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Now is Our Time
There has never been a more exciting time for urban Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care. Urban Indigenous organizations serving children, families and youth in Vancouver have a long history of innovative, culturally rich programs. These successes have been achieved in spite of a lack of funding common across the Early Learning and Child Care sector.
Today, we have an opportunity to make a major change for the better.
In 2018, British Columbia committed to major investments in childcare, with a goal of creating a system of universal childcare – childcare that is affordable and available for any family that wants or needs it. In 2019, the City of Vancouver has set a target of creating 2,300 new child care spaces in the next 3 years.
There are only 3 Indigenous-led child care programs in Vancouver. Our project is engaging with Indigenous peoples, service providers, and post-secondary institutions in Vancouver, to find out what Indigenous-led Early Learning and Child Care could look like.
This is where we need your voice!
Recuiting and Retention
The City of Vancouver has set a goal to open hundreds of new programs each year. Who should lead and staff these programs? How will Indigenous Early Childhood Educators be supported? How can we encourage people with gifts to embark on a career in education?
Who is MVAEC?
Our Council
Metro Vancouver Aboriginal Executive Council (MVAEC) mandate is to advocate, collaborate, and build capacity with a unified voice for the Urban Indigenous Peoples within Metro Vancouver.
MVAEC mission is a unified voice of 22 Indigenous Organizations, who strategically plan, advocate and positively influence outcomes that strengthen the service delivery and policies that impact our Metro Vancouver Urban Indigenous Community.
MVAEC developed six roundtables to meet and discuss relevant municipal, regional, provincial, and federal issues to strategically address six key areas:
1) Children, Youth & Families,
2) Arts, Language, & Culture,
3) Education, Training & Employment;
4) Justice,
5) Housing and Homelessness and
6) Health and Wellness.
Our Principles
Indigenous Collective Impact – We follow a framework to support us as we work on a common agenda, and hold each other accountable to make positive change. Culture grounds our governance.
Indigenous Psychology of Poverty (PoP) – We believe cultural programming can help reverse the psychological impacts of poverty by increasing positive cultural identity and offering supports that are grounded in our own worldviews.
Potlatch Economy- We apply Coast Salish protocol and ceremonial teachings to how we do our work. Cultural teachings inform our measurements for human development and success.
Witnessing- We ensure reciprocal accountability between Urban Indigenous peoples, community organizations, and partners.
Who we are
Join Our Journey
There is so much work going on for Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care.
How would you like to join us? What support do you need from us?
Photos are generously shared with thanks to BC Aboriginal Child Care Society (home agency for Singing Frog AHS and Eagle’s Nest AHS), and the Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre Society.
Children's Voices, Our Choices 