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The Parent Mentoring Program of Saskatchewan (PMPS) is a long-term prevention, home-visiting service aimed at promoting healthy behaviors and life choices, enhancing social support networks, and improving community resources. The program provides support and practical assistance to expectant parents and parents of young children by matching them with an appropriate volunteer mentor or para professional, and holding group activities within their communities.
PMPS is available in 11 out of 12 health regions across Saskatchewan. The program covers the rural areas along with the cities. There are 16 Site Coordinators, two Liaison Workers, and one Provincial Coordinator. For information regarding the program in your area, contact the staff person closest to you (please go to the contact info page).
Our History
The program began as a pilot program in 1991 called the Experienced Mothers Program (EMP). EMP was modeled after the Mentoring of Mothers program of Akron, Ohio. With the success of this pilot, the Successful Mothers Support Program (SMPS) was introduced provincially in 1996. In 2005, SMSP changed their name to the Parent Mentoring Program of Saskatchewan to reflect the type of service provided and to be inclusive of mothers and fathers.
Our Beliefs
-Parenting is a very important complex task that needs to take into account the unique biological, developmental, social, emotional, and spiritual needs of children.
-Parents want to do the best that they can; there is no one right way to parent.
-Parents need to feel a sense of mastery in their roles as parents.
-Society has a responsibility to support good parenting.
-Caring, supportive, nurturing, reliable and sustained relationships are needed to develop the confidence and trust for children and parents to make changes over time.
-Primarily, volunteer mentors take their place beside professionals in making valuable contributions to young children and families.
-Every parent or child has an intrinsic value as a individual in our society. Each has knowledge and skills that can be uncovered, doscovered, developed, honed and enhanced.
Our Objectives
The objectives of PMPS are aimed at providing knowledge, skills and motivation to parents to think, do, feel and be the best they can in their roles as parents. The objetives are:
1. Having a mutually satisfying relationship between parent and volunteer 2. Siding parents to access existing services
The overall outcome of meeting the objectives is being healthier and happier parents and having healthier happier children.
Our Broad GOALS Are To:
1. Improve pregnancy outcomes
2. Enhance healthy childhood development
3. Improve parental skills and life choices
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