Programs & Services > Growing Up Healthy Downton > FAIR

Families Are Important Resources (FAIR)

Project description:

“Families are Important Resources” (FAIR) is a new project developed by the Growing Up Healthy Downtown (GUHD) partnership.

GUHD is a partnership of eight dynamic, community-based multi-service agencies working with families across downtown Toronto. We are committed to the delivery of programs and services that focus on improving the health and well-being of young children as well as offering supports and new skills to their parents or caregivers.

Many families face barriers that keep them from being involved in their communities. Things like having a young child, being a single parent, not having a job that matches a person’s skills, or being a newcomer to Canada can make participating in your neighbourhood or community even more difficult.

The FAIR project will build upon existing practice related to social inclusion.
This means we will use what other people have learned about social inclusion to develop new and creative ways to talk with parents about the barriers they face to full or increased civic participation. Together we will explore ways to overcome those barriers.

Social inclusion means feeling and being included in all the aspects of daily life in our communities.

Civic participation means taking part in things like parent committees in schools, talking with local politicians about concerns or ideas and being in places where decisions are made to change communities, programs or services.

We believe the best way to do this is to provide opportunities for parents and caregivers to develop, enhance and practice the skills and experience(s) to be more fully involved in their communities and decision making.

What we plan to do:

The FAIR Project will support families to be more involved in their communities. Here is how we plan to do it:

• Carry out an environmental scan (mapping parent groups and coalitions);
• Develop a Community Animation (gather data to identify priority issues for families and to understand barriers to participation among disadvantaged families);
• Conduct a community action survey to identify relevant community issues and interest in participating in activities;
• Build or strengthen three parent led networks across Toronto (west, east and central);
• Include children in meeting, surveys and program activities so they have a chance to say their ideas about what makes their community special;
• Provide training and skill development for disadvantaged families;
• Organize annual city wide parent network forums to share information, knowledge and network;
• Share information locally, provincially and nationally through various media such as: FAIR website, video, newsletter, photographs, best practices and project manual.

FAIR wants to work with families who are having a tough time getting involved; then we want to share what we have learned with other people across the country.

FAIR believes what we learn about families here in Toronto and how we work with the parents/caregivers will be helpful to working with other families across Canada .

FAIR believes parents can and will speak about their own needs, identify the issues important to them and take action in order to make changes happen.

 

FAIR project is made possible through the generous support of Growing Up Healthy Downtown and Government of Canada. 

For more information about FAIR please e-mail Deborah Konecny, Program Co-ordinator, at deborahko@fsatoronto.com

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