The Strathcona County Child and Youth Coalition: |
Raises public awareness on the importance of supporting children and youth by identifying community needs and opportunities to improve well-being Connects community members to resources, programs and services by working together across organizations
Builds relationships with community organizations and members to support stronger outcomes Welcomes and includes diverse voices and ideas on how to best support children, youth and families in our community |
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FEATURED EVENTS/CAMPAIGNS |
September 30: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Strathcona County observes the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day on Sept. 30.
On September 30 at Broadmoor Lake participate in a day of learning, sharing and relationship building.
On the mainstage from 1 p.m. - 4 p.m., join guest speakers, an Indigenous elder and Indigenous performers and knowledge keepers to celebrate and learn about the history, heritage, resilience and diversity of Indigenous Peoples. Traditional food will be available, and family-friendly activities including a scavenger hunt will be offered.
strathcona.ca/indigenousconnections |
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FEATURED EVENTS/CAMPAIGNS |
Youth Employment Workshops and Job Fair!
Strathcona County Economic Development division, Strathcona Library, BGC Strathcona and Big Brothers Big Sisters Strathcona have been working together with local consultants and businesses to bring to our youth a series of workshops designed to increase their job search skill set and their networks.
Workshop topics include: - Job search strategies
- What to wear
- Interview skills
- Resume writing
The workshops will culminate in a Job Fair with a variety of local businesses in attendance. This job fair will be held at the Sherwood Park Clarion Hotel (2100 Premier Way – near Millennium Place) on Saturday, October 29, where youth and young adults can learn about job opportunities in the local area and apply to work with them on the spot. |
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Community Programs and Events | |
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Strathcona County Bookmobile |
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Strathcona County Library Early Literacy Programs |
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Big Brothers Big Sisters of Strathcona County |
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On August 11th, a few Big Brother Big Sister matches came together for an evening to learn about camping basics. We partnered with Parks Canada to host a Camping 101 workshop! Matches learned all about the National parks, fire building, wildlife safety information and how to identify and watch wildlife. Matches also got an opportunity to work together to learn how to set up and take down a tent! Great teamwork by all! |
Community Big Brothers Big Sisters Mentoring Program
Our more recognized program is our Community Based 1:1 program (Big Brothers, Big Sisters or Couple Matches). This is where a volunteer is matched to a child or youth based on their location, interests and activities they would like to do in a match. The match spends that one on one time out in the community with each other for about 1-2 hours weekly or 2-4 biweekly (depending on availability and scheduling between the volunteer and family). The match can participate in a wide range of activities such as going to parks, attending festivals and community events, bowling, baking, arts and crafts etc. We do encourage matches to focus on low or no cost activities in order to make the relationship affordable over the long period of time for both the volunteer and family.
In School Mentoring Program
The In School Mentoring Program is a way to get involved with a child. It allows volunteers (mentors) to share time with a child in their school during the school day. Mentors meet with their littles (students) following the 20-20-20 rule: 20 minutes of getting to know each other and catching up, 20 minutes of school work or reading, and 20 minutes of free time. In addition to friendship, the focus is on literacy, social support and classroom support. Volunteers in this program are meeting youth in their schools during the school day (lunch hours even!). Matches in this program do not meet over the summer. Great opportunity for businesses to support their employees to get involved in a local volunteer program, and only have to give up an hour of their time each week!
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Strathcona County Family Resource Network
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Stay and Play Join us Monday mornings for this drop-in opportunity to meet other parents, spend time with your child and get to know your community!
At Stay & Play you can expect to: - Try some fun play ideas and recipes
- Learn how to support your child’s development
- Pick up some great parenting tips
- Discover more about the resources in our community
FOR: Parents and caregivers with children ages 0-6
WHEN: Mondays September 12th-December 12th (*Omit Oct 10) 9:00am-11:30am at the Children and Youth Community Centre (3 Spruce Ave). And Fridays September 16th to December 16th (*Omit Sept. 30 & Nov. 11) 9:00am-11:30am at the Strathcona Olympiette Centre (52029 Range Rd 224).
Confident Kids For children to develop confidence and strong social-emotional skills, they need opportunities to experience peer interactions in a safe and encouraging environment. This interactive program will create space for your young person to connect with others and learn new skills in a fun way!
FOR: Children in Grades 1 to 3 WHEN: Wednesdays September 28 to November 2 6:00pm-7:00pm at Family and Community Services (Second floor, east wing, Community Centre, 401 Festival Lane) To register, visit www.strathcona.ca/families Kids Have Stress Too! Stress is a normal part of everyday life for children and adults, but too much stress can be overwhelming. Join us for this online workshop to look at strategies to help reduce stress and support your child to develop effective coping techniques.  FOR: Parents and caregivers with children ages 0-18 WHEN: Wednesday September 21st 6-8pm online To register, visit www.strathcona.ca/families Inclusive Parenting
Where do you begin when talking with your teens about the impacts of drugs and alcohol? Join us for Inclusive Parenting, a session in partnership with Parents Empowering Parents Society. This session will cover adolescent brain development, signs, symptoms and impacts of substance use, how to talk about substances use with your teen, and resources available to you and your family.
FOR: Parents and caregivers with children ages 0-18 WHEN: Monday September 26th 6-7:30pm Community Centre Meeting Room #1 To register, visit www.strathcona.ca/families |
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Strathcona County Recreation Parks and Culture (RPC)
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Strathcona County Preschool Programs Fall Preschool Programs Strathcona County offers programs for children of all ages and stages on their preschool journey. Children learn new skills with a caring adult nearby in parented classes, get used to being away from loved ones and make new friends in unparented classes, or prepare for Kindergarten in Pre-K.
Registration is open throughout the session and program fees are prorated to the date of enrollment, so it’s never too late for your child to join in!
Visit Preschool - Recreation Online (strathcona.ca) to view and register for available programs! |
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Elk Island Public Schools |
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Pre-K Programming in Elk Island Public Schools Early learning lays the foundation for success in primary grades and beyond. Is there a preschooler in your life who may be experiencing developmental delays or challenges with speech-language or motor-skill development—big or small? The Play and Learn at School (PALS) pre-kindergarten program could help!
Elk Island Public Schools (EIPS) is currently accepting applications for free, speech-language assessments for the 2022-23 school year. The assessment findings will help determine if PALS is an appropriate program for your child. If you know a preschooler born in 2018 or 2019 who might benefit from the EIPS PALS program, contact the Supports for Students Early Learning team to inquire about programming or to schedule a speech-language assessment for your child. Phone: 780-417-8219.
PALS Program
PALS Registration |
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Elk Island Catholic Schools
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Early Intervention, Program Unit Funding (PUF)
Our early intervention program for preschoolers is part of our Flexible Pathways Program at EICS. These programs are available at Madonna Catholic School in Sherwood Park and St. John XXIII Catholic School in Fort Saskatchewan. Our Flexible Pathways PUF program offers 3 and 4-year-olds the opportunity to learn and develop their skills in a play and faith-based environment. Led by a certified teacher and supported by Educational Assistants, children will learn through play that is integrated with arts, literacy, numeracy, speech and language activities. Children in the program benefit from a team of consultants such as Speech-Language Pathologist, Occupational Therapist, Physiotherapist, and Inclusive Learning Consultants.
Criteria for Eligibility To be eligible for our Flexible Pathways (PUF) programs, children need to be 3 or 4 years old and meet the following criteria: Maximum age of 4 years and 8 months by Sept. 1, 2022 Severe developmental delay (i.e. CP, Autism, Down Syndrome) Severe delay in speech and language This year we will be holding screening clinics in the spring to determine eligibility. Please contact Andrea Boyle at andrea.boyle@eics.ab.ca for more information or to book an appointment.
Kindergarten in EICS To register for Kindergarten in the 2022-2023 school year, your child must be five years old on or before December 31, 2022.
Independence, initiative, decision making, creativity, the ability to learn, relationships and feelings of self-worth - all have their beginnings in early childhood. We believe that each child is unique and, together with parents as our partners, we build upon children's natural curiosity and spontaneity, encouraging and supporting them as they take their first step into school.
Please note that Kindergarten registration for the 2022-2023 school year will be available online on Monday, February 1st, 2022. |
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Ardrossan Recreation and Agricultural Society (ARAS)
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Community Education Service (CES) |
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Caregiver Education Team Newsletter |
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