villagevibe Illustration: Sean Newton
December 2007 : News and views from the heart of Fernwood
Childcare in B.C. Starving for solutions
Collective Works Gallery
>> by Lisa Helps
>> by Miriam Mulhall
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childhood educators there simply aren’t enough people going into the profession. At $6500 for a one t 5:00pm on Tuesday October 30th, to two year training program and between $13.00Fernwood NRG Executive Director $15.00 per hour in wages upon completion, this is Roberta Martell climbed onto the roof of hardly a surprise. the Society’s Infant and Toddler Centre and began Fernwood’s Infant and Toddler Centre is a four-day camp out and hunger strike. She was subject to the provincial Childcare and Community protesting the Vancouver Island Health Authority’s Facilities Licensing Act, which sets ratios of certified (VIHA) most recent denial of staffing certification staff to children in each facility. A licensing officer exemptions, which put the Centre at risk of closure. is responsible for ensuring that workers hold the The Centre was adorned with signs from supporters appropriate certification. In July when Infant and who gathered below while Roberta ascended the Toddler supervisor Judy Smith went on holidays, wobbly aluminum ladder that barely cleared the VIHA granted an exemption so the Centre could edge of the flat roof. “Implement a national childcare continue to operate while Judy was away. The Centre strategy,” one proclaimed. Another read, “Maintain was left in a lurch when Judy decided not to return existing spaces.” And Roberta’s innovation: “Childcare from her holidays. In late September, the Centre in B.C.: Starving for Solutions.” reapplied for the same exemptions they’d been Up on the roof was a simple set up of tent and running with since earlier in the summer and these camping chair. A teddy bear nodded off against one were denied. of the tent’s nylon walls. A witch’s hat stood near the “Our conference call with licensing officers came chair. It was almost Halloween after all. up with that potential solutions: that we closed for Roberta explained the current dilemma. “They’re half the day so that less staff were required, that we not closing us down,” she said. “They’re just not closed half the facility or that if we closed completely helping us to be in compliance. So in essence they’re as of the year end, we’d be allowed to stay open until killing us with a borrowed knife. There’s no avenue for then! Everything involved closure,” Roberta explained. us to go on. Our only option, as I see it at this point, By Friday afternoon, VIHA had finally taken is to close down or to stay open in non-compliance, notice of the situation. Roberta came down off the facing fines of up to $10,000 a day.” roof to a room full of supporters. Among those At issue is the lack of availability of certified present was Victoria MP, NDP Denise Savoie whose Early Childhood Education and Infant and Toddler Early Learning and Child Care private members staff. And there’s a shortage province-wide. Because bill since passed its second reading in on November of Liberal government cuts to training for early 21st. As Roberta was slurping soup, her first meal
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n December 1st another exciting, made-inFernwood initiative opens in the Cornerstone Building. 1311 Gladstone is the new home of the Collective Works Gallery. The Gallery is the inspiration of a dedicated group of Fernwood artists, the Collective Works Artists, who have come together to spearhead this innovative, community-based, artist-run gallery. The inspiration for Collective Works began with a chance meeting over coffee in the Cornerstone Café. This initial meeting developed into an ongoing conversation, which revealed the number of Fernwood artists looking for a home. Commitment deepened as the level of enthusiasm for creating that home in Fernwood was revealed. The availability of space at 1311 Gladstone and the fact that the Cornerstone is a neighbourhood-owned building has enabled the Collective to make their dream a reality.
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in this issue Community kitchens Page 2 Feature: Literature and lattés Page 4 Fall clean up in the garden Page 6