INSIDE DOUGLAS COLLEGE / OCTOBER 10, 1989

Workshops Ease Access to Child Care Funding

Child care groups from around those funds, New Westminster- don’t guarantee funding, but they the province may soon have more based Douglas College, in associa- will dramatically improve the successful access to federal govern- tion with the West Coast Child quality and development of ment funding. And according to Care Resources Centre and the proposals needed to access the child care specialists, Ottawa’s University of B.C. is holding a government funds.

Child Care Initiatives Fund is series of proposal and budget writ- It’s an idea applauded by early making money available to groups ing skills workshops through Oc- childhood workers and researchers who have traditionally had to strug- | tober and November. across B.C. who have benefitted gle along on a shoestring budget. “Federal Government repre- from the fund.

“Early childhood is a field that sentatives and local researchers will “It’s an important series of hasn’t had the opportunity for be the key speakers of our Public workshops to take,” says Jerry money of this kind in B.C.,” says Forum October 19,” says Douglas Waddell, coordinator of the Family Peter Ashmore, information officer College’s Early Childhood Educa- Daycare Referral Service for the for the West Coast Child Care tion instructor Carol Ebner. “We're Matsqui/ Abbotsford area. Resources Centre, a support service hoping for a large turnout that eve- Waddell’s organization has to the early childhood community. ning so the Ottawa people will real- received Initiatives funding to “A lot of us working in the field are ize our interest in children’s recruit and train family day care used to scrounging, but thanks to welfare is genuine.” providers for ‘hard to serve’ the Fund there’s a shift from Ebner says a conference to be families. She says writing a fully ‘making do’ to ‘making good’.” held on October 20th and 21st will thought-out proposal is no easy

The Initiatives Fund is involve people from all over British task — especially when most of

C your time is taken up with work.

ae : “We were lucky; our service is pret- Federal Government representatives and local ty well established and I had'a'su-

researchers will by the key speakers of our Public Forum | _pervisor to help me write the on October 19. We're hoping for a large turnout so the | proposal. Buta lot of people with Ottawa people will realize our interest in children’s Seat Risen Nab actin FOR es re

‘ ode just starting out in the field, and welfare 1S genuine. there’s only so many supervisors

that can provide assistance.”

designed to provide money for ap- Columbia. “The federal govern- Brenda Savage, coordinator of plied research projects as well as ment is subsidizing travel and ac- the West Coast Child Care programs aimed at specialized commodations for non-profit Demonstration Project based in training for child care workers. groups. This is necessary to ensure Nanaimo, agrees. “The Initiatives To allow people in the child fair access to people from all parts Fund is like a treasure trove of care profession to access more of of the province. The workshops funding, and even though we

received our grant there’s still enor- mous room for expansion.”

; : ‘ “But you do have to know how Focus on Children Symposium to access funds, and a good proposal is the way. It took more

than a month’s time of hard work

October 27 & 28 getting our proposal completed.” at the Sheraton Plaza 500 Hotel, Vancouve Savage’s funds will provide seed money for the organized

The role of play and physical activity

in the developing years. development of child care resour-

ces throughout Vancouver Island

Registration information: Contact the oor i die & —o of B.C. ‘ 3644 Slocan Street, Vancouver, B.C. ST Ea V5M 3E8 or call (604) 433-4180. continued on page 4