Summer Program for Children on The Aboriginal Supported Child Development Case Load at The Ki-Low-Na Friendship Society

Description

Who/Population to be served: Families and children at Ki-Low-Na Friendship Society (KFS) who are registered and on the Aboriginal Supported Child Development (ASCD) case load, and meeting ASCD requirements. Requirements include self-defining/status indigenous children ages birth to 18 years who experience developmental delays, behavioural deficits, social-emotional deficits, autism, and disabilities. Many of the children who are on the ASCD caseload have experienced trauma throughout their lives and have been affected by addiction. Some of the children have been removed from their homes and put in foster care, due to growing up in unsafe home environments. It is essential to maintain a trauma-informed approach that is also culturally relevant to adequately support the children in the summer program.
Ages: 2-11 years. Ages will be grouped based on needs/academic level/cognitive development/behavioural concerns. Students participating in this summer camp are currently part of the Aboriginal Supported Child Development Program case load at Ki-Lo-Na Friendship Society.
When: Weekly throughout the summer to help ensure families are still receiving support for their children. Programming will take place at the Ki-Low-Na Friendship Societies Family and Child Services location in Rutland. Programming will take place outside in the backyard of our facility; however, this is weather-dependent. The backyard is a safe area that is safe for children of all ages, where we also have access to outdoor play equipment, as well as shaded areas. If programming is required to be taken indoors due to the weather, then programming will take place in our indoor play and gathering area. This space is safe for children of all ages and has indoor toys and play equipment.
Why: Many students who are receiving support at school for behavioural and academic concerns lose support over the summer, due to not being in school and working on their care plan or IEP goals. This then makes transitioning back into school come September quite challenging for the students and educators, as progress tends to be lost. This program will aim to maintain support for students throughout the summer and continue growth through setting goals or maintaining progress that was established at the end of the school year. This can also provide students with more one-on-one support for the growth of behavioural and social-emotional goals. This program aims to help strengthen students’ behavioural regulation skills, along with social-emotional skills. This can be established by helping students bring awareness to their bodies.
What: A program for students with behavioural and academic concerns that targets learning tools to help with these concerns through an indigenous lens and play learning. Students will have goals to maintain or meet by the end of the summer.
Program Goal: To grow or maintain progress with behavioural and academic goals, which will aid in an easier transition back into school at the end of the summer.
How: I will use knowledge that I have previously learned through my academic career and experience in the field of ASCD, while ensuring that an indigenous lens is maintained. I will use the guidance of elders/indigenous experts to ensure cultural responsibility. I will also use non-peer-reviewed sources, such as environmental scans of similar programming and resources from workshops that I have completed.
Measurable: Assessments will be completed at the start of the program, halfway through, and at the end to measure the success of the program and ensure it is effective. Success will be determined if growth and development has been made by students in their targeted goals.

Student Biography

I completed my B.A. in Psychology from UBCO and found a passion for inclusive education, as well as working with students with disabilities and behavioural concerns. This then led me to complete a Master of Education, where I focused on inclusive education. I have since started working at the Ki-Low-Na Friendship Society as an Aboriginal Supported Child Development Consultant, where I help support indigenous students in their learning and consult with parents and teachers. I am passionate about what I do and enjoy seeing the growth and development of the students I work with.