Media Advisory - Dinner and dialogue is on us! Join us for an unforgettable night
TORONTO, Sept. 11, 2012 /CNW/ - Join former National Chief Phil Fontaine, The Right Honourable Paul Martin, Regional Chief Roger Augustine, Grand Chief Edward John and CBC's Wendy Mesley for a spectacular evening focused on education and the power it has to unlock the potential of Aboriginal children.
Aboriginal HIPPY Canada is delighted to bring together three well-known and highly-respected Canadian personalities for a memorable dinner event, Wednesday, September 19, 2012, 5-9 pm at the Fairmont Royal York in Toronto and you're invited!
Reserve your complimentary seat or book an interview.
Aboriginal HIPPY Canada will be honouring the amazing achievements of former National Chief Phil Fontaine - a human rights advocate and residential school survivor. All media are welcomed to attend. Accredited media outlets will be provided a free seat for this dinner event as well as access to speakers for interviews. Dinner seats for media are limited so reserve early. To reserve your seat or to arrange an interview, please contact Vanessa Campbell at:
- [email protected] or 604-676-8253
Why is Aboriginal HIPPY Canada important to Canadians?
More than one million Canadian children are at risk of not being prepared for preschool because their families struggle with conditions of poverty and low levels of literacy. This lack of preparation impacts them during their entire school years and reduces educational success rates and, ultimately, employment options and future prosperity.
Launched in 2001, Aboriginal HIPPY Canada is a unique and integrated educational system that supports Indigenous children and their families through home visits, activity packets and group meetings. Parents are taught so that they can, in turn, teach their 3-5 year-old children to help improve linguistic, social and cognitive skills, which better prepare them for preschool and the years ahead.
Backgrounder
What is the Aboriginal HIPPY program?
Around the world, the Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) program breaks the cycle of poverty and low-level literacy by providing employment and training to individuals facing multi-barriers, improves adult literacy, prepares children for school, reduces social isolation and increases parental involvement in education.
In November, 2002, HIPPY Canada and the Chief Dan George Centre for Advanced Education entered into a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a culturally relevant HIPPY program for First Nations, Metis, Inuit communities in Canada. With values based on honouring and respecting Aboriginal cultures, languages and unique histories, Aboriginal HIPPY was created.
The need for Aboriginal HIPPY was clear. Demographic evidence shows that the fastest growing segment of the Canadian population is in Aboriginal communities. The same evidence also shows only about 30 percent of on-reserve youth graduate from high school. Canadian society will eventually rely on this young, growing Aboriginal workforce and this workforce will need to graduate from high school to fill the jobs being left open by Canada's ageing population.
How does Aboriginal HIPPY work?
Aboriginal HIPPY is offered free of charge to committed parents and caregivers in communities currently operating the program. Aboriginal HIPPY parents are supported by easy-to-use activity packets that make learning and play fun. They also receive support through home visits by care professionals (home visitors) and group meetings.
- Families apply to the program and are selected on the basis of need determined by income.
- Chosen families must make a two-year commitment to participate 30 weeks per year, concurrently with the school year.
- Parents are provided with carefully developed materials, curriculum and books.
- HIPPY home visitors, who are parents in the program, are employed to work with 15 families each.
- Parents spend 15 minutes each day doing activities with their child.
- Every other week, the HIPPY program offers a group meeting at community centres or schools, with enrichment activities for parents.
- Home visitors are provided with weekly training sessions that better prepare them for their home-visitation work.
HippyCanada.ca - Helping communities help parents and their children.
SOURCE: Aboriginal HIPPY Canada
Vanessa Campbell -- Aboriginal HIPPY Canada
[email protected] or 604-676-8253
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