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.

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.

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.

• 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.

• 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…