Success By 6® is an early childhood initiative jointly supported by United Way, the Government of British Columbia and the Savings and Credit Unions of British Columbia. Success By 6® is dedicated to building capacity of parents and communities to provide the foundation that children age 0-6 need. This foundation includes emotional, social, cognitive and physical skills.
Over 60 programs and events for children and their families were supported through Success by 6 this year in the Thompson Nicola Cariboo region. Coordinators in Williams Lake, 100 Mile House, Clearwater, Barriere and Merritt worked with their community tables and stakeholders to identify community priorities and needs for the 0-6 population. The programs that received support are varied in nature, but all offer invaluable support to families and positive opportunities to foster child development. Without funding and support through Success by 6 these programs would not be able to operate as they are. Here is a sample of programs that received funding last year:
Clearwater-Blue River Play Group:
This weekly parent/child drop-in program provides outreach and service to the most isolated communities and families in our area. There are 14 moms in the area who have children under six and all of them attend this drop-in program each week. It is the only social/recreational opportunity for families in this area.
“The Blue River play group has a huge impact because moms live in isolation here because there is nowhere to go ‚and there is no community centre, there is nothing. To have this as a group where moms can go is huge. Every family comes out. It creates a community for parents, where there is only a community here for people who work or who drink, not who are full time parents.”
Willow MacDonald, mother of Ruthie, age 3.
100 Mile House, Cariboo Family Enrichment Center Prenatal coupons:
These coupons are made available to over burdened mothers prenatally until their child becomes 3 through the Home Visiting program. These coupons promote breastfeeding, reduce food security, support low-income mothers and promote nutrition.
“The food coupons helped me to buy milk, cheese and fruit which are all expensive while I was pregnant and after the baby was born.” Mother, recipient of prenatal coupons.
