This year the South Region Parents as Teachers affiliate in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada celebrates 25 years!! Rose Boersma, supervisor, attributes much of their success and longevity to the support they have received from the national center.
“Utilizing the PAT model and having the support of National Center has enabled us to reach this milestone. We have never felt alone – having confidence in the model, PAT resources and knowledge means we can focus on doing the work (no web-surfing for parent resources required 😊). Because the model is evidence-based, we can confidently promote the work and be strong advocates for our families, communities and program.
From the humble beginnings delivering PAT home visits to families residing on the northside of our city, the program has gone on to expand reach to the entire city and beyond. South Region Parents as Teachers now provides Parents as Teachers programming to young children and families across rural Southwestern AB as well through a network of seven satellite offices. In addition, we recently procured funding to serve our city’s urban Indigenous population with an Indigenous supporting home visitor/parent educator who has connected with the Senior Manager of FACE and Tribal Relations at Parents as Teachers National Center.
I think it is amazing that we have resources, information, and programing grounded in best practices, evidence and established and emerging science at our fingertips. I love that I can connect with National Center whenever we need help, guidance, and even perspective. South Region Parents as Teachers wishes to extend our heartfelt thanks to National Center for traveling alongside us over the past 25 years through all the challenges along the way. Our success is your success.”
Congratulations to Rose and her team of parent educators for 25 years of providing quality services to families in their city, expanding and deepening their reach to rural Albertans, and firmly establishing PAT as a premier evidence-based home visiting program in Alberta!