Submitted. Abbotsford-Mission MLA Simon Gibson paid a visit to one of Mission’s latest family facilities, the BC Early Years Centre in Mission at Windebank Elementary.
The Mission Early Years Centre will give families of children aged 0-6 access to a range of early learning. health and family services in one convenient location.
These services will include StrongStart, an early learning drop-in program that helps children prepare for Kindergarten through play-based activities including story-telling, music and art.
“We want to ensure that young children get the support they need to reach their full potential,” said Gibson. “It is a proven fact that a child’s performance in the school system is greatly improved if they receive an individual focus during the early years.”
Other services include child care resource and referral, an Aboriginal parent-tot drop in program, a family resource program, as well as a literacy program.
The Mission Early Years Centre will also working on creating an outreach component through a bus to reach rural communities.
(left to right) Simon Gibson, MLA: John Fitzsimmons, Community Service Manager MCFD; Holden Chu, Executive Director East Fraser MCFD; Laura Hope, Program Manager for Early Years Program; Kristen Hargreaves, Manager of Social Development District of Mission; Laura Wilson, Mission Early Childhood Development Committee coordinator.
Learn more:
B.C. Early Years Strategy:
www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/early_childhood/pdf/FamiliesAgenda_EarlyYearsStrategy_web.pdf
Provincial Office for the Early Years: www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/early_years/index.htm
Early childhood development programs funded through the Ministry of Children and Family Development: www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/early_childhood/index.htm
Early learning programs funded through the Ministry of Education, including full-day kindergarten and StrongStart BC: www.bced.gov.bc.ca/early_learning/
PHOTOGRAPH: (left to right) Simon Gibson, MLA: John Fitzsimmons, Community Service Manager MCFD; Holden Chu, Executive Director East Fraser MCFD; Laura Hope, Program Manager for Early Years Program; Kristen Hargreaves, Manager of Social Development District of Mission; Laura Wilson, Mission Early Childhood Development Committee coordinator.