The Parent Mentoring Program of Saskatchewan (PMPS) is celebrating its 20th anniversary this month. The program is a home-visiting and early childhood outreach program, available in Sun Country Health Region, that provides assistance and support to expectant parents or those parenting newborns to five year olds.
“The Parent Mentoring Program has helped thousands of Saskatchewan participants since its inception. It is a valuable program that provides parents and young children with a warm, caring relationship that is supportive and encouraging,” said Jenise Tisdale, provincial coordinator of the PMPS.
The program was introduced to 10 provincial sites in September 1996 under the Successful Mothers Support Program title. It was expanded to 16 sites in 1999 before being re-named the Parent Mentoring Program of Saskatchewan in 2006.
The Parent Mentoring Program looks at overall family health including physical, social, intellectual and emotional strengths and risks. The program’s 72 active mentors work with local coordinators to help participants identify areas of strength and any potential risks. Mentors assist with parenting skills, healthy lifestyle practices, safe environments, and needed supports to offset or reduce risks posed to children.
“Through home visits and group opportunities we connect program participants with a mentor or coordinator who visits the family regularly to providing guidance and support,” added Tisdale.
In 2015, the program had over 200 parent participants, both male and female, ranging from 17 years of age to over 40. One participant recently shared what the program has meant to her.
“The Parent Mentoring Program has been a rock in my life for the past few years,” she said. “As a struggling single parent facing so many limited options and challenges they have helped me with my parenting skills, housing, organization, and budgeting. Words cannot express my appreciation for the support and my own personal growth. I am definitely a better parent now than I was before I participated in the parent mentoring program.”
A number of anniversary events are scheduled throughout the province to commemorate the milestone. Sun Country Health Region will host a colouring contest for children eight years and younger.
The contest runs from Sept. 26 to Oct. 20. To enter, children create a work of art in any medium they choose and their parent or guardian can e-mail a picture of the art to [email protected].
The work can be about playing outdoors or what they like to do with their parent but it can be anything. Abstracts made of glorious dashes of color are welcome. It is open to very young children so for some it may be the first time they have created any marks on paper.
The winners will be randomly chosen from all entries. There will be two prize draws. Winners will receive the book, “Will You Fill My Bucket” and a bilibo which is a great toy for being active and stimulating the imagination.
Information on the Parent Mentoring Program of Saskatchewan, including how to become involved as a mentor or participant, can be found at www.pmps.ca.
