Child Care Appreciation Month
As May is Child Care Month, we are taking this opportunity to thank our amazing child care educators and staff across our YMCA BC early years and school age care programs. The tremendous impact these team members make in the lives of children and families across the province is deserving of recognition every day, and especially during Child Care Month.
We invite you to read the spotlights below to meet some of our wonderful child care educators and staff members, and learn about what they love about supporting and serving our YMCA child care community.
Meet Nija
Nija
Early Childhood Educator, Special Needs Support
YMCA Early Years Child Care
How many years have you worked at the Y?
Almost six years.
Why did you choose to work at the Y?
Same values as myself.
How do you hope to positively impact children and families you support?
As ECEs we work so closely with the families and children. We are part of the daily lives and we affect their life in more ways than we can imagine. I always try to create culturally inclusive environment for everybody to feel belonged. For example, we do activities for Chinese New Year, as well as Hanukkah. I speak five languages so if I see grandparents who speak the same language as me, I try to greet them and make them comfortable in our language.
What puts a smile on your face each day in your program?
It puts a smile on my face, knowing that I am contributing towards the community, just by working in the Y! It puts a smile on my face to know that I'm working for the company that cares about the people.
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Meet Jillian
Jillian
Team Lead
YMCA Early Years Child Care
How many years have you worked at the Y?
Five years.
Why did you choose to work at the Y?
I believe in the YMCA philosophy, and that they implement what they say they are.
How do you hope to positively impact children and families you support?
By leading by example and keeping the centre a positive and caring environment
What puts a smile on your face each day in your program?
Having amazing coworkers and hilarious children.
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Meet Augusta
Augusta
Early Childhood Educator
YMCA Early Years Child Care
How many years have you worked at the Y?
One year and four months.
Why did you choose to work at the Y?
I chose to work at the YMCA because it is an international organization that believes our communities are stronger when everyone is included and given the opportunity to reach their full potential. I am encouraged daily by the team of educators to show my potential in my work with children.
How do you hope to positively impact children and families you support?
Believing that the common interests of children are important to invite democratic early childhood communities to engage with what it means to live well together. I also aspire to create spaces of inclusion. I believe in the transforming power of participation with other people from different cultures. As an educator, I understand that early childhood education is a valued practice that carries ethical relationships and cares through the responsibility of respecting others, despite differences. Everyone will always be welcome.
What puts a smile on your face each day in your program?
My daily learnings and the exchange of experiences between the children. Getting a hug and hearing "I missed you" makes my day.
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Meet Danielle
Danielle
Team Leader
YMCA Kids Club
How many years have you worked at the Y?
Two years.
Why did you choose to work at the Y?
Both my Recreation Management studies and passion for recreation involvement (coaching basketball, sports participation) aligned well to continue to lead by example in the recreation community
How do you hope to positively impact children and families you support?
To create an inclusive program for participants to learn, grow and flourish, and to create a fun and exciting environment that promotes individual growth in social and emotional wellbeing through play, arts and sports activities.
What puts a smile on your face each day in your program?
The jokes and laughs with staff, the "can you play basketball with us again tomorrow?" question by the kids, and the support, advice and tips from supervisors and all the staff that I've worked with. These are all reasons that bring in a smile or laugh each day.
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Meet Sasha
Sasha
Supervisor
Healthy Child Development
How many years have you worked at the Y?
Three months.
Why did you choose to work at the Y?
I had worked in child care with other companies and was told that my focus on healthy and positive choices totally embodied what the Y was all about. My good friend and colleague emphasized how much the Y would be a perfect fit for me so when I moved to Vancouver I decided to make it my goal to get a job here.
How do you hope to positively impact children and families you support?
Both children and families alike are very impacted by feeling like there is someone out there who cares about them. By taking the time to really listen to what people have to say and acknowledging their needs, wants, and concerns, I hope to really show them that I care about each of them individually and am ready to show them the empathy and acknowledgment they deserve.
What puts a smile on your face each day in your program?
The children! They have so much enthusiasm and joy, it's hard not to smile when everyone is having fun.
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Meet Jesmin
Jesmin
Team Leader
YMCA Kids Club
How many years have you worked at the Y?
One year and four months.
Why did you choose to work at the Y?
Being an elementary educator for more than six years, I really wanted to make a difference in a different age group, yet stay connected to children. YMCA was a turning point in my life, which not only kept me rooted to my strengths but gave opportunities of success and learning in every step of my journey.
How do you hope to positively impact children and families you support?
I hope to impact children and families with a growth mindset towards active citizenship and a kinder world with empathy and compassion towards each other. I believe in taking smaller steps to make greater changes thus inspiring even one child to be the best version of themselves. This would be a goal achieved with grit and passion in what I do.
What puts a smile on your face each day in your program?
The excitement that children showcase while entering the centre or the trust and sense of satisfaction that parents show while dropping and picking up their kids. For that matter, even the staff holding on to each other and sharing the weight while keeping up to the excitement. Not just one but many reasons to be a part of the Y brings a smile on my face. It ain’t easy to find a great place to work with a wonderful set of team. Feeling blessed at a workplace is the best feeling indeed and, just like that, thinking about a day in my work life brings widest smile on my face.
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Meet Janice
Janice
Team Lead
YMCA Early Years Child Care
How many years have you worked at the Y?
Four exciting years.
Why did you choose to work at the Y?
It's a positive workplace.
How do you hope to positively impact children and families you support?
I hope to spread joy, love and kindness through friendships.
What puts a smile on your face each day in your program?
All the children and their families.
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Meet Kaesha
Kaesha
Acting Team Lead
YMCA Kids Club
How many years have you worked at the Y?
Eight months.
Why did you choose to work at the Y?
I always knew I wanted to help people. I just never knew how I wanted to do that. The Y has allowed me to not only help families but help little minds grow.
How do you hope to positively impact children and families you support?
I hope to always greet the children and families with smiles and a welcoming environment. I hope that no matter what happened before they come to the Y that they leave feeling welcomed and happy.
What puts a smile on your face each day in your program?
I love watching a child grow each day, whether it's trying something new or forming new friendships. When the children draw me a picture and want me to hang it on the board, it makes me smile. It is all the little moments in the program that make me smile. There's a million reasons and I love every single one of them.
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Meet Jade
Jade
Team Leader
YMCA Early Years Child Care
How many years have you worked at the Y?
Four months.
Why did you choose to work at the Y?
To dedicate myself to community and to learn how to manage child care centre daily operations.
How do you hope to positively impact children and families you support?
I hope that everybody understands how important the period of early years is for a person's life and development. I hope families, educators and the community stage on the same page to build a child's good character through education and environment.
What puts a smile on your face each day in your program?
Whenever children show their smiles to me and I also feel so happy when I share some stories with my team.
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Meet Karen
Karen
Team Leader
YMCA Kids Club
How many years have you worked at the Y?
Ten months as Activity Leader and four months as Team Leader.
Why did you choose to work at the Y?
Because I share values with the YMCA, it makes me want to do my best.
How do you hope to positively impact children and families you support?
I hope that the children feel in a safe space with my support in the centre, a space where they can feel joyful, where they can have fun and express their creativity while building relationships with the staff and with the other children. I also hope that parents feel confident that their children are in a safe space where they will be well emotionally, physically and mentally.
What puts a smile on your face each day in your program?
Watching the kids enjoy being at the YMCA, their big smiles and also watching them learn to use their wits.
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Meet Hamid
Hamid
Team Leader
YMCA Kids Club
How many years have you worked at the Y?
More than eight years.
Why did you choose to work at the Y?
I love to devote my life to children and the YMCA is a place I can feel younger than my age!
How do you hope to positively impact children and families you support?
By following the YMCA values, particularly Leading by Example.
What puts a smile on your face each day in your program?
Whenever I witness a child smiling or laughing due to having fun in the program.
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Meet Francesca
Franscesca
ECEA
YMCA Early Years Child Care
How many years have you worked at the Y?
Three months
Why did you choose to work at the Y?
Because the Y has amazing values.
How do you hope to positively impact children and families you support?
To give the utmost care and attention while helping to teach and help children regulate their emotions and behaviours. Also, through art, stories, play and teachable moments.
What puts a smile on your face each day in your program?
The awesome group of kids I get to work with, and the amazing tea I work alongside!
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Join our Child Care Team!
Our YMCA Early Years and School Age child care programs are growing their staff teams. If you or someone you know is looking to make a meaningful impact in the lives of children and their families, click on the buttons below to view all available opportunities.
View Early Years Child Care Job Opportunities
View School Age Child Care Job Opportunities