Focused on tailored mentoring techniques, these programs aim to enhance and support the transfer of skills in the areas of special needs, early childhood mental health, and cultural awareness.
As part of National Early Childhood Educator Appreciation Week and Child Care Worker and Early Childhood Educator Appreciation Day, Collège Boréal is launching three new micro-credentials designed to help early childhood managers strengthen their leadership and mentoring skills while gaining knowledge tailored to the specific needs of francophone minority communities.
Offered in French and titled Développement comportemental de l'enfant, Bien-être et santé mentale and Sensibilisation culturelle (Child Behavioural Development, Well-being and Mental Health, and Cultural Awareness), these three online programs, each lasting three months, will be rolled out progressively starting in winter 2026. They aim to:
- Strengthen leadership skills in education, mental health and well-being, and child development, including the support of children with special needs.
- Equip managers with inclusive, caring, and equitable mentoring techniques to help their teams meet the diverse needs of young children.
- Improve early childhood educator retention through professional development opportunities, including those for educators from francophone immigration backgrounds.
- Help promote the profession and its workforce.
- Expand the range of high-quality professional development programs offered in French within the early childhood sector.
By integrating practical resources and tools, these programs also foster greater staff engagement and retention, supporting the long-term sustainability of early childhood services. Participants will benefit from personalized, ongoing coaching sessions that allow them to apply their new knowledge in real-life settings and develop effective mentoring practices. The programs also emphasize the vital role of leadership and mentorship in staff well-being and in preventing burnout.
These three microcredentials are currently being developed thanks to a grant of more than $760,000 provided by the Association des collèges et universités de la francophonie canadienne (ACUFC) through the Government of Canada's Early Learning and Child Care Program.
Quote
"Through these three microcredentials, Collège Boréal continues to build on its efforts to support skills development and address the shortage of qualified francophone professionals in the early childhood sector. By focusing on mentoring, well-being, and leadership, these programs also help strengthen staff engagement and improve the quality of services provided to families not only in Ontario, but also across francophone minority communities throughout Canada."
Josée Latulippe - Manager, Professional Services in Early Childhood Education, Collège Boréal
Quick facts
- The $760,415.94 ACUFC grant was awarded to Collège Boréal through funding from the Government of Canada's Early Learning and Child Care Program.
- In 2024-2025, Collège Boréal received nearly $1.8 million in grants to support skills development among qualified francophone professionals in early childhood education.
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