HIPPY Canada :: Helping communities, help parents, help children!

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Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) is a home-based education program that teaches parents to be their preschool children's first teacher and prepare their 3-5 year olds for school.

HIPPY parents are supported by easy-to-use activity packets that make learning and play fun, home visits by care professionals (home visitors) and group meetings.

Families apply to the program and are selected on the basis of need determined by income.
Chosen families must make a two-year commitment to participate 30 weeks per year, concurrently with the school year.
Parents are provided with carefully developed materials, curriculum and books.
HIPPY home visitors, who are parents in the program, are employed to work with 15 families each. The home visitors call upon the family every second week, bringing a new set of materials - usually a storybook and a packet of instructional materials. The home visitor and parent spend about one hour reviewing the materials, using role-play. If the parent has low literacy skills, an older child or a friend can take part in the visit. All of the instructional materials are prepared at a grade three reading level, and in Canada are available in English and French.
Parents spend 15 minutes each day doing activities with their child.
Every other week, the HIPPY program offers a group meeting at community centres or schools, with enrichment activities for parents.
Home visitors are provided with weekly training sessions that better prepare them for their home-visitation work.

HIPPY Fundraiser Event

Join us for our HIPPY Canada Dinner Honouring Hershell Ezrin
When: Tuesday 29 March 2011
WHere: Sheraton Centre Hotel Toronto
More information: Catherine Morrow, 416 908-4466
To Donate to the event:
To Purchase Event ticket:

HIPPY News

HIPPY is 10 years old
and still growing. Take a look at our 10 year commemorative document to see how far we've come.
Click here for the full document.

HIPPY Canada/Thompson Rivers University - Open Learning Partnership Program for HIPPY Home Visitors
HIPPY Canada is pleased to announce that the HIPPY Home Visitor training program has been awarded 15 APST (Applied Studies) credits at the 100 level (first year college) to any HIPPY Home Visitor who satisfactorily completes the 30 week, full-time training program at the HIPPY sites that have been in existence for 3 years or more with a suitably qualified Coordinator. These credits can be used as appropriate towards an Thompson Rivers University - Open Learning credential; acceptability will vary with the choice of credential.

HIPPY Canada is happy to offer this program to the Home Visitors as a fulfillment of our promise to promote their professional and personal growth and in turn their contribution to a healthy, thriving and inclusive community.

Bond to Literacy
Many Canadian parents want to support their children’s learning, but don’t have the skills and resources to do so. The Bond to Literacy program works with other Canadian not-for-profit organizations to improve the literacy levels of geographically isolated, low-income and/or disadvantaged families and children. Staff at partner organizations are resourced and trained to help parents to instill the love of reading in their children thereby, helping prepare the children for school. Bond to Literacy is funded by Human Resources and Social Development Canada.

Practicing Citizenship
This project is a partnership between HIPPY Canada, HIPPY Britannia, Multicultural Helping House & MOSAIC, and is designed to support the participation of newcomer women in Canadian society. The project draws on all of the partners’ rich and varied experience of working with immigrant and refugee communities. The program systematically blends theory and skills for public participation with a guided opportunity to apply this knowledge to real life challenges through community based projects. Practicing Citizenship is funded by Citizenship and Immigration Canada

HIPPY Events in 2010

September 20-24, 2010
Pre-Service Training in Toronto

November 1-5, 2010
HIPPY Conference and AGM in Ottawa

HIPPY Canada Board

The following Officers have been elected for the 2010-2011 term:

Tim Casgrain - Chair
Ann Cowan - Treasurer
Janet Crawford - Secretary
Sheldon Ehrenworth
Henry Green
Stephen Herbert
Judith Moses - Past Chair
Carol Slater
Claire Sumerlus
Richard Stursberg
Miriam Westheimer - Ex-officio

HIPPY Canada
Charitable Tax Number

863188538 RR0001

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