Meet our Mount Royal Capstone Projects: A Brighter Future For All

As an early education centre whose mission has always been to elevate, continuously innovate and challenge the standards of high-quality childcare for the modern family, our team felt that in order to live into our mission, we must continue to challenge ourselves, our ways of thinking, foster innovation and expand our support beyond our facility walls.

In the fall of 2021, we were thrilled to partner with Mount Royal University’s (MRU) Department of Child Studies program and be a part of their undergraduate capstone project. Greeted by 12 MRU students, our capstone group and Wee Wild Ones team collaboratively wrote our intentions for the next eight months, starting with discovering our collective ‘why,’ ‘how’ and ‘what.’ These pillars are our foundation in guiding our projects to ​​co-create change within ourselves and our community.

Our Capstone’s Why: We strive for a world where every child is given an equitable opportunity to live, learn and play in a system that supports the needs of all. 

Our Capstone’s How: To build a collective community of thoughtful, inclusive citizens who actively work towards a decolonized and anti-racist world by forming and honouring reciprocal relationships with knowledge keepers and all peoples. 

Our Capstone’s What: To create diverse and inclusive learning opportunities that foster reflection and build empathy through shared human experiences.

Once these building blocks were made, our team separated the 12 capstone students into three groups of four and provided a brief explanation of each project outline while leaving room for their creative and innovative thinking to foster. 

Capstone Group A: Curriculum

Group A, also known as the Curriculum group, began to explore topics of sustainability, decolonization, land-based learning, and Indigenous pedagogical perspectives, particularly pertaining to early childhood curriculum design and implementation. From their research and findings, Group A began to evaluate Flight: Alberta’s Early Learning and Care Framework, looking at a Practice of Relationships, Responsive Environments and Transition & Continuity. 

In addition to their evaluation, the team is seeking to establish a counsel of Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers to provide insight and weave a Treaty 7 Territory lens into our curriculum.

Capstone Group B: Team Experiences

Group B, known as the Team Experiences group, began to explore the concept of well-being and mental health practices in the workplace within the context of decolonization while weaving in Treaty 7 Territory practices into our everyday experiences. From their findings, Group B is planning on developing a practitioner wellness handbook with the medicine wheel in mind for all team members to use. 

In addition to this thought-led resource, the team has planned ongoing Community of Practice workshops for our internal Wee Wild Ones community to provide an opportunity for them to expand their learning.

Capstone Group C: WilderFutures

Lastly, Group C, known as the WilderFutures group, began to explore a way to create a  fundraising campaign with a decolonized approach. In partnership with Urban Society for Aboriginal Youth, Group C has been working on developing an educational fundraiser that brings local leading businesses and community members together on a journey from truth to reconciliation and beyond. Their research and learnings have been developed into an online, interactive educational toolkit in conjunction with a five-part event series led by settlers, Elders and knowledge keepers.

To join the journey, Group C has determined an initial investment of $100, granting businesses and individuals access to the toolkit and event series. All funds raised will be donated to our partnered organization USAY. To learn more about this project and how you can be a part of the change, click here. 

As we look back on our time with our 12 MRU students, we are blown away by their pursuit to learn, commitment to this cause, and ongoing ability to put themselves in challenging conversations to actively work towards creating a more equitable future for all. With a few more more months left before their capstones come to a close, we look forward to the execution of their research and work and are excited to continue these projects in 2022 and beyond!