The Athabasca Early Child Development Coalition is continuing its active role with the help of coalition members throughout the region.
According to Pat Pedersen, coordinator for the Athabasca-based coalition that also involves community members from Boyle, Grassland, Rochester and Smith areas, the coalition came to be because of a need for ECD programs, particularly in rural areas.
Her idea for a ìplacemat projectî provided a useful tool for people eating while providing age-appropriate fun on one side of the mats and information for parents about area programs on the other side.
For parentsí reference, some age-specific preschool programs throughout the region included on the back of Pedersenís placemats include: Athabasca Playgroup, FCSS-Parent Link, Boyle Public Libraryís ìRead and Rhyme Programî that was held last fall, Rochesterís Tawatinaw Valley Preschool and Smith Playschool.
Pedersen said the coalitionís true purpose is to be a conduit ìto try to get everyone connectedî and to inform newcomers to the region that there are programs available for their young children.
Pedersen said she distributed her placemats to various libraries, town offices, hospitals, and local restaurants, as well as welcome fairs at various schools, and that she plans to expand distribution to Smith and Grassland areas. They were also distributed at the Community Christmas Supper at the Athabasca Regional Multiplex.
ìEarly child development needs are [quite] different in the inner city and urban situations as opposed to Athabasca, as opposed to a small community like Smith,î said Pedersen.
Coalition members are comprised of individuals, and in the Athabasca area they work at local organizations and agencies including the library in Athabasca, Whispering Hills Primary School and Family and Community Support Services.
Spearheaded by Lisa Day, a Grade 1 teacher at Whispering Hills Primary School who taught Kindergarten at the time, the coalition is not directly tied into Alberta Education or Aspen View Schools, but instead seeks involvement from contributing members of society in keeping an eye on the healthy development of children before they enter the school system.
The Athabasca coalition conducted assessments to get a sense of the current development of five-year-olds throughout the region, examining five key areas: physical health and well-being, social competence, emotional maturity, language and thinking skills and communication skills and general knowledge.
The resulting aggregated data, which did not single out individuals or groups of individuals, was put into a Community Information Package to be distributed to other coalitions in order to ìbest promote and sustain the programs and organizations that are meeting the various developmental needs of our preschool children,î according to documentation from the Athabasca Early Development Coalition.
ìThe goal is to provide a tool by which to determine where our strengths and weaknesses lie as a community providing opportunities for our preschoolers.î
The data cumulated was shared with other coalitions through the province so that various coalition members from organizations and agencies could better tailor local projects to best suit the needs of preschoolers. Pedersenís placemat project was one such initiative that sought to make a positive contribution to the region.
ìThis is not as much about a program but, rather, about the preschoolers ñ the kids!î Pedersen stated.
