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Aboriginal Head Start On Reserve Program Sharing Circle Stories

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In celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Aboriginal Head Start On Reserve Program in 2008, six First Nations communities were chosen to describe their program in their own words. Communities were chosen based on how they deliver the six components of the Aboriginal Head Start On Reserve Program - culture and language, education, health, nutrition, social support and parental involvement. The Aboriginal Head Start On Reserve programs within these communities are an example of how Health Canada programs work together to support children and families on reserve.

Seabird Island, British Columbia

Through support from a variety of Health Canada programs including Aboriginal Head Start On Reserve, Seabird Island supports children with physical and emotional special needs such as speech and language development, cystic fibrosis, learning difficulties and behavioural challenges.

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The six short stories begin with an overview of the Aboriginal Head Start On Reserve Program 10th anniversary celebration in Winnipeg Manitoba followed by five videos filmed on reserves across Canada highlighting the program's six integrated components.

Videos

• Winnipeg, Manitoba
• Akwesasne, Ontario
• Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg, Quebec
• Indian Brook, Nova Scotia
• North Battleford, Saskatchewan
• Seabird Island, British Columbia

For further information on the program, visit the Aboriginal Head Start On Reserve page.

Seabird Island, British Columbia - Transcript

(Elder Greeting in native language)

Welcome to Seabird Island First Nation.

[Children and parents walking to centre]

Candace Robothom
Program Manager - Seabird Island Early Childhood Development

The Head Start Program and the Early Childhood Programs that we have here at Seabird Island are really looked upon as being one of the best in British Columbia, and we're very proud of it.

Within the Early Childhood Programs, we're serving 200 children. Within the Head Start Program alone we're serving over 100.

[Children drumming]

In addition to the 6 components of Head Start, the Seabird Island Head Start Program has added a Special Needs component and an Emotional Competency component.

Lani Beadman
Supervisor - Seabird Island Supported Child Development Program

Some of the special needs that we've identified have been really particular to speech and language development... we end up supporting children for fine motor needs, we have children that have behavior problems, or concerns, and it really ranges...

We've had children with cystic fibrosis... you know, children with learning disabilities, so there's all kinds of different needs and that's why we have individualized planning.

Teacher: Dina-saur, let's say it again... Dina-Saur

Child: Dina-Saur

Teacher: very good 'S' sound

Candace Robothom

We knew that there was a number of children, who not only had challenging behaviors or learning difficulties... we knew that there was a high number of children with speech and language problems.

Bonnie Nickel
Parent - Aboriginal Head Start on Reserve

I think the Head Start Program is a good thing for children especially when they aren't able to speak... They have a speech and language therapist that helps them and gives the parents a guideline on what to go by... We were very fortunate to be able to be a part of the Head Start Program.

Candace Robothom

When we have children that are medically fragile... that are requiring extra supports because of their health conditions, we need to be able to pull in more supports than maybe the early childhood programs are able to offer.

Dwayne Reynolds
Parent - Aboriginal Head Start on Reserve

My son, who's 7 now, was diagnosed at 3 ½ with Cystic Fibrosis, so he requires a lot of assistance...

...CF is actually a hidden disability, so he looks and acts as normal as any other child, but he requires more medication and therapy at certain times of the day.

Candace Robothom

So it's a coordination of services, it's a coordination of whatever the child is going to need.

Candace Robothom

A lot of our children don't know how to express emotions which can lead to some behavioral challenges.

A part of what we're trying to do with the Emotional Competency is our 'Seeds of Empathy' project that we have going at the Preschool Program...

...so a part of what we want to do is teach them how to express and feel emotions appropriately.

[Child learning from staff person]

Candace Robothom

The Early Childhood Programs that we have on Seabird Island which includes Head Start, has a blended model, so each of the programs share staff, we share resources, we share families...

...so one family might access more than one program, and they do!

Lani Beadman

It takes a lot of programs to meet the needs of all the families and we're really privileged to have Health Canada be one of our funders.

Candace Robothom

The Head Start Program touches every child and every family on the reserve and in the communities that we're working in...

...it provides opportunities that our families would not have otherwise have had...

...it provides opportunities for the children to come together and play...

...it provides opportunities for them, the adults, to come together and learn from each other, learn from the Early Childhood Educators... to have a warm meal... to be able to meet with support staff that they might not otherwise be able to meet with...

...it provides so many opportunities for them to be in a warm, nurturing, trusting environment where they can have their needs met.

There's no other program like Head Start.