Biinoojinsauk School Readiness Coordinator

About the Organization:

The Barrie Area Native Advisory Circle (BANAC) is an Indigenous governed, Indigenous led regional social planning and development organization. The BANAC service region now covers Simcoe County, Muskoka, and York region. BANAC works in cooperation with Indigenous communities and non-Indigenous organizations to address community-identified priorities through coordinated planning, implementation and evaluation. BANAC has a mandate to support the continued promotion of Indigenous lifelong learning and community wellness through self-determination and community participation.

BANAC offers many innovative programs and services including Aging Well Senior Supports, Bebminot Family Wellness, the Biinoojinsauk Child Care Centre, Maapii Enjii Zaagi Gaazwad and the Mamaway Wiidokdaadwin Indigenous Interprofessional Primary Care Team. Mamaway Wiidokdaadwin offers a wholistic approach to wellness that includes traditional healing practices in primary care, community clinics, addiction and recovery services, counselling programs, midwifery, land-based healing programs, and community health promotion.

About the Role:

This position operates within an Indigenous-led and Indigenous-governed organization that is accountable to the communities it serves. Work is grounded in the principle of Indigenous Health in Indigenous Hands, ensuring that all programs and services are developed, delivered, and evaluated under Indigenous governance structures and community direction. In alignment with Indigenous and provincial standards, the organization upholds excellence in care, accountability, and compliance while centering on Indigenous knowledge systems, cultural safety, and self-determination in health and social service deliverables.

All employees are required to participate in organizational Indigenous Cultural Safety training and to engage in ongoing reflexive practices as part of their professional development. This includes a commitment to examining personal and systemic biases, deepening understanding of Indigenous histories and experiences, and ensuring that service delivery aligns with the values of respect, reciprocity, and wholism that guide the organization’s work.

This position is being posted in response to an existing vacancy at the Barrie Area Native Advisory Circle.

Permanent full-time role working from 9AM to 5PM, Monday through Friday at the Midland office location.

The Biinoojinsauk School Readiness Worker focuses on early childhood development, in a culturally appropriate manner, to support the spiritual, emotional, intellectual, and physical growth of a child. Program activities will support early childhood learning and development for children from birth to school age. The worker will develop and maintain partnerships with other community programs and services to enhance school readiness.

Cultural & Curriculum Delivery

• Develop daily, play-based learning plans incorporating local Indigenous views, traditions, and values.
• Integrate local Indigenous languages, traditional storytelling, and cultural practices into early literacy activities.
• Coordinate activities with Elders, Knowledge Holders, and cultural resource workers to enrich classroom learning.
• Provide a safe, trauma-informed environment that understands and respects intergenerational impacts and systemic barriers.

School Readiness & Skill Development

• Facilitate cognitive, language, motor, and academic skill development to prepare children for kindergarten.
• Assist Biinoojinsauk Childcare children with part-time school readiness activities during designated quiet/rest periods.
• Focus on early numeracy, fine and gross motor skills, problem-solving, and peer cooperation.
• Provide a structured daily framework that resembles a typical school day to support smoother transitions.
• Provide individualized support plans for children with diverse physical, psychological, or learning needs.

Program Administration & Operations

• Maintain confidential student documentation, attendance logs, and developmental progress reports.
• Plan and organize safe community field trips, cultural celebrations, and special learning events.
• Ensure all classroom health, safety guidelines, and early learning standard practices are strictly met.
• Collate service data to fulfill internal reporting and external funding accountability guidelines

What You Bring:

• Diploma or Degree in Early Childhood Education (RECE), or in a related child development field.
• Member in good standing with the College of Early Childhood Education.

• Must possess a minimum of 2 years' professional experience in an early learning setting
• Strong communication skills are required - both verbal and written.
  
• Proficient in M365 applications; including Teams, Word and Excel.
• Familiarity with the Shanker Method is considered a strong asset.
• Experience working in Indigenous communities is considered a strong asset.
• Knowledge, sensitivity and awareness of the history, culture, and unique needs of the Indigenous children within Simcoe County.
• High emotional intelligence is required to appropriately navigate the day-to-day complexities that may be experienced in assisting Indigenous children within the capacity of this role.

What We Offer:

Our work is accountable to Indigenous communities, guided by relationships, knowledge, and practices that shape how we serve and learn together. Joining the BANAC team means contributing to work that is community-driven, relational and grounded in Indigenous values of respect, reciprocity, and wholism. We work alongside community members, Indigenous organizations and the broader community to ensure our programs reflect the voices and strengths of those we serve.

Our full-time permanent employees enjoy a generous group health benefits package, participation in HOOPP, enrollment in our Employee Assistance Program, paid time off, cultural leave days, extended holidays, professional training opportunities and the opportunity to work in a dynamic community-based supportive work environment.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Work will be done on-site at the Midland site with occasional field trips within the Midland area.
• Occasional travel to organizational meetings is required; access to a personal vehicle is required.
  
• Regular overtime work may be required from time to time.
• Low to moderate exposure to noise in the work environment.
• Regular exposure to a moderate level of tension and anxiety due to deadlines, competing political pressures, and the competing needs and demands for limited resources.
• BANAC work site locations are periodically exposed to smoke due to the burning of sacred medicines: tobacco, sweet grass, sage and / or cedar.
• Ability to work within a flexible work schedule as applicable to meet organizational needs.

All pertinent employment conditions are specified within the employment agreement with BANAC and include the following:

• Ability to attend all BANAC worksite locations is required
• A Valid Intermediate First Aid and Level C CPR (infant, child and adult) with AED Certificate
• An up-to-date clear Vulnerable Sector Check is required
• An up-to-date clear TB result
• An up-to-date immunization record
• Positive professional references will need to be rendered

Applying to this Job:

To further promote our accountability to the Indigenous communities we serve and to ensure services align with the values of respect, reciprocity, and wholism that guide the organization’s work, preference will be given to candidates of Indigenous ancestry. BANAC strongly encourages applicants to self-identify within the application process.

Please apply directly on the Barrie Area Native Advisory Circle careers site at www.banac.on.ca/careers.

Barrie Area Native Advisory Circle is committed to providing accessible employment practices that are compliant with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. If you require accommodation for disability during any stage of the recruitment process, please advise the Human Resources Department at: [email protected].

Please note that the Barrie Area Native Advisory Circle (BANAC) uses BambooHR as part of its recruitment and selection process. While BANAC incorporates select AI features to enhance process efficiency, BANAC remains committed to human-led decision making. BANAC recognizes that AI is not perfect, as a result all AI-generated outputs are subject to human review to ensure accuracy, inclusiveness and equitable hiring practices. At BANAC,

our goal is to use technology to support, not replace, thoughtful human decision making in recruitment and hiring.

DISCLAIMER: This job posting indicates the general scope and level of work expected. It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of all activities, duties and / or responsibilities that will be required by the incumbent. The selected incumbent may be asked to perform other duties as required to support business needs.