On June 18, MOSAIC hosted a celebration as 76 kids aged 3-5 “graduated” -along with their moms- from the HIPPY program for multicultural parents, operated by the MOSAIC HUB. The celebration took place at the Vancouver Community College’s Broadway campus and 68 families turned out, along with family and friends bringing attendance to over 200 people.Mothers in the HIPPY program acted as emcees and they, along with other moms, spoke about their experience with the program and the impact that it has made in their lives and that of their kids. HIPPY is the acronym for Home Instruction for Parents of Pre-school Youngsters, and is a program that works with families in the home to support parents, primarily mothers, to actively prepare their children for success in school. The program encourages interaction between HIPPY families and provides a community of support for participants who are generally isolated newcomers to Canada.Jenny Kwan, MLA for Vancouver Mount Pleasant, addressed the crowd and told her own story about immigrating to Canada with her family, and the importance of programs such as HIPPY, in helping newcomers to integrate.The afternoon event was lively and boisterous -much as you would expect when over half the audience appeared to be under the age of 5. Groups of kids from three HIPPY PODS trooped onto stage and sang songs for the audience. Kim Ton, Manager of the MOSAIC HIPPY HUB program, commented, “It’s a great event as it celebrates a year of hard work the families have put in, who now have the resources to continue teaching their kids on their own. It’s lovely to see these kids today when they’re all dressed up and I think they know it’s a very special occasion that is all about them.”
