Child-care workers are getting results! In partnership with the Association for Early Childhood Educators, we are training child care workers across the province. Our organizing model underpins their active campaign chapters in Ottawa, Halton, Toronto, Waterloo and Thunder Bay. When these child care workers flex their collective muscles, politicians pay attention. Given the recently released provincial budget and platforms, universally accessible child care and decent pay to early childhood educators have moved so much closer to becoming a reality.
The Institute for Change Leaders has also been training Indigenous child care workers from reserves across Northern Ontario.
“Now I have an incredibly powerful tool so that I can start better changes.”
– Marissa, student of Institute for Change Leaders training
Marissa and other child-care workers want to build playgrounds for their kids at their Aboriginal Head Start programs. Savannah said, “the training has shown me how to speak my story without hesitation and plan how to effectively promote a cause.”
These child-care workers’ stories were incredibly moving: full of heartbreak, resiliency, determination and optimism. Through our training, they learn to harness the power of their stories, build capacity by working together and running smart campaigns for Indigenous youth and families.
New Training Module
In order to meet the needs of our students and partners, we are constantly refining our curriculum. Recent students have experienced a new curriculum unit developed by a Mohawk member of our team, Dawn Maracle. Through this unit students build skills in strategy and tactics by learning from how northern Indigenous youth pursued Shannen's Dream, leveraging allies from across Canada in order to secure a new school and ensure that our governments are fairly providing for all our kids.
Speaking of government, we have strengthened our program with a new unit equipping people to become change agents in upcoming elections. Partnering with Democracy Kit, we have run a campaign school that taught new political activists how to canvass and recruit their neighbours and co-workers. We are excited to continue building leadership capacity in our diverse communities throughout the coming year, and we hope you will join us.
If you have not yet experienced our transformative training, check out changeleaders.ca and join us at an upcoming training. Our next Building Skills for Change in Toronto is on the weekend of May 5 and 6.
On Tuesday May 8, our new trainer Patrick Gossage, a veteran communications guru will be hosting a session on how to effectively communicate for social change.
With your support, our impact is growing. We hope you can connect with us and give us a hand, through volunteering or financially.
Olivia, and the ICL team
