Wetaskiwin FCSS has a full schedule this spring and summer with a variety of new programs. One of these programs has already kicked off and is focused on teaching young-adults different topics necessary to be a fully functioning adult in the real world including budgeting, paying off debt, car care, meal prep and home hacks.
This program, aptly named ‘Grow the F!@# Up’ is free to community members ages 18 to 25-years-old and runs on Wednesday evenings in March and April 2022.
Community Development Coordinator for Wetaskiwin FCSS Macki Rumak says that the progam centers around, “the things that they don’t necessarily teach you in school but that you kind of need to know.”
Upcoming sessions include:
• March 30 ‘Nutrition’- Cheap and easy meals, the truth about fad diets;
• April 6 ‘Relationships’- conflict resolution, asking for a raise, and fighting like an adult;
• April 13 ‘Basic Banking’- chequings vs savings, credit cards, and credit score;
• April 20 ‘Moving Out’- fix it basics and first home essentials;
• April 27 ‘Car Care’- oil change, tire change, dashboard icons, and emergency kits.
Different speakers who are local professionals in the topic area are brought in each week to aid the discussion on the topic sessions.
“It has been really fun to connect with young adults and really just get to pour into them and help equip them for the real world which is hard sometimes,” says Rumak.
Another youth program FCSS has developed for this spring is ‘Kreate with Katimavik’, an art based creative space night for ages six to 10-years-old. Katimavik is a Canada-wide volunteering organization that has partnered with the Wetaskiwin FCSS to bring new programs to the community.
Current Katimavik volunteer with Wetaskiwin FCSS Claire Leger says that ‘Kreate with Katimavik’ is, “a lot about the process of engaging with your creativity and not having the pressure to make something nice at the end.”
The program is based in open ended art and discussion around it, freeing the creativity of the youth participating.
Coming this spring/ summer Wetaskiwin FCSS is looking forward to introducing new programs including the ‘Lego Club’.
“Lego Club is like a Lego based therapy,” says Rumak. “We are reaching kids with maybe communication struggles, or anxiety, or just need a little bit of help growing socially in their communication.”
Lego Club is designed for homeschooled children in the community and will be a eight week program. Each Lego Club is comprised of three children who will each have a specific role and will have to communicate with one another and work together to accomplish their final Lego goal.
“We are excited to open it up to the homeschool community.”
There is no official start date for Lego Club yet, however, it can be expected in the next coming months.
Another Wetaskiwin FCSS initiative community members can watch for this summer is the ‘Period Pop-ups’. These will essentially be, “big period pantries full of free menstrual products,” says Rumak.
The pop-ups will be based on the honour code and take what you need basis. FCSS is currently working with local businesses to best determining the locations for these pop-ups.
“It is a staggering statistic that about a quarter of women can’t afford menstrual products and because of that they are forced to miss work, or school, or they are kind of forced to choose between lets say tampons or groceries that week,” says Rumak.
“By partnering with people in the community, not only individuals in the community but also some businesses and organizations, we are joining the global movement to help end period poverty.”
A long-standing Wetaskiwin FCSS program, ‘Meals on Wheels’ is seeing a change this season. The program which has been offered in Wetaskiwin for approximately 30 years is changing formats this April. Instead of Monday through Friday delivery of a hot ready meal, Meals on Wheels is transitioning to frozen meals that will be delivered once a week.
Program Coordinator with Wetaskiwin FCSS Cindy Plant says that this change gives clients more freedom when it comes to choosing and ordering their foods as well as time freedom as they will no longer have to be in their homes everyday having to wait for the meal delivery.
“The benefits to the clients are that they have some control over their diet,” says Plant.
Clients will be able to order from a menu and order a week’s worth of food at a time. There are also expanded options to include more than one meal a day or meals on the weekend. This format also allows ‘Meals on Wheels’ to offer greater variety for dietary restrictions.
shaela.dansereau@pipestoneflyer.ca
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