First Light offers educational experiences through the Indigenous Cultural Diversity Training program to learn about the Indigenous groups in our province, our history, and how that information can be beneficial to our community as a whole. It is important that we not only learn about the cultural differences that we may see across different groups and understand the history behind them but that we examine each learner’s own culture and how that impacts our everyday lives. These sessions are provided in a safe space, for individuals and groups to come together to explore cultural humility, enhance self-awareness and they are great professional development opportunities for any professional working with Indigenous people.
This professional learning session has been customized with Early Childhood Educators in mind. Roots of Knowledge is a collaborative project between First Light and AECENL, with the aim to deepen the roots of knowledge and understanding of Indigenous groups and cultural teachings, while supporting educators to create culturally responsive learning environments for children. Key topics explored are Cultural Sharing & Respect, Indigenous Groups in Newfoundland and Labrador, Name Pronunciation, Appreciation & Appropriation, Indigenous Cultural Teachings, as well as Cultural Teachings in Practice in Early Learning Settings.
This three-hour interactive session is facilitated by Chelsie Coles and Kevin Coffee of First Light. Early Childhood Educators are encouraged to attend on-camera and to contribute through both small and large group discussions via breakout rooms and chat. Participants will receive refresher slides from the completed Indigenous Cultural Diversity Training, as well as new resources to implement in their early learning programs.
RECOMMENDED FOR: Educators upon completing First Light’s foundational session who will be setting the foundation of learning for the next generation, that’s you!
Upcoming Training Dates: October 28th, 2024
To register, visit AECENL’s Collection at Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/aecenls-live-workshop-series-3525889
First Light's comprehensive three-hour foundational training offers a thorough introduction to the Indigenous groups and history of Newfoundland and Labrador. The session is rich in content, incorporating video elements, and encourages participant engagement through questions and answers. Key topics covered include Cultural Humility, Understanding Culture, Statistics & Terminology, Indigenous Groups, Symbols, Ceremonies, Elders, Colonization & The Indian Act, Residential Schools, Confederation, Intergenerational Trauma, Cultural Appreciation & Tokenism, Culturally Insensitive Phrases, as well as Stereotypes & Myths.
RECOMMENDED FOR: Anyone interested in gaining an understanding of Indigenous cultures in the province. Completion of Indigenous Cultural Diversity Training is a prerequisite of registering for Roots of Knowledge.
Upcoming Training Dates: October 21st, 2024
To register, visit AECENL’s Collection at Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/aecenls-live-workshop-series-3525889
Call for Change 2 (Indigenous content in ECE)
The Association of Early Childhood Educators of Newfoundland and Labrador (AECENL) has been an active partner with First Light on training early childhood educators (ECEs). AECENL and First Light had already begun providing foundational training to all early childhood educators in the province, which created significant momentum. Building on this, AECENL and First Light established a formal agreement in November 2023 to develop specialized training for ECEs which aims to (1) address ECEs’ understanding of the distinction between cultural appreciation and cultural appropriation; and (2) enhance professional development opportunities for ECEs by helping them to gain knowledge about Indigenous cultures, improve self-awareness, and introduce effective strategies for working with Indigenous and non-Indigenous children and families. Phase one of the project is well underway, and the launch of specialized training is due to begin in Fall 2024.
Two further phases have been proposed to support the training created in partnership between AECENL and First Light. Phase 2 will involve researching, creating, and distributing activity kits for ECEs to use culturally-appropriate and age-appropriate learning activities in their work. Phase 3 will involve refreshing and expanding the activity kits on an annual basis along with quarterly support sessions for child care operators. Funding for these stages of work has not yet been secured.
Call for Change 6 (sector-specific antiracism training)
The partnership between the Association of Early Childhood Educators NL (AECENL) and First Light (see Call for Change 2) is a leading example of a sector-specific organization working with an Indigenous organization to ensure workers in the field have foundational knowledge on Indigenous Peoples. It also shows how sector-specific training and resources can be developed to equip those in that field to work more effectively with Indigenous clients. It is equally important for ensuring that members of the organization are able to share accurate information about Indigenous Peoples in the province with non-Indigenous clients.
Call for Change #7 (training requirements from professional licensing bodies)
AECENL’s partnership with First Light (see Call for Change 2) is a leading example of a sector specific organization working with an Indigenous organization to ensure workers in the field have foundational knowledge on Indigenous Peoples. It also shows how sector-specific training and resources can be developed to equip those in that field to work more effectively with Indigenous clients. It is equally important for ensuring that members of the organization are able to share accurate information about Indigenous Peoples in the province with non-Indigenous clients.
Call for Change #26 (decolonize policies and regulations in ECE)
Increases in Indigenous-focused antiracism training (see Call for Change 2) are important first steps in decolonizing policies and regulations in early childhood education. As proposed sector specific training and resources are developed and launched, ECEs will have greater knowledge and access to programming resources that will help facilitate culturally appropriate ECE programming, including land-based programming for Indigenous children. The Association of Early Childhood Educators of Newfoundland and Labrador (AECENL), College of the North Atlantic, and the Department of Education’s requirement for annual anti-bias training under the Operating Grant Program will support future action on this Call for Change. Sector-specific training is also needed for regulators who may or may not understand enough about culturally appropriate programming to meaningfully consider the role of Indigenous cultures during regulatory visits to regulated ECE settings.
To learn more about the 42 Calls for Change, visit Calls for Change | First Voice NL.
To view the Reconciliation Report 2024; Steps Taken, Steps Taken, Miles to Go Progress toward Truth and Reconciliation in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, 2023-2024, please visit https://firstvoicenl.ca/site/uploads/2024/09/First-Voice-Reconciliation-Report-2024.pdf
