WECAN is here to support young children and their families on the North Shore

The WECAN (ECD) Coalition supports the development, health and wellness of young children and their families on the North Shore. WECAN works to:

  • Increase family access to community programs and services by addressing barriers such as language, culture, poverty, disability, and lack of awareness.
  • Collect and assess local research to guide and support community planning that enhances the lives of young children

WECAN supports capacity-building projects across the North Shore

WECAN collaboratively identifies and help implement projects and activities identified in its Community Action Plan. These support Aboriginal Engagement, Healthy Development and Early Learning Parent/Caregiver Education and Support, Community Outreach (WHEELS) and Community Awareness.

Many barriers to program and service access are created by cultural, language, behaviour, mental health, and transportation diversities. It is a goal of WECAN to encourage a diversity perspective in the planning of all programs and services for North Shore parents, families, caregivers and children.

Aboriginal Engagement

WECAN supports the increased engagement of Aboriginal families and their young children in culturally appropriate developmental health and wellness opportunities both on and off reserve.

Healthy Development and Early Learning

WECAN recognizes the considerable importance of structured early learning experiences for young children, both with their parents in drop-in formats, and in child care and preschool settings led by early childhood educators. WECAN sponsors a variety projects designed to increase the number of children entering Kindergarten with quality early learning experiences. These include:

  • Preschool Information Kits for parents, distributed widely through partner agencies and organizations, and through the WHEELS van. These include subsidy information, locations and availability of preschool programs on the North Shore, and information about drop in programs offered through StrongStart and Family Resource Centres
  • Parent/Caregiver and Child Programs across the North Shore contribute significantly to healthy development and early learning. This focus checks for gaps and overlaps, and supports programs with funding and community awareness as required
  • Early Childhood Educators and Kindergarten Teachers Connections WECAN recognizes that a smooth transition from preschool to Kindergarten is considerably enhanced for young children when early childhood educators and Kindergarten teachers have had opportunities to network, learn together and work together. WECAN supports workshops and other initiatives that support this goal. These have included shared professional development, information exchanges and visits to facilities.

Parent/Caregiver Education and Support

WECAN recognizes the need for parents and caregivers to have access to information, resources and skill-building workshops to enable them to support the developmental health of infants, toddlers and preschoolers. WECAN supports a variety of programs and services through coordination, funding and research-based strategic planning. The present focus is on:

  • Parents with partners
  • Single parents
  • Nannies and caregivers
  • Dads and Grandads
  • Pre and post natal moms

WHEELS comes to where you live

WHEELS is the WECAN outreach program, specifically designed to transport resources, programs and community workers to hard-to-reach and vulnerable families with young children. WHEELS makes use of a large, colourful, well-equipped van to support this project, and to raise awareness of this community support initiative. The WHEELS coordinator organizes events and programs for parents and children across the North Shore, and attends resource fairs, community celebrations, food banks, drop-in centres and parks.

Community Awareness

WECAN develops community awareness for a variety of purposes:

  • To provide parents, families and caregivers with appropriate information about the many the programs and services available families with young children across the North Shore
  • To provide parents, families and caregivers with good information in a variety of formats about the developmental and health needs of young children, and the activities that support health and wellness
  • To better inform the North Shore Community, including teachers, health workers, municipal leaders and the business community about barriers that separate many families from needed information and resources, and provide supports that can increase access

Community Awareness activities include:

  • Connect for Kids website
  • Information about training workshops for parents, caregivers and child care providers
  • Distribution of information about programs and resources through WHEELS, community partners, resource fairs, and print materials

WECAN has strong community planning processes

Vision: A community where children 0-6 and their families thrive

Mission: To increase the capacity of the North Shore community to collaboratively provide inclusive programs, information and resources for children 0-6 and their families that support cognitive, physical, social and emotional health, safety and responsible engagement.

Guiding Principles: The North Shore WECAN Table is committed to a planning model that:

  • Is child and family centered
  • Is based on consensus and collaboration
  • Demonstrates respect for community and parent expertise
  • Supports opportunities and programs that are inclusive and appropriate
  • Provides programs and services that identify and address barriers
  • Provides programs that reach the hard-to-reach
  • Provides universal support for children 0-6 and their families
  • Develops programs that are research-based, built on relevant EDI, community and early childhood data
  • Builds on the strengths of, and recognizes the diversity of, existing programs and relationships

Community Action Plan

WECAN receives funding support from United Way, Success by 6 and UEY

  • WECAN receives operational and project funding through the United Way’s Success by 6 initiative, and through Understanding the Early Years, a Human Resources Social Development Canada (HRSDC) initiative.
  • Success by 6 funding enables WECAN to initiate, coordinate and sponsor projects that increase access to programs and services for vulnerable and hard-to-reach families with children ages 0-6. Primary goals are reducing barriers created by culture, language and poverty, and addressing gaps and duplications in needed programs and resources.
  • Understanding the Early Years funding provides for the collection, analysis and reporting of socio-economic, demographic and readiness to learn data for North Shore communities. This information guides WECAN Strategic Planning and project development.

WECAN Contact:
WECAN Coordinator
Fran.jones@nscr.bc.ca
604-982-3321

WECAN Community partners

WECAN Membership includes approximately 40 agencies and organizations that provide programs and services for children 0-6 and their families.  Primary partners are listed below.

Major institutions represented are:

BC Aboriginal Child Care Society
Bee Haven Kids
Bowen Island Family Place
CAPC
Capilano Community Services
Child Care Resource and Referral
City of North Vancouver
District of North Vancouver
Family Services of the North Shore
Hollyburn Family Services
Infant Development ProgramJohn Braithwaite Community Centre
Ministry of Children and Family Development
Municipality of West Vancouver
North Shore Community Resources
North Shore Disabilities Resource Centre
North Shore Multicultural Society
North Shore Neighbourhood House
North Shore Supported Child Development Program
North Vancouver Public Libraries
North Vancouver Recreation Commission
North Vancouver School District
Parkgate Community Services
Squamish Nation
Tsleil Waututh Nation
Vancouver Coastal Health
West Vancouver Family Place
West Vancouver Memorial Library
West Vancouver Municipality
West Vancouver School District