COWESSESS FIRST NATION
Building Strong Foundations for Early Learning and Family Wellbeing (Daycare/HeadStart New Building Project) Project Management Essentials Training and Advanced Project Management, 2025
WHO THEY ARE?
Cowessess First Nation is a Treaty 4 Nation in the Qu’Appelle Valley of
southern Saskatchewan, with roots in Saulteaux community life and a
mixed history that includes Cree and Métis families. The Nation’s purpose
is clear and practical: strengthen quality of life for members through
programs that centre children, families, language, and culture.
Education and early years care are core to that commitment. Cowessess
operates the K’Âwasis Daycare, a Head Start program, and the on
reserve Cowessess Community Education Centre (K–12)—a continuum
that supports children from infancy through graduation while keeping
learning anchored in community and culture. This long-standing focus on
early learning, family support, and culturally grounded schooling provides
the context for advancing new early-years infrastructure on Cowessess
terms.
WHAT THEY NEEDED
The existing daycare/Head Start building had deteriorated, was not
wheelchair-accessible, and no longer met the safety and program needs
of very young children. Cowessess needed a new facility that reflected
community priorities and created the right conditions for preschoolers to
learn, be cared for, and grow on Cowessess terms.
The new facility needed to meet licensing standards while creating a
nurturing early learning space for preschoolers—one that reflects
culture, connection, and care. It combines indoor and outdoor areas
rooted in local traditions, plenty of natural light, quiet and sleep spaces,
child-friendly fixtures, and accessible washrooms, doors, and play areas
for all.
To move forward with clarity, the Nation needed a project plan with
scope and costs controls, visible milestones from design to opening,
and clear roles defined—paired with a criteria-based, transparent
contractor-selection approach to keep procurement aligned with
community priorities.
WHAT WE DID
Delivered Project Management Essentials and Advanced Project Management workshops to convene focused, case-based planning around the Daycare/HeadStart project, translating leadership priorities into a clear, actionable plan.
Clarified governance and coordination through a stakeholder analysis, defining Chief & Council as sponsors, documenting departmental roles, and detailing how community input informs design.
Led development of a concise Project Charter capturing the problem, purpose, and measurable objectives—documenting a minimum 6,000-sq-ft footprint, culturally appropriate design, December 2027 completion target, capacity for up to 90 preschool spaces, licensing readiness, and provision for training/practicum and ECE-pathway learning.
Supported procurement by preparing a criteria-based contractor evaluation template for transparent, comparable selection.
Sequenced the path from design and site decisions through construction and opening, organizing the work at two levels: a summary phase view and a detailed task-level plan with responsibilities and key coordination points.
Ensured the planning framework captured all key program and design requirements, embedding community priorities into scope from the outset.
RESULTS WE GOT
Established a Nation-defined planning framework for the new early-years facility—aligning purpose, measurable objectives, scope, roles, and a phased path from design through opening.
Strengthened procurement through criteria-based evaluation, enabling transparent, comparable contractor selection.
Set a shared mandate with measurable targets—appropriate space, capacity, licensing readiness, and workforce-development pathways— giving leadership a clear plan to brief funders and steer design confidently.
Made the sequence visible through clear milestones; clarified roles for leadership, departments, the project team, and community input; and embedded communications, cultural considerations, accessibility features, and transfer-to-operations requirements as core components of the plan.
Brought the project to decision readiness—allowing leaders to advance design against an agreed sequence, coordinate departments around the plan, and proceed to procurement with confidence, keeping the work centred on children, families, and Cowessess values.
IN NUMBERS
1 Daycare/HeadStart Project Charter Developed
values carried into a clear mandate with measurable scope, and aligning leadership on the path ahead.
11 Deliverables Sequenced
A Plan, from design and site decisions through construction and transfer to operations, pacing decisions and coordination.
1 Contractor Evaluation Template Created
Criteria-based, transparent selection to compare bids and choose partners on Cowessess terms.
