By ANNELI FOGT

Editor

More than one year after it suffered major funding cuts and was forced to drop numerous parenting and youth programs, the Vashon Youth & Family Services’ (VYFS) PlaySpace will hold an open house next week to introduce the public to updated programming; A result of the organization refocusing existing funds to birth to 6 programming.

The weeklong open house will run from Monday, Nov. 2, to Saturday, Nov. 7, and will allow residents free access to all programming. It will serve as a sort of “re-launch” for the space, according to VYFS Parent Educator Lori Means. She told The Beachcomber last week that the goal of the PlaySpace has always been to support new parents with children between the ages of newborn and 6 years old, but the loss of funding last summer forced the space to go to “bare minimum, one-on-one parenting programs.”

“Now, we’re revamping our membership and expanding programs to weekends for commuter parents who can’t make it to our programming during the week because they’re either working or stuck on a ferry,” Means said. “Having a baby is the great equalizer. It doesn’t matter if you’re a Ph.D or on the streets, you all suddenly are going through the same things.”

A June 2014 Beachcomber article reported that the PlaySpace lost $100,000 in grant funding after changes were made to how much of a grant VYFS got to access to. The state grant was being used to fund both VYFS and VARSA programs, the article states.

VYFS Executive Director Kathleen Johnson said in the June article that the organization wanted to focus on programs it “believed in.” The open house is the culmination of that effort to refocus.

Johnson said that the updated programming is important because it all focuses on preventative strategies, which are crucial to ensuring that infants and children become successful and productive members of society.

“Prevention funding is tough to get because there’s usually more focus on emergency situations, but prevention funding addresses how to get to those problems earlier,” Johnson said. “(That funding) is often the first thing that gets cut. We, as an agency, are opting to keep prevention programs.”

Johnson said the organization has not received any additional “sustainable” funding, but did receive a $15,000 grant from the Norcliffe Foundation to help with getting the new programming off the ground.

“Whether it is your first child, or your fifth, parenting infants and young children is stressful,” Johnson said. “Two years ago the agency committed to a strategic plan that prioritized birth to 6 family support because we know that every family benefits from education and support structures in the community.”

The up-dates have been in the works for more than a year and come after countless discussions with island families about their needs and potential solutions. Most of the space’s reintroduced programs are simply extensions of programs that were already in place, like the Saturday Play ‘n’ Chat group and weekend parent date nights with childcare run by VYFS. Childcare has been offered at the space on weekends, but never as a VYFS program.

This programming was quietly rolled out in late September as a way to determine if any details would need to be changed.

“In late September we had an intentional soft roll out to tweak times,” Family Education and Support Services Program Coordinator Catherina Willard said. “We were experimenting before our grand re-opening.”

The space does have completely new parent-child enrichment classes, including parent/baby yoga, sing-a-long sessions and creative movement. Three special preview  classes will be offered during the open house week: from noon to 1 p.m. Monday, Nov. 2, parents and children can attend a Play ‘n’ Learn class to support child literacy; from noon to 1 p.m. Thursday, caregivers can participate in a Baby Wearing 101 class and try a variety of different slings and wraps for babies, and from 10 to 11 a.m. Friday, parents can attend a Play’n’Learn class to learn about play habits that promote sleep for babies and toddlers.

Willard said she spoke with “any and all” parents willing to talk to her about new programming they would like to see, or changes to existing programming, and she plans to keep the lines of communication open to the community.

The organization is continuing to make itself, and the space, as “self-sustaining (financially) as possible,” according to Means. She said that VYFS is always looking for grant funding, but that grants are not consistent and cannot bring a steady stream of funding in.

“This open house is meant to publicize new programs and hopefully increase membership,” Means said. “We created this building where parents can come together, because when that happens, they create their own support group.”

“We’re really excited to roll out our new plans to Vashon,” Willard said. “Everything is free that week, including Parents Night Out on Friday and Saturday.”

Also at the open house, staff will be on hand to discuss the space’s new fee structure, which Willard said has been simplified. She said there used to be six income levels, all with different membership and class prices dependent on the amount of people in the family. There are now four income levels, all with corresponding membership and class prices, and the class price is the same for all classes.

“It’s much more simple and straightforward,” Willard said. “We are open to feedback, and want to feel like part of the community.”