What we offer

Images from the Family Centre

Our services

Programs

• Music and Movement~ Kathleen Woods, an early years music educator, runs a very popular music and movement class. The class is open to children aged five and under.

• Drop-in Playgroups~ Miki, an early childhood educator, facilitates drop-in playgroups for caregivers and children from birth to five years of age. The playgroups include free play, crafts, snack and circle time.

• Afterschool Program~ Joe, whos has a BEd, runs a drop-in program for children who have completed kindergarten. Each week has a different theme and incorporates crafts, games, sports activities and lots of fun.

• Conversation Club~ Kathy Bortolin, our newsletter editor and a PhD student, runs a club to help people gain confidence and fluency in English as a second language.

• Women's Social~ about once a month Emma organizes a social evening for women. This ranges from going to see a movie at Cinecenta to clothing swaps or simply getting together for coffee and dessert.

• Discussion Groups~ these vary throughout the year. Sometimes we run parenting courses such as "Nobody’s Perfect." Other times we offer one-off workshops facilitated by specialists drawn from in and around our community, such as "Learning How to Meditate," "First Aid," or "How to Find Childcare".

• Special Events~ throughout the year we hold pot-luck suppers and celebrations. Typically there’s an end-of-summer potluck, a Halloween BBQ, a Winter celebration and a big party in April to celebrate the end of the academic year. These are simply about getting together and having fun.
  

Family supports

• Clothing Exchange~ the "tub," as it has affectionately become known, is a place of treasures to be found! It operates as a clothing exchange. If you need a new winter jacket or your child has lost yet another pair of gloves, stop by and take a look through. If you have clothing in excellent condition that you no longer need, please talk to us about adding it to the "tub."

• Food Share~ due to a lack of storage space we are unable to operate this all year long, but periodically we set up a food share table outside the Family Centre. You’re welcome to take whatever you can use -- there’s also a food bank located in the Student Union Building.

• Book Library~ we have books for children, youth and adults – sign them out and they’re yours for a month.

• Toy Library~ as with the book library we have toys available to be signed out.

Information and referral

If you have questions about fun places to visit, finding childcare, local schools, health care, parenting issues or other concerns relating to your family … please feel free to drop by and ask a member of staff