Megan MacLean

Megan MacLean has been involved in our Athletes Mentoring Program since 2008. She started as a mentor while playing on her varsity basketball team and now volunteers as a co-facilitator in the program, supporting the relationship development between other varsity mentors and youth mentees. Megan’s leadership qualities are demonstrated by her infectious enthusiasm for the volunteer work that she does, as well as her desire to develop personally and professionally throughout the process. Megan demonstrates commitment to improving the lives of the youth in our program and has made a lasting impression on everyone she has contact with. We are proud of Megan and the growth we have seen in her over the past 5 years, and we feel honoured that she has chosen to volunteer with Catholic Family Service.

In Megan's own words...

I had my first introduction to the Athlete Mentoring Program 5 years ago when I began playing on the Women’s Varsity Basketball team at the University of Calgary.  I started as a mentor and I realized how valuable this program was and how it affected youth in the Calgary community.  The program helped me learn more about myself and develop my leadership skills.  After I stopped playing basketball, I wanted to continue to be a part of AMP and so I became a co-facilitator for the program.  This has been an incredibly valuable and rewarding experience for me.  One of my favourite parts of being a facilitator is getting to see both the kids and athletes grow and change throughout the program.  As a mentor, I didn’t realize what a positive influence the mentors had on the mentees and how much the mentees looked up to their mentors.  But when I became a facilitator, I realized how important this program was to the kids.  The interesting part of this program is that even though it is geared towards positive development in youth, the mentors also learn and grow.  The adults are just as affected as the kids and this program encourages them to do more and to give back to their communities.  Overall, I have enjoyed my time with AMP and I look forward to continuing on next year.

Michelle MacConnell

Michelle MacConnell is a very dedicated individual who has wholeheartedly embraced her volunteer role with Teen Parent Friend Program for the past 9 months. When Michelle decided to volunteer with Teen Parent Friend she did so with the desire to connect to her community, to give back what she could, and to be a part of something bigger than herself while having fun. Michelle has truly embraced to goals of the Teen Parent Friend Program: connect young moms to community resources, increase their social support network and confidence, and reduce stress and isolation through mentorship.

Michelle has a wonderful sense of humor and inspiring confidence. She approaches mentoring with humility and always recognizes the best in others. She states that “the biggest thing I have learned from this amazing experience has been how much the mentee has to teach me and how much growth I have had just spending time with her.” Michelle, it is time to recognize all of your hard work and contributions to the Teen Parent Friend Program. Thank you so much for you generosity, kindness, supportive guidance and encouragement. The program would not succeed without volunteers like you.

Roy Nesbitt

It was my privilege to have met Roy in 2011 as a corporate sponsor for the Never Too Late program graduation. It was the icing on the cake when he came forward with a desire to volunteer as a math tutor for the program. I’ve worked closely with Roy in the past year that he’s been tutoring, and have enjoyed consulting with him about clients, and how to better meet their needs. I so appreciate Roy’s desire to show the students another angle for learning math, and his desire to reach as many students as possible is evident in his problem solving of some attendance issues that have come up this year. Roy is a great man who cares deeply about the students of Never Too Late (written by Amy St. Jean)

In Roy’s own words…

In the fall of 2011 the company I work for sponsored the Never Too Late graduation ceremony.  For the five or six Solvera employees it was just another United Way event and a chance to give back to the community. It turned out to be much more than that for me.  As the evening went on I became more and more impressed by what these graduates had accomplished.

Amy and Jessica had made no secret that they were always looking for volunteers and that the students always struggled with math (many taking it more than twice). I thought this is how I could help – tutor math.  We live and work in a very complex world where an education provides the freedom and ability to make better decisions and opens doors that were once locked.  I’m not a teacher so I approach learning in a way that gives the students a different perspective.  Sometimes the light comes on when you look at something from a different angle.

My background is engineering, so math comes very easy to me.  Helping the students that struggle with math brings a lot of satisfaction and a feeling of accomplishment.   The students have full time jobs or multiple part time jobs, many are single parents, most walk or take transit , and through all of that they take four days out of their busy week to come to class and tutoring.  I’m not so sure I could be as dedicated as they are.  I am humbled by their dedication and perseverance and thrilled to be a part of their GED accomplishment. 

Shelika Joshi

Shelika Joshi is a valued volunteer of the Families and Schools Together (F&ST) program. The F&ST program helps with family development and increasing family-school connections. As a F&ST volunteer, Shelika’s role is to support the F&ST team and families by helping with set-up/clean-up, childcare, serving dinner, and other various tasks that help the program run smoothly.

Shelika is currently completing her Bachelor of Psychology at Mount Royal University and beginning a Master of Social Work at the University of Victoria in the fall. She impressively juggles her schooling, the F&ST program, and other volunteer commitments. Despite her busy schedule, Shelika has demonstrated dedication to F&ST by participating in all three rounds of the program this year, attending a 2-day training, and striving towards more advanced volunteer positions. The community partners in the F&ST program love having Shelika on their team because she is always willing to take the lead and familiarize new volunteers with the F&ST volunteer role and duties. She eagerly assumes any task that is assigned to her and volunteers to take on jobs that are above and beyond her volunteer role. Best of all, Shelika never comes to the program without her enthusiasm, sense of humour, and positive attitude!

Shelika initially decided to become a volunteer in the F&ST program because she thought it would be a good fit for her, given that she is interested in working with families and looking to do “something different”. Shelika says that she continues to volunteer with F&ST because she enjoys the people with whom she volunteers with and finds the work that she does to be gratifying. Shelika feels that she has been able to make a difference by connecting with the youth in the program. She says that the program made her feel blessed and grateful for the life that she has.

Volunteers are an integral part of the F&ST teams, and the Shelika certainly contributes to the success of any program of which she is a part.

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ANNOUNCEMENT

Calgary, AB Nov 1, 2012 - CEO Patricia Jones, Catholic Family Service has been honoured as a 2012-2013 Community Shepherd Leader by the Calgary Catholic School District. The Shepherd Leadership Award recognizes the contribution of community members who most exemplify the qualities of a Shepherd Leader, people in the community who are compassionate about students and who work to establish a positive and respectful environment for students within the Catholic School District.

“I am honoured to receive the Community Shepherd Leadership Award from the Calgary Catholic School District,” says CEO Patricia Jones. “We share a mutual passion supporting vulnerable Calgarians and their families to thrive by seeing the whole child, empowering parents, and encouraging mutually respectful relationships. Together we support school success and healthy communities”

The Catholic School District states, “The Families & Schools Together (F&ST) program and Patricia’s support for our district’s implementation of Family Support Workers has been of significant value in our district and has positively impacted many students.”

About Catholic Family Service: Founded in 1957, Catholic Family Service is a Calgary-based, charitable organization serving individuals and families in need, within the Calgary community. We provide innovative and leading programming for people of all faiths and cultures, and focus on the more vulnerable members of the community.

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Eight More Adult Learners Receive Their GED Thanks To The Never Too Late Program

Calgary, Alberta October 25, 2012 - Glen Shaw, dressed in a blue graduation gown, proudly walked across the stage to accept his high school GED (General Education Development) this week. After the final bow, his young son leapt into his arms. As a 25 year old father, Glen was determined to never allow the deficit of a high school education get in the way of providing for his family.

“My family has been impacted, especially my two sons, seeing their father study most nights, dedicated to my schoolwork, to make sure that I have the knowledge to achieve my goal. Hopefully in the future my sons will look back and remember the hard work and dedication that I put into my schoolwork and apply it to their schooling.”

On October 23, 2012, eight (8) adult learners received their GED thanks to the Never Too Late program. Offered by Catholic Family Service, the program helps adults from diverse and often challenging circumstances achieve their dream of high school completion. Never Too Late specifically targets communities where income levels and educational achievements are low compared to Calgary’s norm.

Most of the Never Too Late students are parents. Not only are GED recipients better able to address their family responsibilities by becoming more competitive in the labour market and earning higher wages, they are also more likely to encourage their children to successfully complete education goals and stay in school.

Patricia Jones, CEO of Catholic Family Service says, “Alberta has one of the highest high school drop-out rates in Canada. Prioritizing education and passing a GED exam provides a strong parenting example to children and we are seeing an exciting intergenerational trend. Young dropouts are enrolling in the program because their parents set an example by graduating from Never Too Late.”

Never Too Late provides academic, social and emotional support at no cost to adult students who want to obtain their GED. 244 adult students have enrolled in the program since 2008. 49% of the graduates have continued their education pursuits and 63% reported receiving higher wages since completing the program.

About Catholic Family Service: Founded in 1957, Catholic Family Service is a Calgary-based, charitable organization serving individuals and families in need, within the Calgary community. We provide innovative and leading programming for people of all faiths and cultures, and focus on the more vulnerable members of the community.

Media Contact

Patricia Jones, CEO

Catholic Family Service

Phone: (403) 205-5200

Cell: (403) 968-6820

Email: patricia.jones@cfs-ab.org

Website : www.cfs-ab.org

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Pregnant and parenting teens attending the Braemar School in Edmonton and the Louise Dean Centre in Calgary will now have easier access to financial support to help improve their chances of completing high school and prepare them for a brighter future with their children.

See the release here. 

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Come help us celebrate a different kind of graduation on October 23^rd!

Based on the belief that education offers a way out of poverty, Never Too Late (NTL) helps adults obtain their GED (a grade 12 equivalent diploma).  NTL provides GED preparation classes; extra tutoring and facilitates the involvement of the students in neighbourhood activities with groups such as the Bowness Montgomery Neighbourhood Collaborative, Bowness Resource Network, Career Connections and the Bowness Boys and Girls Club. 

Graduates of Never Too Late attain more than a diploma.  Increased income leads to financial security and reduced stress; the sense of accomplishment translates into self-confidence which results in career growth for many; a positive school experience leads to graduates participating more in their children’s schools; understanding the importance of learning, graduates report reading more often to their children; parents demonstrate the importance of education and graduation encouraging their children to graduate high school.

Statistics from the 3 year retrospective study shows that:

74% of students reported increased self esteem

63% of students reported higher wages

49% have taken additional continuing education courses since graduating from NTL and of these

92% have either completed their additional continuing education courses (65%) or are still attending (27%)

83% of students are parents

Overall 70% of participants felt that by completing the Never Too Late program they have positively influenced their children and other members of their family and friends.

A new 3 year Provincial program hopes to help more pregnant teens graduate from high school.

From the Calgary Herald

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Strong Kids Seminar

Join us for a special seminar open to all to help kids be all they can be by building resilience and conquering anxiety.

Check out the details here.

LuAnne Morrow brought greetings from Catholic Family Service as an UP Foundation Board Member

Anna Gerlitz, Graduate with Guest Speaker, Melissa Hollingsworth, 2006 Olympic Bronze Medalist, Skeleton

Amanda Weishaar, Graduate with Principal, Rita Dickson

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Teen Parents' Holiday Celebration

Young Parents Celebrate Christmas with the Help of Corporate Sponsors

Young parents from The Teen Parent Friend Program and Louise Dean Centre celebrated the holiday season on December 15, 2011.  This festive event took place at Fluor Canada corporate headquarters in South Calgary complete with a 20 foot Christmas tree.  A full turkey dinner along with all the fixings were provided by Eurest Dining Services.  Thank you so much to the sponsors of the wonderful event! 

This is a well-received event that provides a needed respite for young parents who are either working, going to school and raising their children.  They often struggle financially to provide for their family and so a delicious meal and presents for all family members from Santa Claus himself is sometimes the only gift they receive . A special thank you to all the volunteers at Fluor for going the extra mile in supporting the young families.  We also could not have had such a fun evening without Mrs. Claus and all the elves who brightened up the gift giving.

Teen Parent Friend is a Catholic Family Service program for young parents under the age of 24 experiencing stress and isolation.  The program provides young parents with mentors within their community to lend a listening ear and provide encouragement. Young moms can gather every month to connect with other young parents.

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Catholic Family Service’s CEO Patricia Jones is pleased to announce that our Butterfly Program recently received through the Unlocking Potential Foundation, a $19,200 grant from the TELUS Calgary Community Board. The grant from TELUS will be used strictly in support of enhancing communication as well as interaction capabilities, with and among the children and families of the Deaf and hard-of-hearing in the Butterfly Program.

TELUS Calgary Community Board Member Brent Shervey, our CEO Patricia Jones and managing director of counselling services Hugh McGeary (left to right) at cheque presentation to the Unlocking Potential Foundation.

Created in 2009, the Unlocking Potential Foundation of Calgary and Area raises funds to enhance the sustainability and service delivery potential of Catholic Family Service programs.

On November 17, 2011 Catholic Family Service took time out to further honour four out of 36 Louise Dean high school graduates, with the scholarships they need to pursue and achieve higher education.

Ashley receives the George Stalinski Award; Nyalok and Geraldine each receive a Spectrum Fund. In addition, Danai receives the Samaritan Club Bursary, and has this to say on behalf of all four:

'We are all extremely honoured and grateful to be the recipients of your scholarships.Thanks to all of you, we are now one step closer in achieving our dreams and goals for a future in support of ourselves and our children.'

The annual Awards and Scholarship Assembly at Louise Dean Centre is made possible by many corporate and community citizens. This 2011 we are specially proud to celebrate in partnership with the Calgary Board of Education, another record year with 36 graduates!

One evening last week, a high school graduation was held in a small neighbourhood church in Bowness. About a dozen students donned robes, and before family and friends, received their diplomas.

It sounds like a typical ceremony, but there was nothing ordinary about this group of people, or the achievement they were there to mark. Ranging in age from 21 to 53, and coming from all walks of life, these students had one big thing in common: they were high school dropouts.

Check out the full story.

More Never Too Late Learners Graduate

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More Never Too Late Learners Graduate 

THANK-YOU Greg

THANK-YOU Greg!

On October.19.2011 more than 200 people gathered together at a private function at the Calgary Winter Club, to celebrate the retirement of Greg Campbell from the Catholic Family Service of Calgary. Greg Campbell leaves behind a legacy spanning 29 years of compassionate service, sound leadership and integrity.

Most recently the chief executive officer, Greg made it his mission in 2009 to establish with Board support, a fundraising arm - the Unlocking Potential Foundation of Calgary and Area - whose purpose is to enhance the sustainability and service delivery potential of Catholic Family Service programs.

Today the Foundation is proud to announce that in recognition of Greg and in addition to other funds created during his time, they have named an endowment fund in his honor: the D.G. (Greg) Campbell Humanitarian Fund will ensure a sustainable future for the delivery of programs closest to his heart, that help remove barriers for the vulnerable, the working poor, young families and their children.

To find out more, contact CEO Patricia Jones directly by telephone 403.205.5200 or by email to patricia.jones@cfs-ab.org

Andra McGinn, Board Chair of The Catholic Family Service of Calgary, announces the appointment of Patricia M. Jones to Chief Executive Officer upon retirement of current CEO Greg Campbell.

Take a look  Appointment Notice

THANK-YOU CALGARY!

Huge thanks to 300 friends, volunteers, board and sponsors, The Unlocking Potential (UP) Foundation of Calgary and Area is declaring its 2nd UP & AWAY charity gala another huge success!

Held in the Palomino Room at Stampede Park, the gala featured 19-years-young Calum Graham from High River AB with his infectious acoustic-guitar music.

Proceeds from the 2nd UP & AWAY charity gala will go to these Catholic Family Service community and school program beneficiaries:

• our Butterfly Program for the Deaf and hard-of-hearing;
• the Athletes Mentoring Program that engages the youth with athlete-student-volunteer role models; and
• the Dr. Clara Christie Learning Centre at our Louise Dean location.

The Unlocking Potential Foundation of Calgary and Area was created in 2009 primarily to generate revenue, in order to enhance the sustainability and service delivery potential of The Catholic Family Service of Calgary.

THANK-YOU CALGARY

for your ongoing support!

For more information about the UP Foundation, please call 403.205.5296 and ask for the CEO.

UN ranks FAST 12^th best evidence based family skills programme in the World

The United Nations recently recognized Families and Schools Together (FAST) as an evidence-based family skills programme, listing it number 12 in the world. FAST was one of 150 programs world-wide, evaluated and ranked by The United Nations Office of Drug and Crimes.

The announcement also reported that FAST has been implemented in different countries including Australia, Austria, Canada, England, Germany, Russia, the Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Scotland, the United States, Wales, Tajikistan, and Kazakhstan. Many of the large-scale programs have launched using a different implementation strategy than is used in North America to accommodate FAST in a larger scale and include many more team members and families all at one time.

To find out more about F&ST in Calgary and Area in Alberta, contact Catholic Family Service managing director Sherry Hiebert-Keck via info@cfs.ab.org or sherry.hiebertkeck@cfs.ab.org