The Prince Albert Early Years Family Resource Centre is located in the Gateway Mall. (submitted photo/PAEYFRC)

By paNOW Staff

Early years family resource centre takes to airwaves as recipients of JPBG Community Airtime Award

Aug 27, 2020 | 8:00 AM

After years in the development and planning stage, a resource centre for families in Prince Albert finally opened its doors in early 2020 – only to be derailed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite having to close its physical location in the Gateway Mall for the time being, the Early Years Family Resource Centre has continued to deliver valuable information to clients online. Now, that information will be relayed on local radio stations as well, through the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group (JPBG).

“We were so thrilled to choose the P.A. Early Year’s Family Resource Centre as the recipients of our Community Airtime Award,” said JPBG program director Danny Kid. “We understand how important it is to offer support to families during their children’s crucial early years of development and growth and this airtime award will help spread the word about the good work they were so eager to start prior to the pandemic.”

The Community Airtime Award is usually offered once a year, to a non-profit group in the form of a free $60,000 professional marketing plan including on-air advertising on the radio station, Power99. Resource centre coordinator Tobie Devitte said being chosen as the recipients of the award is a win for everyone in the community.

“The radio stations and JPBG really believed we were worthy of this and saw the potential and importance of why early childhood education is so important. We know that our children are our future, and this will benefit the citizens of Prince Albert that will be our future police officers, city planners and teachers,” Devitte said. “For us, personally, we could have never afforded this kind of publicity and recognition, so all of us are just thrilled.”

Nicole Matheis (left), Tobie Devitte and Tiffany Jones operate the PA Early Years Family Resource Centre. (submitted photo/PAEYFRC)

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Devitte and two facilitators operate the centre with the goal of providing a single location where area families with young children under the age of 5 can access reliable information, supports and programming at no cost. Its one of seven such centres in the province to be funded through the Canada-Saskatchewan Early Learning and Child Care Agreement. Since COVID-19 has changed how they deliver services, the centre is using Zoom to offer parenting programs. When fully operational, they will run immunization clinics and referrals to other community agencies including mental health.

“One of the pillars is we lead by our ears. So, as the voices of families come in and say what they want and share that with us, we’ll take that and find a way to get them the help they need,” Devitte said.

While the facilitators will refer to agencies, assist with forms or help guide families in decision making, much of the focus at the centre is on play and exploration. Various areas have been set up with elements that spark curiosity and natural interest.

“From that exploring and playing, is where communication with parents or caregivers takes place and that’s where the brain starts to build and learn,” Devitt explained. “We want families to come and play and stay as long as they want because we understand the more time you spend with the family unit, the more that little person is growing.”

While the P.A. Early Year’s Family Resource Centre prepares to reopen their doors while following proper COVID-19 regulations, they invite the public to visit them online. They’re also seeking volunteers and professionals in the community who would be willing to offer basic information and sound advice to families through videos on their Facebook page on things like financial planning. In the meantime, the public can hear the public service announcements featuring the Prince Albert Early Year’s Family Resource Centre on JPBG’s Power 99 radio now until April 17th

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panews@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @princealbertnow