Mothers Matter Centre Information

Mothers Matter Centre is a virtual, national consortium of organizations dedicated to serving socially isolated and low economic status mothers and their families using our proven mother-to-mother approach. We work with mothers where they live – at home – connecting them with other mothers in their communities who share an intimate awareness of the issues and challenges they face. Through our flagship program – Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) Canada – we have helped more than 10,000 mothers gain new skills and build confidence and abilities essential to strengthening mother-child relationships. This means at least 10,000 children were better prepared to get the most from their early school experiences and many more than 20,000 lives have been positively impacted. Piloted in Canada in 2000 at the Britannia Community Service Centre in Vancouver, HIPPY Canada has grown to 28 sites, including 10 Aboriginal and 18 multicultural sites, each of which helps 35 – 100 families each year. The HIPPY program offers past HIPPY participants (mostly mothers) an opportunity for a three-year work-learn position as a Home Visitor with a focus on transitioning them to jobs or higher education after they leave the HIPPY program. Most of the Home Visitors are newcomers to Canada - they come from 33 countries and speak 37 languages. 91% of Home Visitors have or are in the process of obtaining a university degree or Canadian credentials for professions they practiced in their home countries. While continuing to support and grow HIPPY, the Mothers Matter Centre will work to develop additional program innovations such as housing assistance, job-skills training, literacy and language training, healthcare, and more.