Training and Professional Development

Through our unique training mentorship approach, trainers from our partner organizations delivered trainings for other organizations, working with selected community members throughout, as they modeled facilitation techniques and mentored them to become future trainers for their own organization. These learning relationships help to build capacity not only within but across communities.

In September 2022, two staff members from Maskwacis Health Services, Christy Crane, Preschool Coordinator, from Samson Cree Nation, Treaty Six Territory and Charlene Rattlesnake, Family and Cultural Coordinator, from O’Chiese First Nation, Alberta, traveled to Toronto, ON to implement Early Years training with a group of 9 community members from Native Child and Family Services of Toronto. As staff who had received Early Years training themselves, Christy and Charlene noted the value of this mentorship model of training in person as a chance to gather and share ideas and learn together. They also valued the opportunity to share their own experiences and learnings with a different community in a different part of the country.

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Photography by Louise Johns, Jamie Griffiths, Cathie Archbould, Matthew Perrin, Josie Rain and Alex Jacobs-blum; Videography by Red River College, Jamie Griffiths, Cathie Archbould, Sean Stiller, Pardeep Sooch and Catherine Martin

514 982 3911 treesnetwork@themfi.ca
300-759 Victoria Square Montreal, QC, H2Y 2J7
www.earlyyears.themfi.ca

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The Training & Resources for Early Education & Schools (TREES) Network is a space for delivering and accessing culturally appropriate training, professional development, resources, communities of practice and mentorship opportunities for Indigenous and non-Indigenous early learning professionals working with Indigenous children and families.

By coming together across communities, organizations and cultures, we can impact the bigger picture of Indigenous early education, child assessment and policy in Canada, so that Indigenous children will grow up proud of their culture and knowing that they belong.

The vision of the TREES Network is for early learning professionals to feel supported through training, resources and connections with others. The TREES Network strives to support early learning professionals to ground Indigenous children in their culture, nurturing stronger communities.

ACCESS TRAINING

The TREES Network supports access to culturally appropriate training and professional development for early learning professionals through the Understanding the Early Years course and Early Years Toolbox workshops. View upcoming trainings and workshops for your community through the Events Calendar.

EXPLORE RESOURCES

The TREES Network supports access to the Early Years Toolbox website, as well as access to accompanying resources through the Early Learning Library. Your access to resources is determined by your organization or community affiliation. Explore the Featured Partners page to view resources created by and in collaboration with Early Years partners.

CONNECT WITH OTHERS

To promote relationship-building and relational learning, the TREES Network provides opportunities for early learning professionals to build connections across the country. You can check out the Events Calendar to find events related to the early years, view the Interactive Map of early years services in different regions, or learn more about Supportive Circles as spaces to come together with others locally or across communities to share thoughts, ideas and support.

CREATE IMPACT

The TREES Network strives to create spaces through which we can collectively impact the bigger picture of Indigenous early learning in Canada. Learn about how Early Years sites are doing this through Early Years approach innovations, and about the important work many other organizations are doing to influence policy, curriculum, access to funding supports and program evaluation.