SNAP Site Highlight: FIREFLY
We would like to recognize our SNAP Affiliate site Firefly for their success in implementing SNAP in Kenora for the past five years. The initial five-year project was funded by Public Safety Canada to ensure successful implementation and evaluation. “The project’s strong leadership and optimal environment and relationships with [community] stakeholders have ensured the program was delivered in a highly effective way and with proactive means for sustaining the project beyond the current funding period.”
Most key indicators (e.g., the average number of group sessions, number of optional SNAP components, and length of services) exceeded the target set. Based on the excellent results and community response, Firefly is expanding to three new communities (Dryden, Sioux Lookout, and Red Lake) to help serve more children and families.
The evaluation report done by University of Manitoba said that, “in almost all cases, behavioural issues of different types were reported as having improved. Although parents mentioned that the behaviours were not completely gone, they remarked very positively on the progress made” (Jiang & Mignone, Sept. 2019). Both teachers and parents reported significant decreases in disruptive behavioural concerns, including rule-breaking and aggression, as well as social problems. Parents reported increases in their ability to effectively discipline, set boundaries, show affection and play with their child.
When asked about the most significant change from their participation in the under-12 group to now, parents reported, “Less stress. I feel way less stressed and we’re all more calm. It’s not smooth sailing every day, but even when something arises we deal with it much better than we did. I feel like the biggest change is me and my husband, the way we’re handling it… the parenting changed so the kids followed.”
Improved emotional and behavioural regulation led to fewer disciplinary measures and improved peer relationships overall at school. The evaluation study also looked at school success and found that, after participating in SNAP, total days absent from school decreased from 25 to 4 days, and being late to school decreased from 17 to 3 times.
Overall, extremely positive results for the families attending SNAP at Firefly at both home and school.
Congratulations Firefly team!
|
a year filled with success, happiness and good health! A new decade means more thrilling opportunities for SNAP.
