Indigenous early childhood development programs receive provincial funding

About 90 Indigenous early childhood development programs are receiving up to $100,000 each to improve wellness for over 1,700 children through land-based cultural programming.

“The pandemic has made it clear how important getting outside is to our mental, physical and spiritual health,” said Katrina Chen, Minister of State for Child Care. “This funding will help improve outdoor programming for Indigenous children and support the development of stronger connections to children’s cultural identity and traditions.”

Twelve Aboriginal Head Start in Urban and Northern Communities (AHSUNC) sites (off-reserve) sites and 78 Aboriginal Head Start On-Reserve (AHSOR) sites are the first to receive support to create safe, outdoor early learning and play spaces for children. The organizations will receive this funding through a $10-million investment under the Community Economic Recovery Infrastructure Program (CERIP). Indigenous communities have identified that improving access to land-based programming is critical to supporting the wellness of families living both on- and off-reserve.

Four of the local first nations in the Nicola Valley, Upper Nicola, Lower Nicola, Coldwater, and Nooaitch have AHSOR programs. Shackan does not have a program.

Aboriginal Head Start (AHS) programs offer high-quality, culturally based early learning and child care programs that are designed for and with Indigenous families and communities. These programs aim to help keep Indigenous children connected to their culture and to support Indigenous families in becoming better connected to their community. AHS offers preventative supports like parent education, encourages family participation and provides referrals to early intervention services, such as counselling and speech therapy.