Advocacy is a responsibility for ALL child care professionals. In fact, it is a commitment we make as members of the College of Early Childhood Educators, as outlined in our Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice.
“RECEs communicate the value and importance of early childhood education in their communities and to the broader public. RECEs advocate in the interest of children, families, early childhood educators and the early years sector.”
(College of Early Childhood Educators, 2017)
While it is certainly an important aspect of it, advocacy is not limited to influencing change at a political or policy level. It is also about the small decisions and changes we can make every day.
Effective advocacy shows up in how we communicate the importance of our work with others, the language that we use, and the stories that we share. We all have a part to play in highlighting the inherent value early learning and care services bring to children, families, and communities.
Strive believes wholeheartedly in the power of a strong collective voice as a catalyst for positive change. That is why we have identified advocacy as one of our strategic priorities and pursue ongoing collaboration with community partners on advocacy focused initiatives across our community.
Attraction, Recruitment and Retention
Become an ECE
Becoming a Registered Early Childhood Educator begins with obtaining your Early Childhood Education diploma. We have partnered with Fanshawe College to highlight the many ways to achieve this. Check out the infographic below to find the pathway that best suits you!
Pathways to Become an ECE Infographic
Skills Advance Ontario (SAO) – Pathways into a Child Care and Early Years Career
Pathways Into a Child Care and Early Years Career is a FREE introductory program to start you on the path to a rewarding career in the child care sector.
Participants in this program will receive;
- job specific training
- guidance and support from industry experts
- essential skills upgrading
- real work experience in the child care sector
- job placement and career counselling
- the opportunity to expand their professional networks
- and more!
Sound like it could be for you? Start on your path HERE!
Are you an Employer with identified job vacancies? Get involved with the SkillsAdvance Ontario Pilot program today!
You will be provided with;
- job posting services
- job matching and screening support
- onboarding assistance
- access to resources
- financial incentives
- and more!
For more information or to register now, contact Danielle McGill at 519-630-8264 or daniellemcgill@ccflondon.ca
This SkillsAdvance Ontario (SAO) Pilot program is supported by The Carrefour Communautaire Francophone de London with funding from the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development.
Strive is proud to represent the Licensed Child Care Network (LCCN) on the Executive Committee for this project.
Unsung Heroes
The Licensed Child Care Network, with support from the City of London and County of Middlesex, created a dynamic campaign that captures the many joys and benefits of a career in the Early Childhood Education and Care sector.
For more information, visit: unsungheroesece.com
Local Advocacy
LCCN
As an active member of the Licensed Child Care Network’s Advocacy subcommittee, we are proud to contribute to a number of local advocacy initiatives.
To stay connected with this work, visit: lccn.ca
#IAmEssential
We are so excited to share the video we debuted at Winter Rethink 2021 as part of the #IAmEssential campaign!
This is part of an ongoing collaborative effort with the LCCN Advocacy committee to bring increased awareness and recognition to the child care and early years sector. This video not only captures the strength and resiliency of the child care community, but is also a message of thanks for all your contributions throughout the pandemic and beyond.
You are seen. You are appreciated. You are ESSENTIAL.
We are not done fighting. But if this year has taught us anything, it’s that we can do hard things. You are all proof of that. We’ve got fight left in us. The time is NOW! We will continue our efforts and calls for a National Child Care Strategy as well Professional Pay and Decent Work for all child care professionals, and hold our elected officials accountable to the promises they have made.
A National Childcare Strategy for Canada
Along with our partners from the LCCN and Fanshawe College, we have come together to advocate, research, and promote a National Childcare Strategy for Canada, setting in motion a collaboration that is unique and fluid in meeting the needs of those who value the early years in the London region.
We are working to raise public awareness as well as engage all levels of government to take action in creating a National Childcare Strategy with the pillars of Affordability, Access, Quality and Responsiveness in mind.
For a prosperous Canada and a fulsome recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, the answer has never been more clear.
Read our Open Letter for a National Child Care Strategy HERE
Provincial Advocacy
AECEO
Strive is a proud and supporting member of the Association of Early Childhood Educators (AECEO).
The AECEO is the professional association for Early Childhood Educators whose primary purpose is to advocate for the respect, recognition, appropriate compensation, and decent working conditions for all ECEs in Ontario. They seek to build the capacity and leadership of Educators to advocate for their profession as well as the children and families they care for.
To find out more about the AECEO or to become a member, visit: aeceo.ca
