West Kootenay & Boundary Resources to Support the Early Years
Quick Links
Community Service Agencies Support the Early Years
Early Childhood Programs such as the ones described below have been created in response to a growing understanding that human beings do not parent best in isolation. We need each other and we need help, advice, information and resources. Our society has become increasing individualistic and that has not served the development of healthy family relationships. Both Aboriginal and non-aboriginal cultures have suffered from the effects of the loss of functional extended family relationships as well as healthy communities that celebrate their children.These programs are a way of filling the gaps we may experience in our community and parenting lives.
- Little Robes - An Aboriginal program providing the opportunity to come together to share time, stories, experiences, food, and craft skills. Child minding is provided so that parents can spend time together on an activity or special movie or presentation or just talking and supporting each other. Nelson, Castlegar and Trail. Facilitated by the Aboriginal Early Intervention Worker (The Family Place (250) 352-6678).
- Life After Birth - Hospital visits by workers or volunteers, information packages, mentoring with home support volunteers, postpartum support groups, breastfeeding support, telephone counseling.
- Pregnancy Outreach/Building Beautiful Babies - Vitamins, hot lunch once a week, group support to express concerns and build community, resources, referrals and supports up to 6 months.
- Mother Goose - Rhymes, songs, finger plays and stories taught to parents and their infants and toddlers over a period of several weeks.
- Nobody's Perfect/Parenting Courses - These free courses will help you learn to understand your child, find new ways to communicate and cope with stress.
- Dads Groups - Support and community building for Dad.
- Books for Babies - A canvas bag with baby's book, t-shirt that says 'Read to Me' and community information regarding programs for parenting and for children is given to parents with newborns through the public health unit.
- Parent/Child Drop-ins and Playtimes - These programs provides parents and children the opportunity to play together, get to know each other and build community. Lunch is often provided and there is craft-time, circle-time and often guest speakers for the adults with child-minding provided.
What is the Community Action Program for Children - CAPC?
- CAPC provides long term funding to programs that are concerned with the health and development of children and parents who may be at some level of risk. Low-income, new parents, children with developmental delays or social, emotional or behavioral issues, are some of the risk factors that CAPC provides support towards. Through parenting groups, support groups, workshops and one on one counseling and advocacy, CAPC seeks to help parents meet special challenges. Participants may self-refer or be referred by a Community Service worker, public health nurse or other professional.
Not every Community Service Agency has a web site so you may have to contact your local agency by phone to find out if they have a program you would like to attend. The links below are all to agencies which do have web-sites, you will find these and more information under the "Aboriginal Support and Community Services" link to the left:
In Trail www.trailfair.ca
In Nakusp and area www.aslcs.com
In Castlegar www.kootenayfamilyplace.org
In Nelson www.kootenaykids.ca
In Grand Forks www.boundaryfamily.org
Early Childhood Development Public Initiatives
Success By 6
What is Success By 6®?
Success By 6® is an early childhood development initiative dedicated to providing all children with a good start in life. It helps by working with communities to ensure that children ages 0 to 6 develop the emotional, social, cognitive, and physical skills they need as they enter school.
Success By 6 builds and enhances community through engaging citizens in early childhood development, and funding programs that strengthen services for young children and their families.
Early childhood development programs include preschool, childcare, literacy, nutrition, children's play, family resource centres, recreation programs and much more.
Success By 6 envisions a community where all children are valued, respected, nurtured, loved and given the opportunity to develop to their full potential as creative, caring, competent and responsible adults.
Talking Little Feet
The newly formed Aboriginal Early Childhood Council, created as part of the Success By 6 Aboriginal Engagement Strategy. Success by 6 is working to enhance the lives of Aboriginal children age 0-6 and their families.
The Talking Little Feet council presently has ten members and maintains strong Aboriginal representation. Many parents of Aboriginal heritage report not having had an opportunity to connect and learn about their culture and tradition but would like their children to have this pportunity.
In response to this identified need for cultural connection, the council is looking to support Aboriginal family gatherings in Castlegar, Trail, Salmo, Kaslo, Nakusp and the Slocan Valley. Nelson already has such a gathering through Kootenay Kids called “Little Robes”. These gatherings will focus on Aboriginal preschool children but older siblings are also welcomed.
The Council is also supporting two members from the region to participate in a traditional parenting practices training. The training will be brought back to our area with a plan to train others who are interested in facilitating traditional parenting groups. An Elders advisory council will be created to contribute to the traditional parenting curriculum in an effort to capture and honour the cultural diversities of our local communities.
If you are interested in:
- Information about the council;
- Becoming a member of the council or giving some input;
- Attending a traditional parenting practices parenting group; or
- Information about an Aboriginal family gathering in your area;
Contact Kris Taks, Aboriginal Family Services Development Coordinator, Castlegar & District Community Services
1007 2nd Street, Castlegar BC V1N 1Y4
PHONE: 250-365-2104 or 250-304-3545
Email: afscoordinator@telus.net
Moe the Mouse
Brent Kennedy Learning Centre
The Moe the Mouse™ Curriculum Box is an innovative early speech and language curriculum box that uses Aboriginal toys and stories to enhance language development in children ages 3–5. The activities and materials in the curriculum box help parents and educators provide opportunities for children to practise language skills in natural settings. Doing these activities helps children develop the following speech and language skills: social language use, comprehension of spoken words, vocabulary, discrimination of speech sounds, ability to pronounce speech sounds, knowledge of preposition words (e.g. above, beside), and the ability to express feelings and ideas. These activities become part of the regular early learning and child care program curriculum and do not require specialized clinicians nor do they need to take place in clinical settings. Contact Susie Myers, 1092A Highway 6, 250 359-5011.
Early Childhood Development Provincial Partnership
In BC, Success By 6® is a unique partnership among Credit Unions, United Ways, the BC Government through the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) and our communities.
In communities across the province, Success By 6 is bringing together hundreds of key leaders from all sectors (business, labor, health, education, social services, Aboriginal communities, etc), and raising millions of dollars worth of contributions, including cash and in-kind donations. Funds raised in local communities will stay in the community to support identified early childhood development priorities.
In collaboration with local communities and early childhood development professionals, the Provincial Partnership continues to build "child-friendly" communities and support the healthy growth and development of young children and their families.
Many issues are being addressed by Success by 6 such as poverty in Aboriginal communities and families. Success By 6 is a partnership between the United Way, Savings and Credit Unions of BC, the BC government and private donations. To learn more about Success by 6 go to www.successby6bc.ca
B.C. Children First
B.C. Children First is a Ministry of Children and Family Development initiative which assists communities in identifying their specific needs in the area of Early Childhood Development and providing the funding to initiate responsive programming. The goal is prevention and wellness. Their objectives are:
- increased community capacity,
- increased service delivery effectiveness,
- engaging "hard to reach" families,
- increased opportunities for early identification and screening, and
- improving outcomes for children and families
Children First is not a program that delivers services directly to children and families. It can allocate initiative funds, however, to support service delivery priorities identified by community planning.
To understand better the kinds of programs they support go to www.bcchildrenfirst.ca and click on "links".
Two projects that have received funding are www.ridgemeadowsecd.ca and www.terracechildren.org.
The Children First Initiative is also coming to the Kootenays. Stay tuned to their web-site, some of which is still under construction, to learn about new projects or click on "Local Information" and then click on "Kootenay Lake" to make contact with local coordinators.
Aboriginal Head Start
Aboriginal Head Start is a federally funded pre-school program focused on instilling pride in Aboriginal heritage and achieving school readiness. Parents are directly involved in the implementation of programs and AHS engages in creating co-operative relationships with other community services.
Six main areas are the focus of programs:
- culture and language
- parental involvement
- education and school readiness
- health promotion
- nutritional counseling
- social supports
"While First Nations people, Métis and Inuit have distinct cultures and languages, they also share common beliefs, values and histories. It is with this in mind that the Statement of Beliefs and Values about Children was written:
We believe...
- That children are a gift from the Creator.
- That our children have a right to live proudly as Aboriginal people in the lands of their ancestors.
- That children have a right to learn their respective Aboriginal language(s) and histories, and adults have a responsibility to pass on the instructions that the Creator gave in the beginning of time as are reflected in our languages, cultural beliefs and cultural practices.
- That each child is part of what makes a community whole.
- That it is essential for children to develop meaningful relationships with Elders, the carriers of knowledge and history.
- That children, under the guidance of Elders, will learn to love learning throughout their life.
- That adults are community role models who are to teach children how to live a good life.
- That children deserve opportunities to gain knowledge and experience of how to live a good life.
- That children acquire knowledge by watching, listening and doing, and adults are responsible for encouraging and guiding them in all those activities.
- That children, through being loved, valued and encouraged, will gain the courage, the strength and the wisdom to use the power of a good mind and spirit in all that they do.
- That children have a right to enjoy the opportunities that education offers.
- That children have a right to live in healthy, self-determining communities that are free of violence."
There are several AHS web-sites from communities across Canada, as well as some government sites. They often have good newsletters and resources.
AHS in Urban and Northern Communities, Public Health Canada www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/dca-dea/programs-mes/ahs_main_e.html
AHS Association of B.C. www.ahsabc.com/
Ottawa AHS www.aboriginalcanada.com/headstart/
Go here to read more in depth information about AHS: www.niichro.com/Child/child4.html
For more information about the Aboriginal Head Start program, contact:
Aboriginal Head Start, Childhood and Youth Division,
Health Promotion and Programs Branch, Health Canada, Rm. #2213, Finance Bldg.,
PL 0202C1, Tunney's Pasture, Ottawa, Ont. K1A 1B5
Tel: (613) 954-8615 or Fax: (613)941-5492
E-mail: click here
Aboriginal Children's Circle of Early Learning
www.accel-capea.caThe Aboriginal Children's Circle of Early Learning (ACCEL) is a fully-functioning bilingual, web portal clearinghouse focused on Aboriginal early childhood development (ECD). You can consult the site to review, research and discuss best and promising practices; to exchange with a highly engaged network of Aboriginal ECD practitioners and researchers; and to keep in touch with the emerging needs of communities across Canada.
Special website features include:
- databases of resources, research, organizations and individuals
- e-bulletins
- downloadable resources
- calendar of events
- survey of needs
It builds on existing networks and includes Aboriginal ECD service providers and specialists in all applicable federal, provincial and territorial programs, services and institutions.