Background & History

The Comox Valley Early Years Collaborative (CVEYC or Collaborative) is a network of over 50 individuals and organizations committed to improving the lives of the children in the Comox Valley.

Since 2015, the Collaborative has actively contributed to local communities as a network of individuals and organizations committed to improving the lives of children and families across the Comox Valley.  Historically, the Collaborative was built on the collective work of the Early Years Inter-Agency committee, the Parenting Committee, the Father Involvement Network, the Perinatal Advisory committee, the School District No. 71 Early Learning Committee and the Family Literacy Outreach committee.

The Collaborative is open to anyone interested in our work.  Email earlyyearscollaborative@gmail.com for more information.

Learn more about Early Years Collaborative Participants

Learn more about the Collaborative’s Umbrella Network, the Comox Valley Community Health Network.

Territory Acknowledgement

The work of the Comox Valley Early Years Collaborative takes place on the traditional unceded territories of the K'ómoks First Nation, the traditional keepers of this land. The Collaborative, our participants, contractors and steering committee members recognize the many harms done to indigenous children, families and people through a long history of colonialism in British Columbia and beyond. The intergenerational effects of residential schools, and other imposed institutions and practices will take a long time to reconcile.

We are committed to putting in the time and work.

The work of the Comox Valley Early Years Collaborative is inspired by an important set of guiding principles. These guidelines strongly reflect and acknowledge indigenous ways of knowing. We are continuously learning and bringing these values into practice as an act of reconciliation.

Guiding Principles

The work of the Collaborative is guided by a set of five main principles:

Connectedness

We value connectedness so we will strive to collaborate through strong and supportive relationships with each other (professionally) and each service (organizationally) to create a growing web of care around families.

Truth & Reconciliation

We value the work to advance truth and reconciliation, so we acknowledge our responsibility to decolonize spaces, structures, and processes to contribute to a more just, equitable and decolonized future.

Diversity

We value diversity so we will include many perspectives by fostering a spirit of openness and appreciation.

Respect

We value respect so we will support each other, value each other’s expertise and intentionally be culturally aware. Our interactions will be reflective, regulated, fun and inspire a feeling of commitment to the collaborative.

Systems Change

We value systems change so we will embrace innovative, creative and insightful approaches to change using child and family-focused knowledge.  We are committed to generative conversations that lead to action.