Office Of The Provincial Advisor - AIDP

Office of the Provincial Advisor Aboriginal Supported Child Development Programs

“Activities Update”

January to March 31, 2014

Activity Report for the Provincial Advisor Submitted by Danielle Smith

1 Highlights of Provincial ASCD Advisor Activities:

The last quarter of the fiscal year resulted in steady activity for the Provincial Office. Within ASCD, a variety of activities were completed included continued participation in various committees, assistance in the development of protocol agreements between non- aboriginal programs and Aboriginal AIDP/ASCD, acquisition of the Partnerships Project, analysis of ASCD Information Gathering Questionnaire data and completion of a written report, and various workshop presentations.

Committee Updates:

Assessment Working Group: Last committee meeting held February 27, 2014 to continue discussions regarding assessment piloting in BC. DAYC is being reviewed and piloting in the lower mainland, Vancouver Island conducting the 5th Battelle training in May, the interior using a variety of tools and looking at implementing a feedback process to evaluate the different tools. A feedback tool was created to canvas information on the usefulness and ease in administration, ease of access to training, and cost.

Professional Development Fund: Recent update from Professional Development Advisory Committee being sent out to Executive Directors and MCFD highlighting that with the trend of usage from the past 3 years the fund will be exhausted 1.5 to 2 years. ASCD Consultant staff continue to underutilize this resource.

Partnerships Project: The AIDP/ASCD Provincial Office and the BCAAFC are now the official hosts and coordinator of the Partnership Project. With the project transferring from Comox Valley Child Development Association based on the recommendation of the Partnership Project Steering committee, the AIDP/ASCD Provincial Office accepted the project April 1st.

We are currently organizing facilitator training in Terrace for the last week of May. Possible modules that will be offered will be Instructional Principles Workshops, Partnerships in Family Centered Practice and Partnerships in Positive Approaches to Behavior. We’ve had an inquiry about offering community trainings and facilitator’s trainings on Vancouver Island and the lower mainland. Folks looking for further information can contact Elaine or myself anytime.

Provincial in-Service Planning Committee: Have moved potential date for the in-service up to week of April 13 to 17th, 2015 as the committee realized this in-service would fall in the same year as the Early Years conference, which may be difficult for programs with limited professional development budgets. Currently the planning committee has no funding to offer the in-service, however our office will be applying for ASI-EY funding. If no confirmation of funding comes through by the end of July, we will likely have to either postpone or revoke the opportunity.

International Indigenous ECD Gathering: The committee is working to offer this opportunity the week of July 18-23, 2016, which will be held on the traditional territory of the Songhees people at the new Songhees Wellness

2 Centre. Delegates from New Zealand and across Canada will be invited, to share knowledge and practices in ECD.

The following is a brief update on the various activities I have being involved:

Committee/Meetings Attended:

January 2014:

 IIECDG Planning Committee Conference Call  Provincial Network (IDP/AIDP/SCD/ASCD)  Aboriginal Early Years Circle Meeting Conference Call  Provincial In-service Planning Committee  Partnerships Project Steering Committee  Professional Development Advisory Committee (PDAC) Conference Call  North Regional Conference Call  Regional Advisors Face to Face Meeting  AIDP/ASCD Steering Committee

February 2014:  BC Healthy Child Alliance Meeting  IIECDG Professional Development Conference Call  Provincial In-service Planning Committee  Assessment Committee  IIECDG Planning Committee Conference Call  North Regional Conference Call  Kamloops AIDP/ASCD Draft Protocol Meeting

March 2014:  Provincial In-service Planning Committee  IIECDG Professional Development Conference Call  Meeting with Dena Carroll, MCFD re: Provincial Office Contract  Assessment Committee  Partnerships Project Steering Committee

April 2014:  Meeting with Deputy Minister Mark Seiben, Randi Mjolsness (Policy and Provincial Services ADM), Allison Bond (ADM Service Delivery), and Dena Carroll ( Director of Aboriginal Policy)  BC Healthy Child Alliance Meeting  Provincial In-service Planning Committee  IIECDG Professional Development Conference Call  Kamloops AIDP/ASCD Draft Protocol Meeting  Aboriginal Early Years Circle Meeting Conference Call  Professional Development Advisory Committee (PDAC) Conference Call  Meeting with Cheryl Casimer representative of the First Nations Summit Task Group

3 Program/Community Visits:

1. Spirit of the Children ASCD Program – site visit 2. Brent Kennedy Learning Centre – telephone 3. Kamloops AIDP/ASCD Draft Protocol Meeting (Face to face contact with White Buffalo Aboriginal & Metis Health Society AIDP/ASCD; Secwepemc Child and Family Services Agency AIDP/ASCD; Lii Michif Otipemisiwak Family and Community Services AIDP/ASCD) 4. Hazelton ASCD Program – site visit 5. Victoria Native Friendship Centre – Site Visit

Workshops/Conferences/Gatherings attended:

 Provided ASQ/ASQSE Training March 2014 (6 Participants certified)  Gathering Our Voices 2014 Conference – Provided 5 sessions as co-presenter with Provincial AIDP Advisor “Your Future Children – What you Teach Your Children, your Grandchildren will Learn”  Facilitated Protocol Development Dialogue between 3 AIDP/ASCD programs in Feb and April 2014

What’s ahead?

 Continue exploring a process for developing ASCD Policies  Apply to ASI-EY funding to support activities of the Provincial office  Continue to create awareness of ASCD through meetings with leadership and relevant stakeholders  Spring issue of ASCD Connections Newsletter  Completion of Annual Report  Continue Supporting ASCD programs through site visits, support on protocol development.  Improve Website for ASCD and Partnerships Project  Implement Partnerships Facilitator Training  Participation at the Regional In-service for Interior

Respectfully submitted by:

Danielle Smith, MA CYC Provincial Advisor for ASCD