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Speaking Engagements

Rivers to Ridges has been invited to share their experiences through presentations and public speaker series. We're keen to talk to the following :

effectively engaging young people in the outdoors and keeping it relevant
women in business
social entrepreneurship & innovation
sharing impactful stories, songs and activities from the outdoors

Some past selected speaking engagements have been:

Leadership + Philosophy - Yukon College's Early Childhood Education Leadership Class
Supporting Outdoor Play - Early Learning at the Gardens
Action Canada: Building Leadership for Canada's Future, Fellowship Conference
The 8 Things: SMRT Women in Business Series
Solutions Economy Social Innovation
RPAY Northern Recreation Conference

Custom Outdoor & Land-based Programs
for Children & Youth

Rivers to Ridges has worked with a number of Yukon First Nations and community groups to deliver land-based programs with children including after-school programs and weekend programs. For these programs especially, Rivers to Ridges prioritizes the inclusion of local Elders and knowledge keepers for sharing traditional knowledge and stories of the land.

The activities and games we facilitate are designed to build connections with the land. We aim to foster empathy for self & others, improve sensory-motor awareness through tactile, sound-based and movement games (including silent sneaking and camouflague), and build community through story-telling, knowledge-sharing and group song.

Some past program partners:

ELCC 122 - Learning Through Play

In collaboration with Yukon College's Early Learning and Child Care program, and with support from the Child and Nature Alliance of Canada, Rivers to Ridges expanded the Learning Through Play course through design and delivery to include outdoor and land-based curriculum for Early Childhood Educators in the communities of Pelly and Mayo. This pilot course was co-taught, and included two weekend intensives focused on supporting risky play, breaking down barriers to land-based programming, and finding inspiration in local, outdoor spaces.

With support from:

Working with Energy, Mines & Resources (Forestry), Rivers to Ridges developed an educator's resource that will support Yukon youth in understanding forest management perspectives and decisions. This included pilot sessions in classrooms in Dawson, Burwash Landing and Whitehorse, and the development of curriculum-connected lessons that highlight and engage young people in Yukon forests.

With funding from:

Design, Editing & Contribution Support:
Yukon Education, Erin Pauls, Lianne Charlie, Birdseye Design

Since 2017, Rivers to Ridges has been working on Salmon in the Schools across the Yukon. This program is designed to help support educators across the territory with Salmon education resources. We have visited many communities across the Yukon, running educational salmon programming enhacing the Stream to Sea project (salmonoids in the classroom). During the 2018-2019 year, we developed an educator's activity guide, and launched a Salmon in the Schools webspace to support salmon education across the Yukon.

Download our Educator Activity Guide

With funding and support from:

Design, Editing & Contribution Support:
Birdseye Design, Sprucetip Design, Tedd Tucker Illustration, Yukon Education, Yukon Native Language Centre,
Al Von Finster, Dennis Zimmerman, Jenn Redvers, Debbie Payne, Dr. Alyce Johnson, Sean Wilkinson, Shannon Bower

For Erin, Rivers to Ridges was born out of a desire to create space for young people to feel curious about and connected to the Earth. Erin was raised on Mississauga of the Credit Territory between the Niagara Escarpment and the shores of Lake Ontario. Erin has always felt called to work outdoors with young people, and she is a certified teacher, with her BEd in Outdoor, Experiential Education (Queen's University). She seeks out community- and skills-focused professional development, and uses her experiences to mentor young people and support those in the fields of education and child and youth work.

What makes Erin feel alive?

working in relationship with youth (ages 13-18) as they develop their sense of self in connection to place/land
being welcomed into children's explorations of the natural world; cultivating natural curiosity
creating accessibility for children to take part in programs that connect them to the land
listening to and learning from Indigenous perspectives and knowledge
exploring and supporting outdoor and land-based risk management and risky play
celebrating bird language as a doorway to deeper awareness
using the power of song within land-based learning and processing

Emily hails from the mouth of the Fraser River on Coast Salish land, and now calls the Yukon home. She is a certified teacher with 15 years experience working with young people of all ages. Aside from growing up by the salt and sea of coastal BC, her ancestral roots go back to the Celtic-Anglo isles and Scandanavia. Emily has a background working as an international youth leadership trip facilitator in rural Kenya and Ecuador, canoe and backpacking outtrip director, motivational tour speaker, native plant researcher, outdoor curriculum designer and classroom teacher (French, Science & Humanities).

She holds a BEd in Indigenous Perspectives from SFU, a BA Biogeography (Environment & Sustainability) from UBC. She has certificates in 80-hour Wilderness First Responder, Flatwater Canoe Instruction, Swift Water Rescue Level 2, Yoga Teacher Training and Permaculture Design. She has recently trained at The Tracker School in New Jersey in survival skills and tracking. Her big passion is working with plants, which she pursues through traditional willow basket-weaving, harvesting and blending wild herbal teas and making medicinal salves.

After traveling to nearly every continent, she continues to be inspired by the immense beauty of her Yukon home. She co-founded Rivers to Ridges out of her belief that building curiosity for the natural world at a young age is an integral part of a healthy life. When she’s not outside teaching, you can find her singing along with her piano, blues dancing, growing backyard vegetables or trying to bake the perfect sourdough loaf.

Kelly Scott has lived in Whitehorse for 5 years now. Born in Rockwood Ontario, Kelly spent many childhood days exploring nature and discovering the wonders of the local Conservation Area. As an adult, Kelly is keen to spread the joy of outdoor exploration with other children.

Kelly graduated with a BA in Modern Languages (Spanish and French) and a Minor in Sociology in 2009 from Bishop’s University in Quebec. Kelly then taught as a French Assistant in Toronto Ontario for 4 years with children ranging from 3 to 9 years old. During this time Kelly realized that Montessori was where she wanted to focus her time and energy and she is now a trained Elementary Montessori Guide with AMI, qualifying her to teach in Montessori Schools internationally.

Kelly has chosen Whitehorse as her home base and has been teaching at the Yukon Montessori School for 5 years with grades 1-3. Her other passions include singing, performing at open mic nights, theatre (you may have seen her in the Zeitgeist Cabaret recently), connecting children with theatre opportunities (5 plays to date), crocheting, making jewelry, reading, writing, cracking jokes (teachers love wordplay). Kelly is thrilled to put on her sunhat and join the team at Rivers to Ridges to guide children in finding their place within society by connecting them with the outdoors!

Matteo is returning for his third season with Rivers to Ridges. He was raised in Sto:lo territory in southern BC, and has since drifted far and wide in both education and travel. He currently lives in Sechelt BC, working as an Indigenous Education Support Teacher with the Sunshine Coast School District. He has recently taught in the nature-based education program - NEST, Nature Education for Sustainable Todays and Tomorrows, which provides opportunity for students to learn outside and from the natural environment.

He has taught for a number of years both in BC and the Yukon and holds a BA in History and Fine Arts and a BEd in Environmental Education from SFU. Before finding his groove as an educator, he was involved in urban farming projects in Mexico, helping develop a Young Weavers cooperative in Oaxaca, and pursuing his passion for the natural world through travel and work. He holds a Wilderness Advanced First Aid certificate, and a Conservation Outdoor Recreation Education certificate through BC wildlife Federation.

His enjoyment of the natural world and passion to share it others, has connected him with opportunities to lead student teams on adventure and educational based trips, ranging from kayaking in south - eastern Alaska to multi-day alpine trips.

Thank-you so much to all of the families, volunteers and Elders that attended the Information Session earlier this month. We had over 100 attendees, and everyone has been so patient with us during this extra busy time as we start into Summer Camp season.

Where We're At
As we mentioned at the Session, some location variables were out of our hands, and we explained that this could result in changes to our timeline. Our aim was to let our community know about any changes as soon as possible, and before the end of June.

It turns out that some of the conditions laid out in the final lease agreement were non-negotiable, and we were left with a tough decision. We could move ahead, take on the lease conditions that we knew might negatively impact the quality of the Forest Preschool program, and get started for the Fall. Alternatively, we could pause and reflect on the intention of the program, and make a change to our timeline.

These non-negotiable terms were not the right fit for the program we’ve envisioned. With the support of our Advisory Council, we connected with the vision for the program, and made the difficult decision to decline the lease.

The decision to pause and reflect amidst the rush of support and ideas and offerings has been a difficult one to make. However, we wholeheartedly feel that this is the best decision at thijs time. Honestly, we just aren't willing to compromise the quality of our programs and the integrity of our relationships with families and community members. Thank-you for all of your support, trust and confidence.

What This Means for Families
Our timeline has changed, and we will not be offering full- or part-time options this Fall. Please make alternate arrangements for your children as we continue to work on offering you high-quality programs for your family. We are continuing to explore options for a location, and we're open to community input, feedback and ideas as we continue our work.

Moving Forward
We will be working away on upcoming program offerings for young ones and families, and we will send out updates as they develop! Stay in touch through email and Facebook, and we will keep you in the loop as we move forward.

Zach was born in the Arctic and has lived in the Yukon for most of his life. He is seventeen years old and is currently attending Pearson United World College inside peaceful Pedder Bay on Vancouver Island. Zach loves to travel and has been to nearly every continent. He also loves the ocean and his favourite thing to do is scuba dive.

Zach is always willing to share awesome stories from his travels and adventures. He enjoys playing with kids, and his favourite thing to show them is how to make fire without matches. He loves everything to do with nature and is excited to teach new people about Yukon's natural environment. Zach is funny, outgoing, enthusiastic and always excited to meet new kids. This will be Zach's third summer with Rivers to Ridges.

Kester has spent much of the last years involved with environmental and cultural work in Central and South America, particularly the Amazon. He has worked alongside scientists and Indigenous knowledge-holders, and come to realise the importance of cultivating a perspective that is natural to all of us: deep connection with Place. An awareness that engages the beauty and mystery of the land is something he seeks to deepen each day. Environmental politics, youth work, and an interest in conservation led him initially to work in the tropics, where several years of transformation brought him to Canada with a clear purpose to integrate those lessons and cultivate that awareness within his ailing Western culture. After mentorship training at the Wilderness Awareness School, Washington, he began work for a forest school based out of North Vancouver, applying the 8-shields “Coyote” Mentoring model, to guide youth in their connection to the land. He’s new to the Yukon, and is enjoying getting to know the communities of Whitehorse and further afield. He finds joy in long wanders on the water or the land, both alone and with friends. Besides speaking to birds, and discovering the patterns in the landscape, he loves to play flutes and guitars, and to read and write poetry. His family home is on the rugged West coast of the Scottish Highlands.

"I am thankful that Emily & Zack could come into our class and teach us about salmon."

-Participant, Grade 2

"The presenters had students engaged through lots of movement while incorporating learning!"

-Teacher, Takhini Elementary School

Position
Forest Preschool Educator (Early Childhood Educator) NOC 4214

Location
Whitehorse, Yukon

Program Overview
The Nest is a new Forest Preschool program servicing young children aged 3-5, and run by Rivers to Ridges. We encourage learners to develop a deep sense of place through understanding their role in the natural world. Our teaching is guided by the learners' passions, and we work to customize our programming around our unique group of students. We believe strongly in fostering a deep sense of curiosity and holding space for significant amounts of outdoor, exploratory play to build a foundation for a healthy start.

Organization Overview
Rivers to Ridges believes that deepening our connection to natural world is crucial for healthy bodies and minds. When we have a strong relationship with the land, we have healthy relationships with ourselves and our community. We deliver nature programming for children and youth all year round through naturalist studies, survival skills and scenarios, sensory awareness activities, storytelling, team and individual challenges, forest songs, and land stewardship. We run camps in all seasons for ages 5-18, in-school workshops, educator trainings, and more. Our educational philosophy is built on concept nature mentorship, working alongside children to discover answers together. Our year-round programs are based out of Whitehorse, Yukon, on the traditional territory of the Kwanlin Dün First Nation and the Ta'an Kwach'an Council.

Job Overview
We are looking for an engaging, creative and dynamic individual to fill the role of Forest Preschool Educator with Rivers to Ridges at The Nest. You will be responsible for caring and programming for young children aged 3-5 each day. During program, you will be present and focused on the children's' safety and experience. You will prioritize regular routines, consistency, and outdoor exploring time in all seasons (including Yukon winter conditions). After program, you may be engaging with parents/guardians, debriefing with other staff, gathering and maintaining program materials, preparing for the next day, and other tasks as they come up. The ideal candidate will be passionate about outdoor learning with an ability to reach out to children and create a relationship based on mutual trust and mentoring support. The goal in this position is to help foster curiosity in young children and to be a dedicated ally in the process of wilderness learning.

Responsibilities

Design and execute daily routines and plan appropriate creative outdoor learning experiences for children
Liaise respectfully with Elders, knowledge-keepers, and other visiting guests
Differentiate learning approaches for children based on a variety of needs
Use skills-based instruction, as well an awareness-building approach, to teach topics ranging from shelter-building, wildlife tracking, bird language, storytelling, wild harvesting, sensory training, plant identification and more. (Knowledge of all of these topics is not necessary, however willingness to learn and research is crucial.)
Create educational content as needed (carving, building, photocopying, etc.)
Participate in regular staff culture circles
Use Rivers to Ridges equipment and materials with care; help with maintenance
Collaborate and work respectfully alongside other educators
Enrich outdoor teaching skills and knowledge through independent and/or collaborative research
Observe and understand learners’ behaviour and psyche and report suspicions of neglect, abuse, etc.
Listen to and work to honour the needs of parents and families
Other related responsibilities as needed

Requirements

Level 1, 2, or 3 Early Childhood Education designation (or willingness to obtain prior to September 2018)

Current successful experience working with children 3 years – 5 years of age in a child care environment demonstrating/modelling healthy and positive behaviours
Proven experience and interest working creatively outdoors with young children with a range of abilities and backgrounds
Recent experience planning, developing and implementing a variety of recreational, social, life skill and parenting programming and activities for young children
Experience working effectively in a team environment
Demonstrated work ethic and the ability to maintain professional confidentiality
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
Well-organized and able to be part of a teaching team
Must be available from August 2018 to June 2019 (with likelihood of extension)

Note: An equivalent combination of education and experience in the above areas will also be considered.

Benefits of Employment

Join a team of passionate outdoor learning professionals
Access to unique professional development opportunities
Work with nationally recognized and supported program
Enjoy significant time outside in your job
Competitive salary

Conditions of Employment

Current (within 6 months) clean Criminal Record Check with Vulnerable Sector Screening
Medical clearance, ’fit to work’ designation & TB test
Current immunization record
Basic CPR-C First Aid Training or willingness to acquire prior to September 2018

Wage
TBD based on education and experience