Valuing AHS

The year 2010 marked the 15th anniversary of Aboriginal Head Start in Urban and Northern Communities (AHSUNC) in Canada. The Aboriginal Head Start Association of BC (AHSABC) has conducted the ‘Valuing AHS in BC – Celebrating 15 Years’ project as a means of documenting the life of AHS in this province. Program staff, parents and family, former students, Elders, host agency representatives, and Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) staff were interviewed to provide their firsthand insight on the impacts of the program.
 

Aboriginal Head Start is an early intervention preschool program designed for urban and northern (off-reserve) Aboriginal children across Canada. There are 12 AHS programs located throughout British Columbia. These preschools operate under the direction of established Principles & Guidelines and Parent Advisory Councils. The AHS program is based on the ‘Six Components of Aboriginal Head Start,’ which guide the activities and curriculum. These are: Culture and Language; Education and School Readiness; Health Promotion; Nutrition; Social Support; Parent and Family Involvement.
 

AHSABC is a non-profit organization which provides support to AHS centres to promote excellence in programming. With funding from PHAC, they have developed a collection of cultural curriculum resources and trainings over the years for both BC and National AHS programs (in English and French). In addition, ongoing conferences, cultural retreats and training seminars, and online networking support best practices for teachers, staff and parents in AHS programs.

Over the past 15 years, the number and size of AHS sites have grown across the province, and some preschools are beginning to offer services for Early Learners, as well as enhanced programs to increase accessibility in AHS communities. An important factor behind the success of Aboriginal Head Start is that parental involvement is essential and contributes to learning for the entire family. Elders are valued as cultural teachers, and many of them consider the Head Start community as their family and a place for healing their Residential School wounds. Health and community services play a supportive role in the program.

Participants reported that the AHS program has had an impact on the children who have graduated from the preschool by enhancing their health, self-esteem and identity, success in school, and social relationships. Parents, families, staff, and Elders have testified that being a part of Aboriginal Head Start has enriched their lives in countless ways. In addition, community members beyond AHS (kindergarten teachers, community organizations, etc.) report that this program has had a remarkable positive effect. Aboriginal Head Start serves as a ‘hub’ – the new village – by providing the missing sense of community for many Aboriginal people living in urban centres away from their families and cultural roots.

When asked about what change they would make in future, participants saw the need for more AHS program sites to be built across the province to address wait lists and to reach a greater population. They also suggested that increased funding would allow programs to better serve the needs of the AHS participants (e.g., full-day classes, better transportation and more cultural activities).
 

In summary, the Aboriginal Head Start program gives Aboriginal children and families the ‘best of both worlds’ in that they are developing pride in who they are as Aboriginal people, while learning how to walk with confidence and enthusiasm on their lifelong educational journey.