Every year on National Child Day, grade five students from across Yorkton have the opportunity to learn about the rights of children. With the Yorkton Child Action Plan, Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Yorkton coordinated the day.
The kids moved through different stations at SIGN on Broadway, each focused on a different right. Those rights are the right to a name and nationality, the right to be brought up in the spirit of peace and universal brotherhood, the right to a free education and full opportunity to play and recreation, the right for protection against all forms of neglect cruelty and exploitation, the right to special care and support for any child who has a disability so they can lead full and independent lives, the right to affection, love and understanding, the right to learn to be a useful member of society and to develop individual abilities, the right to enjoy these rights regardless of race, colour, sex, religion, national or social origin, the right to adequate nutrition and medical care and the right to be among the first to receive relief care in times of disaster.
Irma Van de Bon-Nichol with Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Yorkton and Area says that while they are the group coordinating it, the event is a real community project, with several organizations coming together to help educate children, including Yorkton Transitional Homes, the Boys and Girls Club, Family Resource Center, Shelwin House, Sask Abilities Council, Parkland Early Childhood Intervention Program, Sunrise Children’s Therapy Program and Mental Health and Addiction Services. The facility itself is provided by SIGN. She says that organizations also provide information to the children about what they do, which can be helpful in the future.
“If they need any of the supports that are available in the community too, it lets them know what supports are available... That’s sort of what today is all about, how do we link the people who can use our services and let them know what’s available, and that it’s available for anyone who needs it.”
Van de Bon-Nichol says that the reason that the program has been able to go for 26 years has been that parents, teachers and students recognize the value of educating children on their rights and the difference it makes in their lives.
“What we hear back is that it’s really a memorable day for many of them... The principals come back to us and say it’s a must, they get such positive feedback from the children when they come back from this. They have a better understanding of what their rights their rights are and how they can take a leadership role in helping to ensure that every child actually has their rights met.”
