Syilx Early Years – Okanagan Nation Alliance

“Our children are our roots and everything we teach them is their responsibility to carry on.”

The Syilx Early Years (SEY) program has been in development since early 2011 and is funded by BC Ministry of Family and Child Development (MFCD). A Syilx Aboriginal Early Childhood Development (AECD) Strategy has been created and plans for implementations are underway. The SEY Lead provides support for front-line staff and coordination of cultural and language materials for the Aboriginal Early Childhood programs within the Okanagan territory. Such supports include training pertaining to childhood development, as well as assisting in the development of these resources to ensure an Indigenous education for our young. The SEY Lead is in charge of building relationships in the territory between Aboriginal and mainstream programming, to create partnerships and identify areas of need and future funding opportunities.

The SEY Lead also supports the En’owkin Centre’s Syilx ECD certificate program.

EDUCATION & TRAINING

Annual Early Years Gathering: March 2022
AECE Assistant Certificate Training Opportunities
Management Support

WORKSHOPS

ONA ECE Workshops
ASQ
Syilx Parenting
Truth and Reconciliation

Training is offered to groups and communities by request, and are provided on-site at both on and off-reserve communities. To learn more or to book a workshop, fill out the form and email to early.years3@syilx.org

RESOURCES

ONA has created, developed, and saved many Syilx cultural resources. Stay tuned for more information.

ONA can support you in requesting and signing out BCACCS Curriculum Kits which are designed to provide resources to educators and support learning and play for children. Currently, our drum, salmon, bear, owl, coyote, raven, and cedar kits are available for loan from the BCACCS Resource Centre in West Vancouver. Please contact early.years3@syilx.org for support/availability/delivery.