Jill Wickins

Jill Wickins is a stalwart figure in the early childhood education community, having dedicated over four decades to the field. As a Registered Early Childhood Educator with Compass Early Learning and Care, she has left an indelible mark on the lives of over 4000 children and their families. Throughout her extensive career, Jill has worn many hats, embodying roles ranging from educator to advocate, leader, and mentor.

Her approach is rooted in the belief of a value/strength-based methodology, which she applies not only to succession planning but also to day-to-day operations. Jill understands the pivotal role of fostering deeper understanding and cultivating confident decision-makers and leaders within the early learning environment. She places significant emphasis on building robust relationships with community partners, families, children, and colleagues, recognizing them as invaluable resources for creating nurturing and enriching early learning environments.

Beyond her professional endeavors, Jill finds solace and fulfillment in her family and farm life, cherishing her role as a grandparent to two beautiful grandchildren. Despite her numerous achievements and accolades, Jill remains grounded and humble, attributing success to collective effort rather than individual accomplishment.

An ardent advocate for fair compensation within the early childhood education sector, Jill champions equitable pay for all educators and support staff. She fervently believes that their contributions to children, families, and communities warrant recognition and fair remuneration.

In facing professional challenges, Jill is undeterred by obstacles, often generating innovative solutions to enhance accessibility and meet the diverse needs of families. She is relentless in her pursuit of staying abreast of industry changes, supporting various programs, and advocating for the success of all involved.

Jill's leadership in the community is unparalleled, admired by hundreds for her unwavering dedication to children and families, her empathetic nature, and her sense of loyalty to the field of early childhood education. Her impact extends beyond the confines of her role, inspiring others and raising the standard for childcare in her community.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Jill's commitment shone brightly as she worked tirelessly to facilitate emergency childcare for frontline workers and provided clarity and reassurance to families navigating uncertain times.

In sum, Jill Wickins is a beacon of resilience, compassion, and advocacy, whose profound influence has left an indelible mark on the landscape of early childhood education.

Social Posts

This Labour Day, we honour the courage of union members, advocates, and everyday workers who continue that fight today. ❤️
 
United Way Peterborough & District stands proudly alongside Labour.

Together, we build communities where everyone has what they need to thrive. 

 #LabourDay2026
🚚 Moving thousands of school supplies to fill more than 400 backpacks for local students is made easy thanks to the help of our wonderful friends @autoconnectsales 

✏️Thank you to Cheryl, Martin and the whole team for your support our of Backpacks for Success program. Your generosity makes a real difference in our community!
🎉 PTBO & COUNTY, SAVE THE DATE! 🎉

We’re kicking off something special. 85 years of United Way Peterborough & District and we want you to be there! 

Join us for our 2026 Campaign Launch, presented by Miskin Law [@miskinlaw] as we officially launch this year’s campaign and celebrate the incredible community that has carried the work of United Way forward for 85 years. ❤️

We’re especially excited to welcome 2026 Campaign Chair Tiffany Arcari [@_thetiffanyshow] whose leadership will help guide this year’s campaign, alongside Jason Seguya, our new CEO, as he joins our community for his first Campaign Launch in his new role. Let’s make it a special one😁📣!

📅 September 17, 2026
⏰ 12:00 - 1:30 [doors open at 11:30]
📍 Healthy Planet Arena

More details — including tickets — at the link🔗 in our bio!

85 years united. One community. A campaign to remember.
✨ Half the world is under 30. In Canada, that’s 35% of us.

Young people aren’t just the future, they’re changemakers right now. 💪

On #InternationalYouthDay, United Way Peterborouh & District celebrates their leadership, their courage, and their vision for a better world. 🌟💛
🎒🚗 What a day! We filled the Fords and our hearts @autoconnectsales

A HUGE thank you to everyone who came out to Fill the Fords on Saturday, donated supplies, volunteered, sponsored the event, grabbed a BBQ lunch courtesy of @kingstmarket, enjoyed some ice cream from @central_smith, and helped us celebrate the incredible generosity of our community.

We’re so grateful to Auto Connect Sales, our sponsors, community partners, volunteers, media friends, and every single person who helped make this day possible. Your support will help local students start the school year feeling prepared, confident, and ready to learn.

But we’re not done yet! 🎒

There’s still time to help. If you haven’t had a chance to donate, we’re collecting new backpacks and school supplies at the United Way Peterborough & District office and at participating community collection locations until THIS FRIDAY, August 14!

Every backpack, every box of crayons, every notebook and every donation helps us get closer to ensuring local students have the tools they need to succeed.

✨Comment “BACK TO SCHOOL” and we’ll send you the full list of participating businesses running supply drives.
Exciting News! 💫 The Reaching Home deadline has been extended!

Applicants now have until Wednesday, August 19 to submit your proposals.

Please keep in mind: 
👉 Applications will be reviewed based on alignment to the following community priorities:
• Creating, preserving, and enabling equitable access to housing
• Eviction prevention
• Outreach
👉 Funding covers the period October 1, 2026, to March 31, 2028
👉 New application deadline August 19, 2026

ℹ️ What is Reaching Home? It's a community-based program aimed at preventing and reducing homelessness across Canada. This program provides funding to communities to help them address their local homelessness needs.

Apply today at uwpeterborough.ca
We 💙 GM Financial!

A huge thank you to our friends at GM Financial for dropping off our first Backpacks for Success donations of the season! We’re so grateful for partnerships like these in our community. 

💡 As part of their workplace drive, employees received a work from home day in exchange for making a donation. What a creative way to encourage workplace giving!

Our Backpacks for Success supply drives wrap up on August 14, but there is still time to help! Join us on August 8 at Auto Connect Sales for our Fill the Fords event. We’ll be there from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. collecting school supplies, so stop by, say hello, and help us fill the Fords! 👋🎒
Donate To the United Way
Donate