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With the generous contribution from the Community Initiatives Fund, Healthy Start was pleased to host a Train-the-Trainer workshop on May 13 and 14 in Saskatoon. Fourteen individuals from all over Saskatchewan gathered together for the two day affair. There were representatives from school divisions, health regions, First Nations communities, early years organizations, family resource centres, recreation districts and health promotion initiatives.   The group learned about a number of things including the Healthy Start initiative, what it means to be a Healthy Start Community Trainer and how to deliver Healthy Start trainings. The participants were even given the opportunity to practice and deliver a portion of the training to the group. Not only did the participants leave the workshop with a hockey bag full of resources (APE Kit), they left with an enthusiasm that was inspiring to the Healthy Start team.   We are excited for this new implementation year as we will now be able to reach even more children in Saskatchewan with the help of our new Healthy Start Community Trainers. Please join us in welcoming Donna Coleman Trombley, Shawna Cote, Jodene Demorest, Diane Drummond, Lacy Eggerman, Connie Herman, Chelsey Johnson, Samantha Jolly, Tammy Leoppky, Melisa McKay, Jane Meik-lejohn, Amanda Petit, Janet Regan and Tanis Shanks to the Healthy Start team!

The Saskatchewan Network for Health Services in French (RSFS) and the Fransaskois Parent Association (APF) have signed a partnership agreement for the French delivery of the Healthy Start/Départ Santé (HSDS) implementation. As of April 1st 2016 the APF will support the implementation in francophone childcare centres and pre-k classes. This agreement grew out of a strong relationship with the Parent Association who was a founding member of Healthy Start/Départ Santé in 2006 and who has helped ensure the LEAPTM BC resources were translated (2010-11), and has supported the Phase 2 of the project as a member of the HSDS Steering Committee. What is unique about the APF partnership is that the Départ Santé philosophy and intervention will cross over to their family resource centre programming – enabling families with young children to also benefit from increased physical activity and healthy eating opportunities! Congratulations to the APF community association for playing a role in sustaining the Healthy Start initiative.

The Healthy Start / Départ Santé (HSDS) team is always looking for ways to get involved in the health promotion movement – spreading healthy activities all across the province and beyond our borders! Did you know that Healthy Start has been implementing the initiative in New Brunswick as part of our overall evaluation study? In the past two years, the HSDS New Brunswick team has implemented the project in collaboration with numerous partners including Active Kids / Jeunes actifs, NB Gymnastics and the Wellness Branch. Recently, seven childcare centres have participated in a Healthy Start training in the following communities: Bathurst, Petit-Roche, Black Harbour; Richibucto and Cap-Pelé. Thank you to Mathieu, Véronique and Émilie, students at the Université de Moncton, for their support in delivering the training sessions! Back in Saskatchewan, Healthy Start assisted the SK in motion team at the SUMA conference in Regina with an impromptu Flash Mob! If you are in Saskatoon for the winter break, check out Family in motion Day on February 15th – there’s a great line-up of activities for families and children of all ages in and around Toon Town! Click here for more info. Healthy Start and partners will be hosting interactive LEAP™ (Literacy, Education, Activity, Play) games targeting young children; and MEND SK (Mind, Exercise, Nutrition, Do it!) will introduce active games for school age participants. Plus, don’t miss the dance party and a giant indoor snowball fight! And finally, 11 francophone early years specialists from across Saskatchewan participated in a two day Healthy Start / Départ Santé train-the-trainer workshop at the end of January. Our 12th participant, Nathanael Patriquin, from Fredericton, returned to New Brunswick with loads of resources and ideas on how to continue to share HSDS in his province. Congratulations to these new partners!

What: Family in motion day event hosted by Healthy Start / Départ Santé and in collaboration with MEND SK (Mind Education Nutrition Do it!), l’Association des parents fransaskois (APF) and the Saskatoon Federation of Early Learning. When: 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm February 15, 2016 Where: École canadienne-française Elementary School – 1407 Albert Ave, Saskatoon Who: Families; activities will target children ages 3-13 and their parents Admission: FREE! Description: Come join Healthy Start, MEND SK and the APF for an afternoon of activities. Fun for all ages including games, healthy snacks, a raffle, a dance party and an indoor snowball fight! Weather permitting, we will also have outdoor activities and there is a toboggan hill so bring your sleds and your crazy carpets. For more information on Family in motion Day, please click here.

Healthy Start/Départ Santé has made great connections in some remote communities of North Western Saskatchewan. Three Aboriginal Head Start (Urban and Northern Communities) centres from Green Lake, Beauval and Pinehouse took part in the Healthy Start 5-hour training on November 6th, 2015 in Green Lake, SK. It was a good turn out with 14 participants and an exceptionally hospitable host, Green Lake AHS, who went above and beyond for the guest centres in providing the location and a delicious hot lunch. The next day, Healthy Start was able to offer another 5-hour training in Buffalo Narrows, SK. It was attended by a variety of early learning centres including: three licenced child care centers from Buffalo Narrows and Pinehouse, one Aboriginal Head Start (Urban and Northern Communities) also from Buffalo Narrows, and two Aboriginal Head Starts (On Reserve) from Meadow Lake Tribal Council. In total, there were 25 participants. Many laughs shared with this group. In both communities, it was great to see early year educators and teachers getting together and including other professionals in the area to join in on the training. Many participants were invited within the last 2 weeks by word of mouth referrals and amazingly, were able to attend on such short notice even though their centres were over 2 hours away. Healthy Start looks forwards to hearing feedback from these centres as well as stories on how these centres are using the training information in their daily routines.