Creating Together Blog

Apply to be a Board member with Creating Together Family Resource Centre

March 12, 2018 by Creating Together

HOWEVER, IF YOU ARE REALLY PASSIONATE ABOUT JOINING, DEADLINE COULD BE EXTENDED

If you are passionate about strengthening families and making a difference in the Parkdale community, consider supporting the Creating Together Family Resource Centre by joining our team as a volunteer member of our Board of Directors.

The Membership and Board Development Committee is currently accepting applications from individuals interested in being recommended at our spring 2018 Annual General Meeting.

All board members must be:

Committed to supporting Creating Together and its mission “to support the healthy social, cognitive, emotional and physical development of children 0 to under 6 years and their families.
Currently a resident of the Parkdale community.

Preference is given to individuals who use or have used our services in the past. Previous experience with Boards and non-profit organizations is an asset, however, it it not required.

The Board of Directors consists of 9 members drawn from various segments of the community. A variety of backgrounds, skill sets and perspectives are valued. The term of office is 1-2 years.

Board meetings are held monthly (excluding August and December), usually the third Wednesday at 7:30pm, although this is negotiable. Board members also participate in board committees and are involved in periodic strategic planning sessions and community events.

How to Apply

To apply, please complete submit a cover letter and current resume to creatingtogether@rogers.com

The deadline to receive applications is 11:59 pm on Sunday April 15, 2018, however, if you are really passionate about joining, dedline could be extended.

Interviews will be held and selected prior to the Annual General Meeting, at which successful applicants will be voted in.

Join Us March 8 for International Women’s Day

March 4, 2018 by Creating Together

Each year, the team at Creating Together puts on a special day for the women of our community, for International Women’s Day (IWD).

This Thursday March 8th, join us at for homemade facials, hand softness and a special snack for all!

We hope do see you there!

What is International Women’s Day?

International Women’s Day (March 8) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity. (https://www.internationalwomensday.com)

Origins of International Women’s Day

We can trace the beginnings of International Women’s Day back to labour movements in North America and Europe in the early twentieth century, with a growing force for women to take part as equals in society. The first International Women’s Day was observed on March 19, 1911 in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland. That day, more than one million women and men showed their support by participating in public events. In the years that followed, other countries began to observe and celebrate this day. The United Nations began celebrating IWD in 1975, later adopting March 8 as the official International Women’s Day.

This Year’s Theme: Feminism

Each year, IWD carries a different theme, and this year, the theme is Feminism. According to the Government of Canada, “Feminism is simply about equality – equality for women, men and people of all gender identities. Achieving gender equality means that everyone has the opportunity to reach their full potential.” (http://www.swc-cfc.gc.ca/commemoration/iwd-jif/theme-en.html).

This year’s theme, #MyFeminism, is inspired by the role feminism and celebrates the feminists, activists, advocates and allies to lead the way to global change.

Other Ways to Get Involved

Here are ten ideas from “The Status of Women Canada” for how you can celebrate International Women’s Day:

Take part in an International Women’s Day event in your community.
Participate in the #MyFeminism campaign by providing your answer to the question: What does feminism mean to you?
Recognize the achievements of an exceptional woman in your community by profiling her in a local paper or online platform, making a donation to a charity in her name, or nominating her for an award (such as the Governor General’s Award in Commemoration of the Persons Case).
Print the International Women’s Day poster to display in your office, home or community.
Share the International Women’s Day infobites across social media.
Encourage youth to get involved through classroom discussions and activities, using the Educators’ Toolkit.
Learn more about the challenges facing women around the world from international organizations like UN Women.
Donate your time to a local, national or international organization that supports women and gender equality.
Talk with men and boys about their role as advocates and allies for gender equality.
Plan a fundraising event at your workplace or school for a charity that works with women or works to advance gender equality.

Thank You For Joining Us On Family Day

February 22, 2018 by Creating Together

Remembering our Beginnings

Incorporated in 1976 as a non-profit charitable organization, Creating Together actually began well before that. Parkdale parents and agency workers were concerned about the lack of resources for children and families, so organized a series of short-term projects.

We’ve Come a Long Way!

Now, over 40 years later, Creating Together is honoured to continue being such an active and involved part of the South-Parkdale community. In 2015 alone, 13,211 visits were made!

Celebrating Family Day Together

We remember our beginnings, which came from real need within our community. We also celebrate our successes, each year, our annual Family Day potluck is a priority. This year, our annual potluck was a great success. We had a huge variety of dishes, making for a wonderful feast.

Thank you so much to all the children, family members and caregivers who came out with dishes and such festive energy. Remember – we are here because of you!

Creating Together Honours Black History Month

February 16, 2018 by Creating Together

Every February, Canadians are invited to participate in Black History Month festivities and events that honour the legacy of Black Canadians, past and present.

With a different theme selected each year, this year’s theme is “Black Canadian Women: Stories of Strength, Courage and Vision.”

Source: 2011 Census / National Household Survey Copyright 2014 City of Toronto.

For the City of Toronto and our Parkdale community, this theme is highly relevant, and certainly worth celebrating.

Did you know that Toronto is where many Black Canadian Women call home, with 62% of women who identify as visible minorities being located in either Toronto or Vancouver (YMCA Canada, 2001)? If we narrow that scope to look at our own community, black-identified individuals represent our 2nd highest visible minority group in South Parkdale (City of Toronto, 2011), according to the 2011 Census.

Rita Cox Collection, Parkdale Public Library

Perhaps that’s why the Parkdale branch of the Toronto Public Library holds the Rita Cox Black and Caribbean Heritage Collection, recognized as one of the most significant Black and Caribbean heritage collections in Canada. The collection features over 16,000 print and audiovisual materials for adults, children, and teens about the Black and Caribbean historical and cultural experience.

At Creating Together, we celebrated the month with a Black History Snack. Children came together with their parents and caregivers to prepare, cook and enjoy the snack, and a wonderful time was had by all!

Learning Science Through Play

February 7, 2018 by Creating Together

Science is “a way of exploring and investigating the world around us… not only a way of knowing; it is…a way of doing” (Wenham, 1995, p. 2). And according to the experts, it is important in the lives of young people for a number of reasons:

Science involves a lot of communication with other people.
Science develops patience and perseverance in kids.
It can help kids form a healthy dose of scepticism.
Science teaches kids about the world around them.
Science can spark in kids’ minds that they, too, can help solve the world’s big problems.

So how do we foster science in our young?

Science Activity at Creating Together: Food colour and coffee filters – using droppers.

According to Wenham, Science involves the discovery of something that is true, why something occurs, and how something is investigated (1995). Educators, parents, and caregivers can facilitate children’s involvement in science by providing materials, raising questions and problems as children play, and encouraging them to observe, predict, describe, and theorize about what they’re doing – ultimately helping them to grow in their thinking.

The National Science Education Standards (National Research Council, 1996) call for science to be taught through the inquiry method. Inquiry follows the tradition of hands-on exploration of children’s own questions that eventually lead to discovery of scientific concepts.

“Students should be actively involved in exploring phenomena that interest them. These investigations should be fun and open the door to…more things to explore” (American Association for the Advancement of Science [AAAS], 1993, p. 10).

The team at Creating Together is excited to be offering Science Activities this year, so parents and caregivers can come together with their children and encourage a hands-on exploration of the world around us!

Join us! We certainly look forward to seeing you!

References

American Association for the Advancement of Sci- ence (AAAS). (1993). Benchmarks for science literacy: Project 2061. New York, NY: Oxford University.

National Research Council. (1996). National science education standards. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.

Wenham, N. (1995). Understanding primary science. London, UK: Paul Chapman.