FAMILY & KIDS
ACCESSIBILITY STATEMENT
Our space @ 573 East Hastings Street is accessible:
• Front door: 34 inch width
• No steps at entrance
• Washroom door: 31 inch width
• Toilet: 12 inch clearance on left side
• The washroom has a handrail and is accessible to all genders.
Kids Community Kitchen
☆ Friday afternoons 3:00 - 6:00 pm
Program Lead: Shaista kidskitchen@dtesnhouse.ca
Kids Kitchen provides fun, enriching, cooking classes for up to 13 children aged 6-12, every Friday afternoon. Through this program—which runs in 12-week cycles—our young participants develop a wide repertoire of cooking and kitchen-safety skills and learn about food-related topics, including nutrition, meal-planning, food-safety, and cultural diversity. The main dish and dessert recipes are chosen every week by the participants, with assistance from staff. Sessions end with a group conversation reflecting the individual children's interests, curiosities, and cultural backgrounds. The term wraps up with an exciting food related field trip. Recent examples have included Science World, and the Vancouver Christmas Market. In addition to the practical skills and knowledge that children acquire through our Kids' Kitchen Program, participants also develop a powerful sense of competence and agency regarding their food and nutrition. Like all DTES NH programs, Kids' Kitchen sessions are positive, community-building events, set in a safe and nurturing space.
ON THIS PAGE:
Family Drop-in
Early Years Drop-in
School’s Out Programs
Kids’ Tutoring Program
Drawing & Painting with Arts Umbrella
Kids Community Kitchen
Family Drop-in
☆ Tuesday and Thursday 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Email: fdi@dtesnhouse.ca
The Family Drop-In (FDI) program works to serve the needs of all families residing in the Downtown Eastside and the surrounding Strathcona and Oppenheimer area. Parents who are picking up their children from Strathcona Elementary, or leaving programming from YWCA’s Crabtree Corner, are welcomed into the DTES NH at 3:00pm. All parents/caregivers and children are welcome.
One of the key aims of FDI is to improve the social determinants of health for families and children in our community. We do this through a program emphasis on food literacy, healthy and culturally affirming meal preparation, and culinary exploration. This program works to mitigate the effects of material poverty now, by providing access to healthy food, but also in the long term as participants acquire the skills and knowledge of healthy food preparation. The DTES NH space offers opportunities for children and caregivers to explore arts, crafts, activities, and games with skilled and caring staff and volunteers.
FDI strives to create a welcoming environment and respectful culture, in which there is no competition or strife between families of differing ancestries. Parents who enter our doors may be materially and nutritionally vulnerable and live with a multiplicity of other physical/mental health complexities. As well, children who access FDI may be equally challenged by the same barriers as their adult counterparts. FDI reminds all our neighbours, that the world is their oyster and their deservedness inherent. The demands and strains of family life can often lead to isolation, and the Neighbourhood House looks to address that by providing a safe place to connect with other parents, children, youth, and helpful staff.
Early Years Drop In
☆ Fridays 9:00 am to 11:30 am
Email: fdi@dtesnhouse.ca
As an offshoot of the FDI, Early Years Drop-In (EYDI) provides a space for caregivers and their young children ages 0-6, to eat breakfast, participate in activities, workshops, and seminars together. The program begins right after the school bell rings at Lord Strathcona Elementary, and families can leisurely walk over to the Neighbourhood House at this key time of the day.
EYDI is a place for parents to come together and learn from one another. It is a peer facilitated talking space, where open conversation is encouraged, so that parents, families, staff, volunteers can support one another. Topics covered include parents' mental health, appropriate screen time for toddlers and children, baby’s sleep schedule, how to deal with challenging behaviors, and the importance of literacy for toddlers. Conversation will commence after a healthy breakfast has been eaten.
School’s Out Programs
DTES NH United Way BC School’s Out programs serve families and children ages 6-12, and consist of 3 program themed days: Kid’s Tutoring, Drawing & Painting with Arts Umbrella, and the Kids Community Kitchen.
Kids’ Tutoring Program
☆ Mondays from 3:00pm-6:00pm
Program Lead: Shaista kidskitchen@dtesnhouse.ca
The Kid’s Tutoring Program provides academic assistance to children in various subjects including math, science, reading, and writing. The program runs every Monday afternoon for two hours; 41 weeks per year with a maximum of 10 participants at each session. Each child receives 1 hour of one-on-one tutoring either with in-person tutors or connecting via zoom. Outside of this hour, the children work on their homework with skilled program staff, have a snack, do silent reading, and participate in arts and crafts. The provision of healthy after-school snacks offers additional nutritional support to the participants, many of whom rely on free meals from their school.
Drawing & Painting with Arts Umbrella
☆ Wednesdays from 3:30pm-5:00pm
Program Lead: Shaista kidskitchen@dtesnhouse.ca
The Wednesday Drawing and Painting class, in collaboration Arts Umbrella, provides children aged 7-11 with opportunities to express themselves creatively and discover new artistic mediums. This program runs in 8-week cycles, with 3 cohorts facilitated over the school year. The children have a chance to explore a variety of techniques and materials, with each week featuring a specific artist and their style. A wide range of supplies are provided throughout the term, with past projects including paint, pastels, glue, cardboard, and fabric pieces. Participants work with visual art with the guidance and support of Arts Umbrella staff and get to test their skills in multiple mediums, and overall have a positive experience with art and creating things that they can be proud of.