This blog was written by Reem Abdulkader, HIPPY Coordinator at Mosaic Newcomer Family Resource Network.
Arriving to a new county can bring joy and great excitement for many newcomer families. It can also be the source of many worries and questions related to their new life in Canada; language, culture, different weather and of course missing their family’s support back home.
Mosaic Newcomer Family Resource Network is a welcoming and a safe space for newcomer families and their children. You can see the rich diversity and skill building everywhere in our five locations all across the city of Winnipeg. Our guiding principles are enthusiasm, compassion, respect and understanding. More than 70% of our employees were born outside of Canada; that lived experience is a valuable resource and we are working together to serve one purpose: learning and growing together in a healthy and respectful, warm, supporting atmosphere.
Mosaic provides English classes with quality child care, settlement and parenting support for newcomer parents. Having care for newcomer children on site allows many newcomer mothers to participate in language training and family programs while their children are having a great time and making new friends.
All Mosaic family programs are designed to meet the needs of newcomer families. We offer language and cultural supports and quality childcare. All of our programs are free.
Mosaic also hosts various family and community programs in partnership with other organizations, schools and community centres in the city.
Mosaic programmes focus on child and parent attachment and creating a family time. We emphasize parents as the child’s first teacher, and we encourage newcomer parents to share the wealth of parenting information that they bring from their culture.
At Mosaic we offer a variety of programs such as parenting programs, literacy programs, drop in programs, home visiting programs, and presentations that support families in understanding the Canadian parenting laws and safety tips to support them to stay safe in their homes, and help them to adapt to the new life in Canada.
Wiggle Giggle Munch, Nobody’s Perfect, Handle with Care, PDEP are some of our most requested and well attended group programs. Families enjoy coming with their children for two hours of physical activities, learning together and healthy snacks.
In addition to Mosaic’s group programs we have two unique home visiting programs that bring the knowledge and the support to the parents in the comfort of their homes. The first is Positive Discipline in Everyday Parenting. PDEP is an innovative program aimed at helping parents and caregivers to replace rewards and punishments with communication, problem-solving and relationship-building. Founded on children’s rights to dignity, protection from violence, and participation in their learning, PDEP is a primary prevention program aimed at reducing physical and psychological punishment of children.
The second is the HIPPY program (Home Instructions for Parents of Preschool Youngsters)
In the HIPPY program home visitors share the language, culture and life experiences of the families they serve and are frequently mothers who previously participated in the HIPPY program with their own children. Working as HIPPY home visitor is often the first job in Canada for many newcomer mothers and a critical step to preparing for their next job in the work force.
HIPPY empowers mothers as the primary educators of their children in the home and fosters their involvement in school and in the community. This helps to strengthen mother-child relationships and maximize successful early-school experiences.
Adding to those wonderful programs we have the Family Engagement Mentorship Program (FEMP) where our mother participants can start as volunteers and with the support of the family program mentors, various trainings, practice in a job interview, and writing resumes, our participants gain Canadian work experience and training that gives them more confidence and opportunities to find employment.
You can feel Mosaic’s core values of love, compassion, and respect, when you enter our beautiful entrance and see the lovely painting that was collectively painted by employees to celebrate 10 years of the service to our community, and when you see the smiling faces welcoming you and asking how can I help?
So please come and visit us when you come to Winnipeg and enjoy spending quality time with your children.
You can learn more about Mosaic through visiting our website: http://www.mosaicnet.ca/
