LET'S SUPPLY A FUTURE
In May 2023, the Mothers Matter Centre launched the Right to be Ready campaign, helping families fill the gaps that can hinder a child’s success in school. Among these gaps are the prohibitive costs of back-to-school supplies, placing a heavy strain on household budgets for low-income newcomer, refugee and Indigenous families, forcing difficult strategic spending decisions that make the start of school especially stressful.
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On average, a year’s supplies can top $600 per child, not easy for families on social assistance, with thousands of parents unable to afford the basics — and that doesn’t even include the added costs of field trips, school lunches, indoor shoes and more.
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Together, we can lighten that weight and free young minds to rise to their fullest potential. Join us to provide school supplies that supply hopes, dreams and a solid foundation, because every child deserves the right to be ready. To share your support, please donate to help give kids a learning chance.
May 10-11, 2023
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Simon Fraser University
Harbour Centre Campus
Vancouver, BC
Click HERE to register!
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A conference to diminish preschool readiness gaps for Canada’s most vulnerable populations through changes in policy and practice. Every child deserves success in school and life.
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In a world where so many obstacles can deny children’s rights to a quality education, the MMC is on the front lines to clear their path to success.
About the Conference
Without critical life skills and supports, many children are unprepared to succeed at school.
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Sufficient preschool readiness relies on fulfilling several fundamental rights, such as early literacy, adequate shelter, food, clothing, security, and play. These are all essential to helping kids launch into learning with ready minds and open hearts.
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The Right to Be Ready Conference will bring together policymakers, researchers, community organizations, school boards, educational authorities, and funders to better understand and explore strategies for closing preschool readiness gaps in Canada.
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Day One of the conference will centre on convening the community discussions series groups in dialogue with other attendees and stakeholders. Experts in early childhood learning will share the trials and challenges of children's rights in Canada.
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Day Two will feature expert keynote speakers who will share the refugee and newcomer journey of children's rights in Canada. Speakers will also amplify the diverse needs of the marginalized members from cultural and racial communities. In part two, Indigenous community members will provide a multi-disciplinary perspective on the issues surrounding children's education and children's rights in Canada.
WHO MAY BE INTERESTED
Practitioners, academics, policy makers in the area of early-learning and care, settlement, Indigenous and international development organizations.
Keynote Speakers
Presenters
About the Campaign
Without critical life skills and supports, many children are unprepared to succeed at school. Dedicated to equal education opportunities and social inclusion, Mothers Matter Centre helps them get a fair start through our Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) program.
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Working with vulnerable, isolated moms and disadvantaged families, we focus on key factors that ensure kids enter school with confidence and security, such as: literacy, nutrition, adequate shelter and clothing, safety, and the vital importance of play – all of which help kids launch into learning with ready minds and open hearts.
Through home visits, we guide and engage parents to equip their kids with a full rainbow of social, intellectual and physical skills. We also coach on how to transform home situations into healthy spaces that foster early learning, with referrals to social housing, food banks, doctors, counselling and more.
In a world where so many obstacles can deny children’s rights to a quality education, MMC is on the front lines to clear their path to success. Join us in our fight to give kids a learning chance.
The MMC is looking to collaborate with other key stakeholders in the Right to be Ready initiative.
Preschool readiness is a fundamental human right
We focus on literacy
Children’s earliest and most powerful learning comes from their families. Through a structured education program, HIPPY helps parents lay the foundations for success at school by guiding parents to teach their children literacy, numeracy, and language skills, as well as physical skills, so they develop a love of learning that lasts throughout their lives.
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We provide the opportunity to play
For young children, play is more than just a fun activity. Research has shown that play contributes to a child’s healthy development. It helps build social, emotional, physical and cognitive skills. Furthermore, play is a child’s right. It provides the base foundation for learning. The HIPPY program offers ample opportunity for parent-child play time through dramatic play, singing, rhyming, games, puzzles, cooking, baking and movement.
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We support families to secure food, shelter, and security
The home visit enables peer Home Visitors to observe the conditions of the home regularly over a long period. Home Visitors can pick up on dynamics that mitigate against a positive home learning environment. Through observation and gentle coaching, they can support mothers in developing and creating the physical and emotional conditions to foster a healthy space for their children. This includes referrals and connections to essential services like social housing, food banks, school counsellors, doctors, trauma counselling, etc.
Taking place from November to June 2023, the Right to be Ready campaign comprises three parts:
Social Media Campaign
Launch: World Children's Day, November 20, 2022
Right to be Ready will address the inequities of preschool preparedness. It will advocate for children's fundamental right to have what it takes to succeed in school and life.
Community Dialogue Series
January - March 2023
Community-based discussion groups will give voice to socially and economically excluded parents on the critical issues, barriers, and solutions to equitable school readiness.
Two-Day Conference
May 10 - 11, 2023
A two-day conference in Vancouver will highlight the insights gained from the dialogue series to influence policy and practice. Series participants and content experts will share diverse perspectives on the findings and propose strategies for change.
