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SFU helps HIPPY go national
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September 18, 2002
Three years ago, a handful of immigrant women dreamed of bringing HIPPY (Home Instruction Program for Preschool Youngsters) to Vancouver. Today, the internationally based program is firmly rooted in Vancouver and has sparked the creation of HIPPY Canada.
Simon Fraser University is home to the fledgling national wing of HIPPY International, which already exists in seven countries. Founded in Israel in the 1960s, HIPPY is a two to three year educational program that relies on community leaders and home-based learning to help disadvantaged parents ready their children for kindergarten. Targeted families usually face some combination of social, cultural and economic challenges.
"I think every child is entitled to bounce into kindergarten on the first day with the expectation of success and the skills to succeed," says Debbie Bell, a co-founder of HIPPY in Vancouver. Bell is the community education program director at SFU continuing studies. "I think every parent has the right to know their kids will go to school and do well, regardless of their challenges."
Using educational material aimed at developing three to five year olds’ cognitive and coordination skills, trained HIPPY home visitors coach parents in their homes on being their children’s first teachers. The program’s success is largely predicated on the close bond that develops between home visitors and HIPPY parents; home visitors are parents previously helped by HIPPY.
SFU’s community education program in continuing studies, the Britannia Community Services centre and the National Council of Jewish Women of Canada secured $1 million in federal and private sponsorships to found HIPPY in Vancouver. In three years the program at Britannia Community Services centre has gone from helping 60 to 130 families and spawned several satellite locations. The founders of HIPPY’s first Canadian program held a national recruitment meeting in July 2002 to launch HIPPY Canada and raise awareness of the need for on-going funding to support the creation of programs nationwide.
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CONTACT
Debbie Bell, 604.291.5145; debbie_bell@sfu.ca
Carol Thorbes, Media & PR, 604.291.3035
Simon Fraser University is home to the fledgling national wing of HIPPY International, which already exists in seven countries. Founded in Israel in the 1960s, HIPPY is a two to three year educational program that relies on community leaders and home-based learning to help disadvantaged parents ready their children for kindergarten. Targeted families usually face some combination of social, cultural and economic challenges.
"I think every child is entitled to bounce into kindergarten on the first day with the expectation of success and the skills to succeed," says Debbie Bell, a co-founder of HIPPY in Vancouver. Bell is the community education program director at SFU continuing studies. "I think every parent has the right to know their kids will go to school and do well, regardless of their challenges."
Using educational material aimed at developing three to five year olds’ cognitive and coordination skills, trained HIPPY home visitors coach parents in their homes on being their children’s first teachers. The program’s success is largely predicated on the close bond that develops between home visitors and HIPPY parents; home visitors are parents previously helped by HIPPY.
SFU’s community education program in continuing studies, the Britannia Community Services centre and the National Council of Jewish Women of Canada secured $1 million in federal and private sponsorships to found HIPPY in Vancouver. In three years the program at Britannia Community Services centre has gone from helping 60 to 130 families and spawned several satellite locations. The founders of HIPPY’s first Canadian program held a national recruitment meeting in July 2002 to launch HIPPY Canada and raise awareness of the need for on-going funding to support the creation of programs nationwide.
—30—
CONTACT
Debbie Bell, 604.291.5145; debbie_bell@sfu.ca
Carol Thorbes, Media & PR, 604.291.3035