5 for Life encourages youth activities

Times Reporter     

  

The 5 for Life Strathmore program wants to engage young children in activities that will enhance their potential in life. 

5 for Life held a youth activity fair on Saturday, Oct. 4 at the Hope Covenant Church where kids and their parents could come and interact with others in a variety of activities.

“I think in the last couple of years our group has been working really hard at just looking at the needs of our community based on the ECMAP project that we were a part of and why the coalition started,” said Lana Lane, Strathmore 5 for Life coalition chair. “We were identified as a group that had certain areas of development that kids were struggling at.

“So all across Alberta with the coalitions that are in works, every community has identified needs that kids in their community are struggling at. We know in our areas, it’s social development as well as communication.”

The intentions of this fair were to bring families together in a setting where kids can participate in activities where they can enjoy themselves while learning to interact with others.

“Fairs like this for two and three-year-olds bring families together,” she said. “We bring resource people from the community that can address those needs and in those conversations with parents in a fun setting for the kids.

“We can have a chat with those parents and show them these are the type of activities that you should be doing with your kids.”

Now that 5 for Life has been in the community for a couple of years, they have been able to do some ground work and establish connections in the community.

“We’re starting to see the success of our work so we’re getting more people out to our events. Everybody is getting to know who we are now – where before nobody knew who we were,” said Lane.

The organization wants to be known for being there for kids that need support with their communication.