Stocked backpacks will provide those families with resources to continue child educational development. (submitted photo/Metis Nation-Saskatchewan)

By Elliott Knopp

Backpack Program

Supply-filled backpacks promoting early Métis childhood learning and development

Apr 30, 2021 | 2:05 PM

Métis Nation-Saskatchewan (MN-S) has announced they are providing families with backpacks that will help early learners develop important fundamental skills necessary for educational development.

In a press release, MN-S stated children under the age of five develop language, motor skills, and social connections through interactions with family and caregivers. The MN-S Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) Ministry introduced the Early Learning Backpack Program to continue developing those skills and improve early learning. The backpacks are stocked with art project supplies and other learning materials that MN-S claimed stimulates creativity, strengthens hand-eye coordination, and improves learning development.

Lisa Fleming, Senior Director of Early Learning and Child Care, said some families have faced adversity created by the pandemic, and that these backpacks will provide those families with the resources necessary to continue their child’s educational development at home.

“Many children haven’t been able to go to their regular childcare providers, or to some of the early learning programs, and so we see this backpack is as a way to continue to support children with their language and their imagination and their motor skills,” Fleming said. “This also provides some ideas to families as to what they can do during the pandemic to support their little ones. When families receive the backpacks, there will also be some books in there that contain content focusing on Métis cultural traditions, values, language and Métis ways of knowing and doing.”

Since the organization released the details of the backpacks on Wednesday night, Fleming claimed more than 200 parents have reached out to request and reserve a pack for their child.

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Fleming added while some parents and caretakers are registered Métis citizens, their child may not be. MN-S has included an information package that will help those parents get their kids registered.

“We put information in that pack to encourage families to find out how they can register their child, and their child will get a certificate from Métis Nation Saskatchewan. The reason why we want to do that is that in the future we’ll be adding more early learning programs to our repertoire, and we really feel that if we have that contact information, we can send the information out directly to families, and we look forward to connecting with those families in our future work,” Fleming noted.

MN-S citizens with a registered child under a year old will automatically receive one of the backpacks in the mail. Parents with children between the ages of one and five can access more information by contacting Kristi Ross at 306-292-7443 or kross@mns.work.

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elliott.knopp@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @ElliottKnopp