KAMLOOPS, BC, Aug. 12, 2014 /CNW/ - Kamloops seniors will soon have new opportunities to provide mentorship and teach practical skills to young families, the Honourable Alice Wong, Minister of State (Seniors), announced today. The Interior Community Services organization is receiving $25,000 in federal funding for its We Can Together project through the New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP).
The aim of this intergenerational project is to recruit seniors who will volunteer to teach food preservation practices to young families. Instruction will be offered through workshops. This provides seniors the opportunity to make new connections in their community while helping young people acquire the practical skill of canning, which can be passed on to future generations. Approximately 100 seniors are expected to benefit from this project.
The Government of Canada is providing more than $33.4 million in funding for over 1,770 community-based projects across Canada. These projects were approved through the New Horizons for Seniors Program 2013-2014 Call for Proposals for Community-Based Projects. NHSP-funded projects help ensure that seniors maintain a good quality of life and are able to be active, participating members of their communities.
Quick Facts
- Economic Action Plan 2014 has recently increased funding for the NHSP by $5 million per year. This is in addition to the $45 million the Government already provides to this program annually.
- Since 2006, the NHSP has funded more than 13,000 projects in hundreds of communities across Canada. NHSP funding supports projects that focus on issues like elder abuse, social isolation and intergenerational learning.
- Minister Wong launched the NHSP 2014-2015 Call for Proposals for Community-Based Projects on May 13, 2014. Through this call for proposals, which is now closed, organizations may receive up to $25,000 in grant funding for projects that are led or inspired by seniors.
Quotes
"Our government is proud to work with organizations like Interior Community Services, whose canning workshop, taught by seniors, will help future generations acquire a new skill. This project exemplifies a win-win situation for Kamloops residents as well as seniors, who will participate in a hands-on activity that benefits them and young families."
- The Honourable Alice Wong, Minister of State (Seniors)
"The well-being of Canadian seniors is a priority for our government. We demonstrate our support through community initiatives like this one, funded by the New Horizons for Seniors Program. I am happy to be sharing this good news for seniors in our community today."
- Cathy McLeod, Member of Parliament for Kamloops- Thompson- Cariboo
"Interior Community Services is thrilled to offer the We Can Together project to the community of Kamloops. This project, funded in part by the Government of Canada's New Horizons for Seniors Program, brings seniors and young families together to learn the art of food preservation. Both families and seniors new to canning have gained practical skills from elders in the community, while seniors with years of canning experience have been able to pass down their knowledge."
- Jane Haywood-Farmer, Program Coordinator of Baby's Head Start
Associated Links
Backgrounder
The New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP) is a federal grants and contributions program that supports projects led or inspired by seniors who make a difference in the lives of others and in their communities. Through the NHSP, the Government of Canada encourages seniors to share their knowledge, skills and experiences to the benefit of others.
NHSP funding is targeted to community-based projects, pan-Canadian projects and pilot projects that focus on issues such as social isolation and intergenerational learning.
Community-based project funding supports activities that engage seniors and address one or more of the program's five objectives: volunteering, mentoring, expanding awareness of elder abuse, social participation and capital assistance. These projects are eligible to receive up to $25,000 per year per organization in grant funding.
Pan-Canadian projects provide support to help seniors protect themselves from elder abuse, including financial abuse and fraud. These projects help community members recognize elder abuse in all its forms and improve the quality of life, safety and security of seniors. Projects focus on developing tools, resources and promising practices that can be adapted and shared across communities, regions or Canada. These projects may be eligible to receive up to $250,000 per year for a maximum of three years.
Pilot project funding provides support to help address seniors' isolation by establishing better social support networks and resources and initiating community interventions. It also supports intergenerational learning projects that help seniors develop new interests and share their knowledge and experience with others. These pilot projects are eligible to receive up to $100,000 in federal funding over a maximum of 24 months, which will be matched with funding from other sources.
For more information on the NHSP, visit esdc.gc.ca/seniors.
SOURCE: Employment and Social Development Canada
Earl Maynard
Office of the Minister of State (Seniors)
613-716-5422
Media Relations Office
Employment and Social Development Canada
819-994-5559
[email protected]
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