Week 4: Roles in the ECE Community

There are many interesting organizations that promote quality in early childhood within Canada. Many of the organizations  I explored are managed by a volunteer Board of Directors.  Additionally, for many of the organizations, there is a membership fee.  However, to be involved in any of the organizations I have listed below, I believe one would need to have excellent communication and collaboration skills as well as presentation skills to be viable contributing members.  I have listed a variety of different associations and organizations as I believe all help to increase my awareness of what is happening in the field of early learning and care.

Child Care Advocacy Association of Canada (http://www.ccaac.ca)
The Child Care Advocacy is "dedicated to promoting a publicly funded, inclusive, quality, non-profit child care system" (CCAAC).  The members of the association include early childhood professionals, families, and early learning and care programs.  The Child Care Advocacy Association includes a director who is elected from the membership from each of the provinces and territories in Canada to serve on the Board of Directors. A Board member would need to have good communication skills and interest in policies and issues in early childhood. Other members are from the Council of Child Care Advocates. You do need to be a member in order to participate on the Board of Directors.  Individual membership is inexpensive ($15) where members receive updates and publications of what is happening in the field electronically.  The Child Care Advocacy Association of Canada "develops policy solutions to child care issues, presents briefs and submissions to the government, and is a partner in initiatives to raise the public profile of child care" (CCAAC).  I think the Child Care Advocacy Association provides a great way to keep abreast of what is happening in the early childhood field. 

childcarecanada-Childcare resource and research unit (CRRU) (http://www.childcarecanada.org)
The Childcare resource and research unit provides "public education, resources, and consultation on ECEC policy and research" (CRRU).  Interestingly, the CRRU is staffed by a number of professionals with unique backgrounds such as early childhood professionals, psychology, library sciences, political studies, women studies, sociology, labor unions, and art (CRRU).  The CRRU has an Executive Director, two other staff members, and a web developer.  The newsletter is free and the website posts other current documents of interest.  The CRRU's mandate is the following: "Provide public education, resources and consultation on ECEC policy and research; foster and support research in various fields focusing on ECEC; carry out relevant research projects and publish the results; support, promote and provide communication on ECEC policy and research" (CRRU).  The newsletter is free!  The website regularly posts updates on what is happening in child care in Canada. Interestingly, the Executive Director, Martha Friendly has been in the early childhood field for over 25 years and has been a key researcher in Canada.  I would love to have her expertise in researching and writing publications!

Success By 6 (Ottawa) (http://www.successby6ottawa.ca/)
The Success By 6 (SB6)has many members/partners who are dedicated to increasing the awareness of and investment in early childhood development.  The goal of SB6 is to offer all children a good start in life (SB6).  The SB6 has a small staff of five who collaborate with many individuals from many different organizations in Ottawa.  The working structure of SB6 includes the Council of Partners who are responsible for setting the overall direction and policies (SB6).  The Council is comprised of community members from provincial ministries, school boards, hospitals, the City of Ottawa, Public Health, and United Way.  Other representatives for SB6 are from the Ottawa Network for Children(ONC).  The role of ONC is to make recommendations  and to advise the Council. There are a large number of individuals and organizations who form the ONC. The Research and Evaluation Action Group consists of members from local and community networks and are responsible for designing and implementing the SB6 framework (SB6).  United Way acts as a host and offers financial support as does the City of Ottawa.  You can join the fabulous network of individuals and organizations or one can make a donation.  To be one of the staff members, you would need to have excellent communication and collaboration skills as well as presentation skills.  Being part of SB6 would be an exciting way to be actively involved in a community organization interested in children and their families.

Canadian Child Care Federation (http://www.cccf-fcsge.ca)
Interestingly, the Canadian Child Care Federation is the largest national early learning and care organization with over 11,000+ members (CCCF).  The CCCF is "committed to providing Canadians with the very best in early learning and care knowledge and best practices" (CCCF).   A Board of Directors and a member Council  and a small staff (accounting, marketing) make up the CCCF.  There is a membership fee.  The CCCF publishes a journal entitled Interaction which is free with membership.  There are many resources available on the website (some do you have to pay for).  It would be interesting to be part of the member Council where good communication skills would be essential.

Child Care Human Resources Sector Council (CCHRSC) (http://www.ccsc-cssge.ca/)
If interested in human resources issues in  the early learning and care sector,  the CCHRSC would appeal to you.  CCHRSC is non-profit organization guided by volunteer board members who represent a variety of different organization and agencies at  national and provincial levels.  There is a staff of six who are responsible for the day-to-day work of CCHRSC.  There are resources for ECEs,  faculty teaching early childhood, and resources for Human Resources.  Of interest, is the HR toolkit a recent project of CCHRSC.  I think this is a valuable resource and believe to be a part of CCHRSC individuals would need to have excellent communication skills. 


Landon Pearson Resource Centre for the Study of Childhood and Children's Rights (http://www.landonpearson.ca/index.html)
  The Landon Pearson Resource Centre is a leader in the discussion of children's rights.  The Resource Centre has "initiated and facilitated the development of initiatives and projects dedicated to the advancement and betterment of the lives of children" (Landon Pearson Resource Centre, 2012). The vision of the LPRC is the following: " every child in Canada will grow up aware of his or her rights and responsibilities and enabled to exercise them within a receptive and respectful society" (LPRC, 2012).   The Landon Pearson Resource Centre has an advisory board made up of academics, governmental, and non-governmental experts and youth (LPRC, 2012).  There are materials and publications available on the website.  As well, there are a number of recent initiatives of the LPRC.   To be involved in the Landon Pearson Resource Centre would be very interesting.