendship and respect in many remote Northern communities which otherwise do not receive much attention.