17 June 2009

Budget cuts jeopardise the provision of practical solutions to parents in the community by Parents Centre

Funding provided by Greymouth High School for Greymouth Parent Centre’s valuable parent education classes in the community will stop next year because the Budget has cut funding to schools for Adult Community Education services.

Parents Centres deliver childbirth education, practical parent education and preschool and early childhood initiatives for parents. These programmes also provide exceptionally valuable support networks for parents struggling in an already tough climate.

Many parents rely on this as the only source of support and knowledge that they receive both before and after giving birth to their babies.

As a non profit organisation run by volunteers and affiliated to the National Parents Centres NZ organisation, Greymouth Parents Centre relies on funding to deliver their courses, without funding Greymouth Parents Centre’s ability to continue to provide their courses will be severely comprised which will be an immense loss to the community.

Parent Centres share a vision of NZ being a society that values parenting as being fundamental to the well being of all members of society and believe that parenting creates the environment that sews the fabric of our social structure. We deliver education, support and services to support and drive that vision.

Greymouth Parents Centre believes that in these tough economic times community based education and support is essential and that their courses, which focus on creating an environment where children will thrive and be nurtured through effective parenting ,are more important than ever.

Greymouth Parents Centre Committee members are arranging to meet with National MP Chris Auchinvole to discuss their concerns.

Greymouth Parents Centre encourages all their past, present and future members to help by writing to our local MP Chris Auchinvole FREEPOST Parliament, PO Box 18888, Wellington. We believe Greymouth Parents Centre and Greymouth High School are an important part of our community providing essential adult education, please support the future of our organisations.

Parents Centres NZ Inc is the primary provider of childbirth education in New Zealand employing over 100 childbirth educators and has the largest parenting based support network and infrastructure available to all parents in the community across 50 Centres nationwide.

ENDS

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