KAMSACK — The success of the Kamsack Family Resource Centre is evident in the completion of its latest relocation.
Megan Holodniuk, early years co-ordinator at the Kamsack Family Resource Centre says, “The Kamsack Family Resource Centre started in the Crowstand Centre in Kamsack in 2015 in two rooms in the basement. As the years went on, and we started seeing more demand for a bigger space and more programming, we expanded.”
From this small basement space, the centre moved to one of the upstairs wings in the Crowstand Centre, where it remained from 2018 to 2023.
“Due to the age and general deterioration of the Crowstand Centre, KFRC was forced to move to the Sask. Health Authority’s Kamsack Regional Office, where our centre was located in a board room for just over a year and a half, but it was not ideal,” says Holodniuk.
A boardroom with no windows and small space was not conducive to the programs and services KFRC wanted to offer.
“The location was always meant to be temporary anyways, we were just waiting for an appropriate space to open up in Kamsack, which took some time. After negotiations with the health authority, we were able to rent the space we’re currently in at 434 First Street.”
Holodniuk says the inspiration and need for the centre came from Kamsack 小蓝视频 a targeted community, where kindergarten readiness and literacy rates were deemed below average in the province.
“The resource centre was started as a way to bring those rates up and get parents more involved and more educated in their child(ren)’s early development. We are funded through the Saskatchewan Health Authority, and the program operations are run through the Society for the Involvement of Good Neighbours in Yorkton,” Holodniuk said.
KFRC has two paid staff members: Holodniuk, and Devin Hootz, as the early years facilitator.
“The programs that we offer fall under four pillars set out by the Ministry of Education: parent education, early childhood development, family wellness, and information and referral services. Our parenting programs include Triple P - positive parenting program; Nobody’s Perfect Parenting, and further parenting knowledge and resources through agencies like the Saskatchewan Prevention Institute.”
Focus on literacy and the importance of play in children under five
Holodniuk also acknowledges that their early childhood development programs focus on literacy – physical, emotional and mental; gross, fine and sensory motor development; and the importance of play in children under five.
“Our family wellness programs offer parents and children opportunities to attend programs together that strengthen the parent-child bond and also include mental health programs for parents. Our information/referral services are just that – if there is a need that a family requires, we can send a referral off to the appropriate agency, offer tax/ID clinics, and/or help with finding/sourcing housing in Kamsack,” says the KFRC leadership team.
This relocation allows the KFRC to return to their regular programming menu, where they aren’t limited by space or other occupants in the building.
“We can go back to offering parenting programs that can include childcare, more gross motor programming, outdoor play, and allow more families to visit the centre at one time. We are always looking for more program ideas, so if families would like to reach out, they are welcome to,” says Holodniuk.
A grand re-opening will be held Sept. 24 in conjunction with this valuable community resource centre’s 10th anniversary. All families who have attended the resource centre, either at present or in the past, are welcome to join the celebrations.
KFRC is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at their new location at 434 First Street in Kamsack, with the entrance on the west side.
More details and updates can be found on their Facebook page at SIGN Kamsack Family Resource Centre and Instagram, where the group posts a weekly schedule of programs on Sundays. The contact phone number is 306-542-1010
