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Barbara McLean |
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ECD Program Manager
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# 2 3003 29th Avenue |
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Vernon |
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BC |
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Canada |
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V1T 1Y9 |
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(250) 503-1123 |
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(250) 503-1733 |
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Working in the Early Child Development field was the last thing on my mind as I graduated college with a diploma in Environmental Science at the grand old age of 20. I thought I would be the nurturer of fish not children, but the tree of life branches in peculiar ways and my professional life has been extremely rewarding. When my two children graduated from preschool, I didn?t! Preschool was fun, exciting, busy and happy and the work hours were a good fit for my young family. Next came daycare and working in the ECE program at the University College of the Caribou, back to preschool, then on the road with the Williams Lake Child Care Resource and Referral as the outreach child care consultant.
The outreach position was a good fit for my curious nature, I loved the travel and I loved the opportunity to visit and learn from other early childhood educators and programs. It was in this position that I became familiar with the BC Head Start programs and I was immediately sold on the ideas and values of this program. Image a program that values family and community involvement and promotes the health of the whole child.
I left my outreach position for the opportunity to work in the Head Start program at Canoe Creek. I learned a lot from the community and made many new friends. From here I went to the Soda Creek Head Start program, which had just received initial funding; another learning experience and chance to make new friends young and not so young. It is very stimulating to be in the developmental stages and rewarding to see the steps we have taken.
When the opportunity came to join Community Health Associates of BC as a Program Advisor for BC First Nations Head Start Programs on Reserve, I jumped at the chance to be back on the road learning and sharing.
My home base is out of Williams Lake, and Vernon is my head office. will be out of Williams Lake and I hope to visit many of the interior and northern sites this spring and summer. I have met many head start staff from previous training conferences and I look forward to reconnecting with you. As program advisor it will be up to Kelly and I to coordinate regional training and workshops, provide information and support, encourage networking between sites, be a coach and a mentor and to keep the BCFNHS ?Growing Together? newsletter as relevant and useful as possible. To do our jobs effectively we need you to provide us with information about what you need and/or want. |
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