Support
ADHD Parents AV – Information, education, support, community outreach, for parents of children with ADHD / ADD in the Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia.
Alexander Society for Inclusive Arts, Wolfville – aims to provide arts-based educational programs to children and teens with special needs and their peers, to provide resources for people working with special needs populations, to organize workshops and special guest speakers, to produce materials such as videos and workbooks, and to promote the inclusion of people with special needs into their communities. They offer after school programs, workshops and much more! Director Kathleen Purdy also offers individual assessments, one-on-one programs and group workshops.
Annapolis Valley Families Caring for Loved Ones with an Eating Disorder – This Facebook site has been set up to support the parents and carers of loved ones with eating disorders (EDs) in the Annapolis Valley. It is run by people with ‘lived experience’ of caring for a loved one with an ED.
We hope to share useful information and contacts which will help others navigate their way through the mental healthcare system and to get the support and help they need as quickly as possible.
We also run a monthly Family Support Group meeting for families caring for a loved one with an ED.
Autism Support Group, Windsor – The design of the meeting is an open forum, providing parents with a family member with an autism spectrum disorder an opportunity to get together and talk in an understanding environment.For further information, please contact 790-4794 or roy.mcintyre@hotmail.com
Annapolis Valley Austim Support, provides support and networking to families and others involved with individuals with Autism and related disorders.
Babble & Beyond Speech Language Services – Wolfville. Articulation/phonology, child language, language-learning disabilities, stuttering, voice/resonance problems. Linda Levy Fisk Phone: (902) 698-2669 Email: tlfisk@ns.sympatico.ca
Big Brothers Big Sisters Annapolis Valley – believes that every child in Canada who needs a mentor has a mentor. They have the traditional one-on-one Big/Little matches and are developing new mentoring programmes such as In-School Mentoring, and Big Bunch.
Braveheart First Aid Training – Are you comfortable if your child chokes, bleeds or stops breathing? Let us help! We’ll train on all these topics and also make you comfortable to use an AED at local rinks, pools etc. Be prepared when your kids need you the most. New Choking techniques for babies, children and adults have just been released. CPR has never been easier! Let us build your confidence, let’s practice these skills together. Braveheart also offers babysitting courses and first aid courses for kids. Get 5 of your friends, and book Braveheart First Aid to run a training session for you. Or, contact them to find out when the next available course is.
Also available: Babysitting courses and Home Alone courses.
Bright Beginnings Early Intervention Program – located in Lawrencetown, it is a non-profit organization that provides free early intervention services to families with children who have special needs.
Campaign For Kids – Campaign for Kids is a Foundation dedicated to helping underprivileged children and youth in Kings County. We aim to lend a hand to families in need and put an end to child abuse. Because we believe every child matters, all money raised stays at home—in Kings County to benefit our children locally. We provide support for children and families whose needs cannot be met by existing programs and services.
Camp Brigadoon – Aylesford Lake, Brigadoon – a year-round facility for residential camps for children and youth living with a chronic illness.
Chrysalis House provides safe shelter, support and counseling to abused women and their children. We work with individuals, organization and businesses in our community to end violence against women. Located in Kentville and services the Valley.
Cloth for a Cause – We collect and repair donated cloth diapers and accessories and then loan them to interested low income/struggling families. This gets the babies into cloth and out of expensive disposable diapers. If you would like to use the service, or have diapers to donate, contact the NS chapter. There are volunteers across the Valley. EMAIL OR Cloth for a Cause – NS.
Compassion Action – is a not-for-profit organization. We provide training for child sexual abuse prevention, suicide prevention and we train people to have the tools necessary to deal with mental health issues. Located in Port Williams.
Early Childhood Development Support Centre – Offers resource and training support to early learning and child care professionals, students, and the community. Their workshops are open to the public. They are based out of Kingstec, NSCC Campus in Kentville.
Early Childhood Intervention Support Program (Valley Child Development Association) – is a non-profit, charitable organization that provides early intervention services for children with special needs (birth to five). This is a great organization for for families struggling with developmental and/or behavioural issues. There’s in-home support and a toy library available.
English as a Second Language – Valley Community Learning Association has been providing English as an Additional Language (EAL) classes for many years. There are three main levels of learning – basic, intermediate and advanced.
Evangeline Club – The Evangeline Club is a safe, supportive space for people living with mental health experiences, dedicated to addressing social isolation, and bringing the best out of individuals. Based in Berwick.
Family Matters – Lawrencetown serving Annapolis County – It’s aim is to develop, coordinate and deliver programs, services, and support that are proven to promote the health and well being of children aged 0 to 6 years and their families, guardians, and caregivers in Annapolis County. Family Matters also has a variety of great programs and services for new parents (and new again parents).
Family Resource Centre of West Hants – Windsor, offers supports for parents and children. They offer a series of playgroups and programs. They offer breastfeeding cafes and support.
FreeSpirit Therapeutic Riding Program – will offer equine assisted therapy both on and off horseback through qualified instructors and horses to children and adults for the enhancement of physical, emotional, educational and social development. Therapeutic riding, equine-assisted therapy or hippotherapy, help people living with a range of special needs including post-traumatic stress disorder, Autism, grief, Cerebral Palsy, Spina Bifida, amputation, brain injury, memory loss.
Fuel the Care– A program offered through Irving Oil. Traveling to hospitals can be costly, so our program provides fuel gift cards to parents who must frequently travel to provide their children with urgent medical care, helping them focus on what’s most important – their children’s health.
Greenwood Military Family Resource Centre – Services offered at the GMFRC include:
– Access to support and resources
– Assistance in applying for emergency funding
– Initial needs screening, referral and assessment
– Conflict management
– Confidential, short-term counselling and crisis support
– Peer support groups
– Preventative workshops
– Support for caregivers and children coping with illness,
injury and/or loss
– Support in navigating the multitude of services and
resources available to military families
– Tailored information sessions and briefings
– Grief and loss support
– Individual, family and couples counselling
– Advocacy
Here are some of the programs offered by the GMFRC mental health team:
Inter-Comm: Offered in conjunction with Health Promotions, this innovative program provides communication training that will support your interpersonal relationships and assist with effectively managing conflict. Open to all
military members, their families (18 years and older), NPF and DND employees.
Fab over Forty: A group open to fabulous women over 40! Join like-minded women from our community once a month, for an evening session on various topics. Belly dancing, make-up tips, financial education, what to do in the
Annapolis Valley, etc. are all on our agenda.
Mindful Mondays: This is a monthly group, led by our Prevention Support
and Intervention (PSI) Coordinator to support military and veteran families in facing their unique challenges. Members, partners, and families are welcome to
attend. Open to new members each session. Safe, open and judgement free environment.
Hants Learning Network, Windsor – Offers a series of free programs for parents, guardians, and other adults who are interested in learning ways to help their elementary school aged children with reading, writing, and math. The HELPP program will show you how to make learning more enjoyable for the whole family in a series of fun sessions for adults and children.
Just Me & the Kids – a group supporting single parent families in our region, at Emmanuel Church in Middleton. Contact Deb at 825-6909 for more information.
Kaleidoscope, New Minas – Kaleidoscope New Minas is a social recreation program for youth with special needs who are transitioning out of high school or who have recently graduated. Our program runs Wednesdays from 9:45 to 11:45 at the Youth Room at the Louis Millett Community Complex. Each participant must be accompanied by a support person. The fee is $5 per morning. We are very interested in partnering with other groups and organizations to share ideas and work together as we build Kaleidoscope New Minas! To learn more please contact us at: kaleidoscopenewminas@gmail.com
Like us on Facebook. Visit our website at http://kaleidoscopenewminas.org/
Kids Action Program – The Kids Action Program (AVH CAPC) is part of a national program called the Community Action Program for Children or “CAPC”. The broad goals of the Kids Action Program are to: Provide needed programs/services by introducing new programs/services or increasing access to those already available; Improve and enrich the lives of children and parents by providing parent-driven programs specific to families’ identified needs; Help parents increase the confidence and skills they require to ensure that necessary resources and services are available in local communities to support their role as parents of young children; Represent families living in low-income circumstances within forums where needed changes can be discussed and/or addressed.
Kings County Family Resource Centre, Kentville – The Centre is dedicated to supporting healthy family development by providing progressive parent, child and personal development programs. They also have a toy lending library. They are licensed to screen, approve and provide support to child care providers who wish to become approved with our agency. They also help families seeking child care and assist to match them with approved family homes in our area. Families are able to utilize portable subsidy in our approved family homes. The agency services are free to both families seeking child care and to child care providers wanting to become approved. They provide free professional development and advertising as well as lend equipment and resources to our child care providers such as nap mats, cribs, high chairs, fencing etc.
Kings Special Olympics –promoting Inclusion, Dignity, Respect & Acceptance through sport
Lice Matters – We are here to support, educate and help people manage head lice.
Literacy – Valley Community Learning Association in Kentville offers a family literacy program called the Publish IT! Bookmaking Program. Using family photographs and original text, VCLA’s family literacy coordinator works to help families in Kings and Annapolis Counties to create books that become lasting mementos.
Mental Health Child & Adolescent Services – (679-2873) Based in Kentville, they offer several different parenting classes and health promotion classes.
Parents of Multiple Births Association (POMBA) – is a non-profit organization of parents and guardians of multiple birth children. Our purpose is to provide moral support to each other and to open communication channels with the community on the unique situation of multiple births. Although there is not a separate Valley chapter, there are families living in the Valley area, supporting each other. We do our best to link all those families that express interest with the best possible resources and information.
Portal Youth – located in Kentville. If you are 12- 24 years of age, the Portal could be a door to your next steps. We are located in downtown Kentville, NS, and care about young people. We want to hear from you especially if you need a safe place to live, you are hungry, there is stress at school, at home, or at work, you got in trouble with the police and need to go to court, you might be struggling with alcohol or drug abuse, OR you just feel alone and not sure what to do.
Red Door – For more than 20 years, we have been providing confidential sexual health services, health education, and health promotion to youth 13-30 years of age. We are proud to provide this support without judgment, in a safe environment, complete with an expert staff and trained volunteers. Located in Kentville.
Rowan’s Room Respite, Middleton – We are an educational & respite support program that will be opening our doors in the summer of 2016!
SchoolPlus – is a voluntary program with the Annapolis Valley Regional School Board that supports the whole child and their families 12 months of the year. We provide support to eight schools within Annapolis County by bridging the gaps in service between HOME – SCHOOL and COMMUNITY! We offer direct service to children, youth and their families, we connect with outside services to deliver programs, as well as offering many of our own programs. (902)532-3299 Office.
SMILE Program – The S.M.I.L.E. program provides an environment of play and fun that fosters fundamental motor development for children and youth with varying ability levels and develops leadership skills for Acadia University Students which lead to a lifetime of success.
Sound Connections Therapy Services provide Counselling and Music Therapy programs for individuals and groups. Brenda Johnson specializes with children and youth; her experience includes at risk behaviours, learning disabilities and autism spectrum at all ages. Brenda’s strength based approaches combined with her skills create a safe and playful environment to facilitate therapeutic goals while providing a positive social experience. Contact: 692-1662 or Email.
Sweetpeas Speech, New Minas – Pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist – assessment and treatment with clinically certified therapist in a warm and supportive environment. Aoife Schofield (pronounced ‘Eefa’). If you are a parent in the Annapolis Valley with questions about your child’s communication give me a call to discuss your concerns at 902-760-0838 or email me at sweetpeasspeech@gmail.com
Toy Lending Library – Want to try out some different toys? Don’t have enough funds to purchase toys? The Kings County Family Resource Centre has a toy lending library where you can sign out various toys. There is also a Toy Lending Library through Family Matters centre in Lawrencetown.
Valley Care Pregnancy Centre, Kentville – The Centre offers a series of services, programs, support and supplies for those who are in an unplanned pregnancy situation.
Valley Circle of Friends is a support group for families and their support system who have experienced a pregnancy of infant loss. This support group enables you to meet other parents who understand your experience. Meetings take place every 2nd WEDNESDAY each month in Wolfville at the EKM Community Health Clinic (EKMCHC) at 23 Earnscliffe Ave. @ 7:00 pm in the corner meeting room.
Valley Restorative Justice provides Restorative Justice to youth (aged 12-17) who are in conflict with the law and those who are harmed by them. They provide services that promote peace and healing within communities affected by incidents of criminal harm.
Valley Youth Project – Are you a young LGBTQ-identified person or ally in Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley who is looking for a community? Are you interested in sharing some fun and friendship? If so, the Valley Youth Project might be just what you’re looking for! Whoever you are, we’d love to get to know you. We’d like the Valley to know about us too, so please spread the word. The Valley Youth Project is open to all youth, 25 and under, who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual, transgender, intersex, two-spirited, queer, or questioning, as well as to straight allies.
Windsor Pregnancy Centre – Pregnant and confused? Need someone to talk to? We are open on Tuesdays from 2 to 5, Wednesdays 12 to 5, and Thursdays 12 to 5. Phone the office at 902-798-5854
902-798-5854 or the 24-hour help line at 902-798-7077902-798-7077. Visit the Windsor Pregnancy Centre: 11 Water Street, Windsor.
