A group promoting the wellbeing of children and families is seeking the public's help in spreading family-friendly messages in the Tri-Cities.
The Tri-Cities ECD Community Development Committee is asking parents with children up to six years of age, residents without kids and business owners to participate in a survey to test marketing messages that will be rolled out later this year.
Co-ordinator Susan Foster said the survey - available online at at www.fluidsurveys.com/s/TriCitiesECD - will test three marketing messages targeted to special groups to see if they are meaningful and worth using. The goal, Foster said, is to get people thinking, talking about and supporting families.
"The research is showing that we aren't as engaged with our community," said Foster, whose group represents health, school, community and social service agencies serving kids and families in the region.
"There's a lack of connection with kids and their neighbourhoods," she added. "We haven't really engaged the business community and they're an amazing resource; the point is how can you be part of our community?
"As our community is getting older and more people don't have children in their lives, how can we get them to acknowledge and buy into the things they need to do to be part of the extended family,"
Foster said the campaign to spread family-supportive messages grew out of research showing that kindergarten-aged students are showing up to school with poor social skills and middle school students lack community engagement and don't know their neighbours.
The messages being tested will remind parents that free play is important for children's development and encourage businesses and residents who don't have children to contribute to an environment that makes the community safe for kids.
"For each one of the groups, [the message] will be different. We want to see if we can do a better job of engaging the broader community."
For more information about the ECD Community Development Committee and its work, visit www.tricitiesecd.ca.
