Aboriginal Head Start On Reserve
In 1995, the Government of Canada established Aboriginal Head
Start to help enhance child development and school readiness of
Indian, Métis and Inuit children living in urban centres
and large northern communities. An expansion component of the Aboriginal
Head Start program for First Nation communities was announced on
October 19, 1998. This expansion was a result of commitments made
in Gathering Strength: Canada's Aboriginal Action Plan, Securing
our Future Together, and the September 1997 Speech from the Throne.
Funding for the Aboriginal Head Start On Reserve program was set
at $100 million over four years, beginning in 1998/99, and $25
million per year on-going. The goal and intent is to provide funding
for a focussed approach with six program components that are integrated,
viable and sustainable.
What is Aboriginal Head Start On Reserve?
The Aboriginal Head Start On Reserve initiative is designed to
prepare young First Nations children for their school years, by
meeting their emotional, social, health, nutritional and psychological
needs.
This initiative encourages the development of projects that are
comprised of the following program components: culture and language,
education, health promotion, nutrition, social support and parental
involvement.
The program encourages the development of locally controlled projects
in First Nation communities that strive to instill a sense of pride
and a desire to learn; provide parenting skills and improve family
relationships; foster emotional and social development and increase
confidence. It is also designed to assist parents enhance their
skills which contribute to their child's healthy development.
Linkages with Federal Child Development Programs
Aboriginal Head Start On Reserve collaborates with Human Resources
Development Canada's Child Care Initiative, Health Canada's Brighter
Futures, and the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs' Kindergarten
program, both at national and local levels, to ensure that Aboriginal
Head Start On Reserve fills gaps and complements existing programs.
Program Advisory Committees
National and regional committees have been developed to oversee
the implementation of the program. The national committee provides
advice on issues of national importance, such as evaluation, training,
curriculum development and program standards.
Regional committees have been responsible for receiving, ranking
and selecting Aboriginal Head Start On-Reserve sites within their
region. Regional committees will oversee the implementation and
provide on-going monitoring of Aboriginal Head Start On Reserve
projects and will also provide appropriate liaison with the national
committee.
Overview of Proposals Approved
Subsequent to the regional calls for proposals, a total of 301
projects were approved by regional committees for the 1998-99 fiscal
year: 240 were for needs assessment/development and the remaining
61 were for operational projects. In the 1999-2000 fiscal year,
203 projects were funded. This included 47 needs assessments/developmental
projects and 156 operational projects.
As of the end of December 2000, 168 operational projects have
been funded totalling about $23 million. These projects will operate
in about 300 First Nation communities serving over 7,000 First
Nation children and families on reserve.
Accountability/Evaluation
The National Evaluation Framework which will be used as a basis
for completing the necessary project and program evaluations over
the next several years was completed and submitted to Treasury
Board on July 30, 1999. Individual project evaluations must be
completed during the third year of operation as a requirement of
their funding. A comprehensive national program evaluation must
be completed by March 31, 2003.
In addition, a comprehensive National Annual Report on the progress
of implementation of the program must be completed and submitted
to Treasury Board each year. The first annual report (for 1998-99)
was compiled and forwarded to Treasury Board in October 1999.
Inquiries
For enquiries regarding the program, people may contact their
local First Nations and Inuit Health Branch office and ask for
the Aboriginal Head
Start Regional Contact.
Additional Information
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