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A new program to support early childhood educators in the North
On October 31, approximately 15 mentors and mentees from Yukon, the Northwest Territories, and Nunavut gathered to celebrate the launch of Mentorship in Action, an initiative led by Collège Nordique in partnership with Collège La Cité. This new program aims to strengthen professional skills, encourage the sharing of experiences, and build connections among those working in the early childhood education sector across Northern Canada.
Support tailored to Northern realities
Recognizing the value of the early childhood education profession, attracting new students, and promoting mobility between territories are important objectives for the development of the sector in Northern Canada. By encouraging exchanges and knowledge sharing across the three territories, this initiative helps raise awareness of training opportunities and supports the professional development of early childhood educators.
With these goals in mind, Collège Nordique and Collège La Cité created Mentorship in Action: Valuing and Strengthening the Early Childhood Education Profession.
Officially launched on November 9, 2026, in the Northwest Territories, the program will run until March 2027. It is designed for individuals who wish to explore the field of early childhood education, expand their knowledge, or advance their professional careers.
Through a mentorship matching system, individuals with little or no experience can receive guidance from mentors who have relevant education or professional experience in the field.
This approach supports personalized learning while encouraging exchanges among Francophone communities across the three territories.
Learning from one another
At the heart of the program is a simple idea: the experience and knowledge gained through hands-on practice are valuable resources that deserve to be shared.
Each mentorship pair identifies its own goals and selects topics to explore based on individual needs and interests.
Discussions may focus on group management, child development, inclusive educational practices, collaboration with families, or entering the workforce.
The program also allows participants to learn more about training opportunities, discover different educational approaches, and receive practical advice they can apply in their professional environments.
Meetings take place in person or virtually, depending on participants' locations, making it easier to connect across the three territories.
A community of practice beyond territorial borders
Beyond individual support, Mentorship in Action aims to build a network of early childhood educators who can learn from one another, despite the distances separating their communities.
The October 31 launch event in the Northwest Territories, which brought together approximately 15 mentors and mentees from all three territories, marked an important first step in this initiative.
Throughout the program, mentorship pairs will be encouraged to share their learning experiences and contribute to the development of a shared collection of educational resources.
At the end of the program, each pair will have the opportunity to present an educational project, a reflection on their experience, or a multimedia contribution to highlight the knowledge gained and practices developed.
These contributions will help extend the benefits of mentorship beyond individual meetings and encourage ongoing exchanges within the Northern early childhood education community.
Recognizing the value of the early childhood education profession
Through this initiative, Collège Nordique and Collège La Cité reaffirm their commitment to education, professional support, and recognizing the important contributions of those who work every day to support the development and well-being of young children.
By encouraging knowledge sharing between experienced professionals and those entering the field, Mentorship in Action helps strengthen professional skills, support the next generation of educators, and promote mobility between territories.
This new program offers an opportunity to build lasting connections among early childhood educators across the North and highlight the wealth of practices and experiences found throughout the three territories.
And this is just the beginning! Following the initial launch in the Northwest Territories, Mentorship in Action will continue to expand, with another launch event scheduled in Nunavut on Thursday, November 26, 2026. This will provide another opportunity to bring early childhood educators together and strengthen connections among Northern communities.
Published on November 12th 2026