An early learning initiative that supports a number of programs and services for young children and new parents in Nanaimo will continue its work this year.
The province is giving $3.4 million to Success By 6, a partnership formed in 2003 between the government, the United Way and credit unions.
Shelley Anderson, central Island Success by 6 coordinator, said the area’s portion of the money is slightly lower this year – the group will get a little more than $200,000, down from about $275,000 last year – but she’s pleased the province decided to continue funding the initiative.
“We’re happy that the province is really starting to recognize the importance of investing in the early years,” she said.
Two years ago, the government was considering cutting funding drastically or altogether, she said.
This year’s funding was announced about a month earlier than usual, which Anderson said will enable the group to put programs in place earlier.
The funds support early education and awareness programs like Parent-Child Mother Goose, healthy start to learning fairs and the biannual family literacy magazine published through the Nanaimo News Bulletin and distributed in the March 10 edition.
As coordinator, Anderson brings stakeholders in each central Island community – Nanaimo, Ladysmith, Oceanside, Port Alberni, Tofino and Ucluelet – together to work collaboratively on early learning initiatives and share resources.
For example, a partnership with Nanaimo’s parks department enables the Parent-Child Mother Goose program to reach more families, because the city provides space and handles registration.
Anderson said the group wants to get more businesses and organizations on board as sponsors.
“We’ve developed a sustainability committee, recognizing that our funds are dwindling every year from the provincial government,” she said.
This year the Greater Nanaimo Early Years Partnership, the organization in charge of distributing the Success by 6 funds in the city, wants to focus on programs that help boost physical health and well-being of young children, as well as encourage families to “unplug” and spend time connecting with one another.
The first focus is because research has determined that Nanaimo children are most vulnerable on the physical health and well-being measure when entering kindergarten, said Anderson, and the second focus is because the modern family struggles to find time to spend together.
“Every moment you have to interact with your child is very meaningful,” said Anderson. “I recognize that everyone is busy. We have many impoverished families in our community, but we also have many families that are time impoverished.”
Elizabeth Pennell, Nanaimo school district’s early years coordinator, said even though the Success by 6 funding is a small amount of money, the group has been able to do a lot with it through community partnerships.
