Building Compassionate Communities
Grandir avec mon enfant
-LAPS-
Five years ago when I was approached by Margo Fauchon to join the team for the adaptation of the LAPS program for the francophone population of Canada, I didn't really know what I was getting into. I knew it was a good idea, but I wondered how it was going to happen and how the communities would receive it. If I had known the challenges I was to face I'm not sure I would have untaken the enormous task of translating, adapting and promoting the program. Today, having traveled across Canada to train facilitators and witnessing their response, I feel honored and grateful for being a member of the project.
We had originally planned to give five training sessions and train a minimum of 30 people. However, with the growing interest in the francophone community, the demand of the various provincial organizations across Canada and the excellent partnership we created with these, Margo Fauchon, Suzanne Dionne-Coster, Colleen Ouellette and myself were able to offer ten sessions and train over 100 facilitators. For the francophone communities, Grandir avec mon enfant – LAPS is a model that enables them to reach out to parents and offer them assistance in the area of literacy and parenting.
The participants we have encountered are all very excited about the program. Everywhere, people praised the value of the program: the pedagogical approach, the parenting skills, the literacy skills woven into the parenting skills, the parent-child activities and the facilitating skills to help parents become aware of their own skills. They also enjoyed the training process that enabled them to reflect on their situation in a minority context and discuss the numerous challenges they face as francophones desiring to maintain their language and culture.
They are now eager to put what they have learned into practice, each one adapting it to their own situation. For them, the program is an opportunity to reach parents and support them in their role as first educators of their children. For the parents it means an opportunity to gather and share their experiences together and support each other in their parenting role. For the children it means a stronger relationship with their parents. For the community, it means stronger and more dedicated families.
We wish them much success as we all continue to work together towards more compassionate communities where everyone works for the welfare of children and their parents. Raising a child is a community responsibility and Grandir avec mon enfant is just another very effective way to work together.
FESA Milestones...
- Began Literacy and Parenting Skills (LAPS) research in 1993
- Incorporated as a not-for-profit society in 1996
- Provided free, locally-based family literacy and parenting skills programs since 1996 to multi-barriered learners
- Nationally recognized for developing LAPS program (2000 Canada Post Literacy Award in the Community Leadership in Literacy category)
- Adapted LAPS program for ESL, Aboriginal and francophone audiences, including customized training, manuals, learning supplements, and videos
- 1300+ individuals were trained to deliver LAPS programming across Canada in 175 communities, representing 261 community organizations
- 20+ individuals are certified Train the Trainers to expand community involvement in LAPS programming
- Collaborated with 30+ Calgary community organizations to deliver four family literacy programs to target audience; Books for Babies/Jump Start, Homespun, LAPS, Parent-Child Mother Goose
- Participated in ground breaking research projects (e.g. Moving Forward, Parenting After Violence)
- Provided public awareness relating to literacy, family literacy and parent education
- Established as a not-for-profit registered charity in 2003
- Set a new course to secure and expand programs and services in 2004