A pair of pilot projects that help low-income families participate in recreational activities and support single parents experiencing mental-health issues are already showing positive results, Family Services and Consumer Affairs Minister Gord Mackintosh announced.
“We know that children involved in recreation do better socially, are healthier and achieve higher grades in school,” said Mackintosh. “By addressing the needs of the whole family, we can help parents feel included in their communities, which helps prepare them to find jobs.”
Recreational Opportunities for Children (ROC) is a $160,000 pilot project launched this past summer in the River East-Transcona and Seven Oaks-Inkster areas with the help of the YMCA-YWCA. In rural Manitoba, the initiative is also underway in the Eastman region and will soon launch in the Parkland region.
During the pilot project, eligible families will have access to financial support of up to $250 per child each year for activities such as sports, dance or art lessons. Children are matched with activities that fit their interests and can be sustained by the family in the future.
The program has already helped more than 50 children with the support of local businesses and communities through donations, sponsorships and other recreation program subsidies. When the program is fully running, there will be up to 80 families involved.
“There’s no doubt that this project is changing the lives of the people who participate,” said Moni Loewen, the ROC recreation support worker in Eastman. “You can see the sparkle in children’s eyes when they know they will be participating in an activity. And you can see the relief parents feel when their children are able to do something they couldn’t afford to do before.”
“We’re excited to offer this assistance to families that just needed a little extra help,” said Maureen Morrish, director of the YMCA-YWCA ROC project. “Parents have told us the project has eased stress at home, and helped them feel empowered to work and continue to improve their lives.”
A second pilot project assists single parents to cope with other pressures in their lives, the minister said. The $200,000 Parent Wellness Initiative works in partnership with the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) by supporting single parents who receive income assistance and live in the downtown-Point Douglas area of Winnipeg. The program is designed to help 30 to 35 families.
“We’ve taken a hands-on approach and are working very closely with families to ensure they get the help they need to move forward,” said Nicole Chammartin, executive director of the CMHA, Winnipeg Region.
The Parent Wellness Initiative offers workshops and skill coaches who work one-on-one with individuals who may be experiencing mental-health issues to improve parenting skills, achieve higher marks in school and find employment.
