Since 2004, the Soong Ching Ling Children's Foundation of Canada has provided annual support to Hastings Community School in its delivery of two very important projects.

In 2004, the Foundation was amongst the vanguard of supporters of current research that recognised the importance of after-school programmes for students, especially students at risk in the inner city schools, such as Hastings Community School. Fundraising dinner proceeds of $12,000 in 2004 saw the beginning of the Foundation's support for Hastings Community School. With the monies raised the Foundation was able to fund the salary of a part- time, Chinese speaking, family support worker. In subsequent years the foundation has continued to raise funds to support this position. Generous donations from Gore Mutual in 2005, and from renowned calligrapher Mr. Yim Tse in 2007, as well as from the Foundation's general funds, have ensured the ongoing presence of this family support worker in the Hastings School. In 2009 the Foundation helped secure funding for the family support worker's position from Settlement Workers in Schools (SWIS), a Federal source of funding. The continued work of the family support worker has proven to be very valuable. New and immigrant families enrolling in Hastings Community School have benefited from the consistency of a dedicated family support worker, as they are introduced into their child's school programme, the Canadian education system, and into Canadian culture.

Hastings Community School offers a "no fee for use" after-school programme for students attending the school. The programme is called Kids First; the students that participate in Kids First are from a variety of ethnic backgrounds. The programme provides supervised activities for children at risk in the after-school hours. It is a literacy based programme that gives children access to a familiar and safe place to take healthy risks, and to participate in activities that will support and encourage them to take control and direct their lives in positive ways.

Kids First provides tutoring for academic support in basic curriculum areas. It also helps students identify personal interests, talents and attributes. These are all crucial components of asset development in children. The Hastings/Tillicum Community Kids First Project is offered Monday to Thursday from 3:00 to 8:00pm, Friday from 3:00 to 9:00pm with full time programming during school holidays.

The purpose of Kids First is not only to provide recreational programmes, but also to provide activities that develop social skills and values, teamwork, good sportsmanship and conflict resolution. Other programmes, such as, music and dance allow students the opportunity to explore areas that would otherwise not be made available to them. Because of the provision of consistent funding towards Kids First the Hastings Community School programme currently offers 60 at risk children from the school a place to go after school so they will not be left unattended.

As with the family support worker, SCLCFC has helped raise awareness and solicit donations from partners to help fund this invaluable programme. In 2005, through the work of the Foundation, the British Columbia Provincial Ministry of Child Care provided some funding towards the cost of operating the programme. In 2006, again through the work of the Foundation, Teck Cominco, a leading Canadian mining company, donated significant funding to be disbursed evenly over three consecutive years. In 2007, friends of the Foundation, John and Judy Taylor, made a generous donation to the Kids First programme. Consistent support from the Soong Ching Ling Children's Foundation of Canada has helped ensure the stability of the programme, and has also allowed for limited expansion of the successful Hastings Community School Kids First programme into two other schools in the Hastings/Tillicum hub of inner city schools.

Fundraising dinner proceeds in 2008 of $25,000 and the net proceeds of a concert event co-sponsored with West Vancouver Rotary Club in 2009 over $4,800 will contribute to the expansion of the Kids First programme into MacDonald Elementary School and Tillicum Elementary School. Both of these schools are also identified as inner city schools. Students reap tremendous benefits from the Kids First programme. They are inspired, motivated, and taught the necessary skills that will help them to live happy, healthy lives.

hastings school children with eileen