The Phoenix Centre for Children and Families has launched the virtual Friends and Neighbours (FAN) Club.
The FAN Club was created to help children ages 3 to 11 better understand and manage the challenges and issues in their lives.
This unique club uses life-sized puppets to address social issues through lively and thought-provoking performances.
The puppet program is featuring new performances such as:
- Dealing with COVID-19,
- Understanding and Coping with Anxiety,
- Anti Racism/Discrimination & Inclusion
Separation and divorce, making friends, dealing with anxiety, living with a parent who has mental illness, and many more issues were addressed through live performances.
The program is available in both English and French and tackles tough topics in a way that children aged 3 to 11 can understand.
The program features videos focused on the associated issues with access to selected resources, activities, strategies which can be used as a follow up with the child, children and class.
This program is created by The Phoenix Centre for Children and Families, funded by The Ontario Trillium Foundation and supported by Civitan International (Canada).
MPP John Yakabuski, an Ontario Trillium Foundation Representative and Greg Lubimiv the Executive Director of the Phoenix Centre, all spoke about the launch of the new program on Friday, November 26th, 2021.
Yakabuski says this program will benefit many people in the community.
Lubimiv says it’s important to celebrate our differences.
He adds they want to teach good values at a young age.
Registration is free and available to anyone who can use the tools to help facilitate discussion around difficult and prevalent topics that face children today.
You can watch the virtual puppet shows online here.