Mosaic – Newcomer Family Resource Network is a rights-based organization in Winnipeg, Manitoba, that provides newcomer parents and primary caregivers with opportunities to develop additional language and parenting skills. These skills build the confidence and independence required to participate actively in community life, and allow their clients to contribute to and share in the benefits of their new communities.
HIPPY Winnipeg at Mosaic – Newcomer Family Resource Network
Mosaic – Newcomer Family Resource Network was established in 2009 with five independent English language classes. Today, Mosaic still provides English language classes but has expanded to include onsite childcare, settlement services, and a variety of family programs such as parenting programs, literacy programs, PDEP (Positive Discipline in Everyday Parenting), and HIPPY that serve refugee and immigrant women and families.
As a whole Mosaic’s programs serve 3,644 clients per year (including those participating in the HIPPY program). This include 450 Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) students and 280 children ranging in age from six months to five years. With five permanent locations, Mosaic’s programs reach families across Winnipeg.
Mosaic started offering the HIPPY program in 2016. In the 2019-2020 program year, Mosaic will employ one HIPPY Site Coordinator and four HIPPY Home Visitors. These staff will serve 145 HIPPY families with 194 children. The families in HIPPY come mainly from Eritrea, Syria, Somalia, Myanmar, and Iraq.
Insight into the HIPPY Program:
“The HIPPY home visitor helped me a lot with my settlement needs. The home visitor guided me to do my resume and encouraged me to volunteer in my daughter’s school. Now I have a permanent part time job in the childcare; I take my two younger daughters with me and with all the skills that HIPPY brought to my home. They are very ready, they now how to cut papers and hold the pencil! They learn and play actively with the other children, thank you Mounira!” – Batlah Alshareaa, HIPPY Winnipeg Mom
Success Story:
Batlah Alshareaa is a mother to four young girls and a newcomer to Canada from Syria. “It was so hard to think about certain activities for my girls. The HIPPY home visitor provided me with ideas, supplies, and skills and encouraged me to spend a quality time with my children.”
Batlah and her children were very excited to welcome the HIPPY home visitor every week, who provided them with the craft supplies and books they would need to develop new skills while learning, reading, moving, and playing together.
For more information, please visit: http://www.mosaicnet.ca/
