What’s Next?

What's Next?

 

Since releasing the Pathway to Stewardship and Kinship Guide in 2017, our team has been working to expand implementation in the region. There are big plans afoot!

The guide can be used by anyone working with children, anytime.  However, preparing a coordinated community-wide effort takes planning and collaboration.

Pilot Testing

During 2018 and 2019, the Pathway’s Landmark activities were pilot-tested with more than 1,500 children in early years centres and elementary schools in both urban and rural settings in the Greater Peterborough Region. Teachers, caregivers, families and community groups worked hard to integrate landmark activities into the lives of these children and their families. They have provided excellent feedback for fine-tuning the project.

In the eight short months of pilot testing, participants reported amazing support and progress:

  • all elementary educators increased outdoor time with their classes
  • all Grade 1-2 classes participated in gardening activities (up from 44%)
  • all Grade 3-4 classes tried new outdoor activities, including exploring a wetland (88%, up from 43%), and exploring a meadow (88%, up from 50%)
  • all Grade 5-6 classes visited a public park (up from 67%), and an outdoor education centre (up from 78%)
  • all Grade 7-8 classes participated in a multicultural event (up from 29%), 80% explored a stream together (up from 14%), and 60% helped with a habitat improvement project (up from 29%)

Pilot Community Surveys

Surveys completed by participants resulted in a comprehensive Pilot Community Survey Report, released in the fall of 2019.  This report shows considerable interest in increasing outdoor and Landmark-linked activities both at home and at school, and a widespread need for sharing ideas and skills.  Current efforts are focused on strengthening community supports and mechanisms for sharing ideas.

Next Steps

The ultimate goal is ambitious – to roll out the project community-wide, so that every child shares each Landmark experience as they grow. We believe that every child has the right to be healthy, to care about and feel connected to their world, and to be nurtured by a community that cares about them.

This daunting task requires support in many ways – by sharing skills and resources, creative ideas, financial assistance, thoughtful feedback and goodwill. We’re confident that this can happen here.

Please contact us if you can help with the next stage of our journey.

Good News!

We’re delighted to announce that the Pathway Project has received three more years of funding support from the Ontario Trillium Foundation which will help us expand our reach through 2023.

More details soon, as plans are finalized.  In the meantime, try out our new Landmark Reporting system.  Register, login, and tell us what Landmark activities you’ve done.  You can report as an individual, family, school or group.  Help us reach our goal of 10,000 Landmarks completed over the next three years!

Everyone who submits a report has a chance to win a monthly draw prize ($50 value).  More entries mean more chances to win!