After School Childcare includes Multicultural Homework Club (HWC), Immigrant Parenting Forum (IPF) and various heritage classes. The OCCA children’s weekend heritage activities started in 2011 which attracted most of our members. Since 2014, we have ability to rent a year-round operation site which made it possible to develop weekday program. Having someplace for kids to go from 2:30 pm to whenever parents get off work is a problem that many families face, not just immigrant parents. The uniqueness of our program is to fill the gap by addressing the special issues of immigrants and visible minorities. For example, tutorial sessions of English grammar/homework, physical activities with heritage components, and their parents’ heritage and languages.
The HWC and IPF started by former Kelowna Koyukai (Japanese immigrant group) in 2015 and were developed to multicultural activities by the former Okanagan Immigrant Collective Society. In 2018, supported by the OCCA’s charity status, the HWC and IPF received project funds of $13,500 from the City Social Development Grants and $13,464 from Central Okanagan Foundation. Legally, these funds were granted to the OCCA and sub-contracted for program management. Most activities were held at the OCCA site with attendants of Korean, Japanese, and Syrian immigrants. In Dec 2019, the OIC dissolved its operation and transferred the activities and staff to the OCCA After School program. In 2020-2021, all children activities were on hold due to the pandemic site closing and lower fund level while the IPF remained partial online sessions. Attributed to the UBCO student volunteer and fund support, the program re-started on Feb.7 in full strength and five days per week. We are making effort to add weekend activities upon the obvious demand from parents working on weekends.
Purpose: This program provides After-School Homework Support & Multicultural Activities to School-Aged Children, Ages 5 to 15. Beyond academic study, a primary goal is for our youth to embrace our local and national multicultural heritage.
Student Facilitation: UBCO Student Co-ordinator & Team of Volunteers approved by OCCA
Adult Facilitation: Daily supervision by an Adult Leader, Multicultural Focus
When: Monday to Friday, 3 to 5 PM (Parents can choose which days of the week)
January 17th – 21st, 2022 On-line Services Commence
January 24th – 31st, 2022 On-site at OCCA House, 1460 Inkar Road, Kelowna
Activity Cost: $5 per person each time ($60 per Quarter Year or 3 month period)
To Register: Please download the registration Form in English or English/Chinese along with Photo Video Waiver Release Form
Contact: Call 778-484-6222 for more details or Email hwc@occabc.ca
We are grateful to the following funding agencies for making this program possible:
Current
Province of British Columbia
University of British Columbia Okanagan Campus
Telus Friendly Future Foundation
Past
Province of British Columbia (2018- present)
Canada Post Community Foundation (2020-2021)
Vancouver Foundation / Level Youth (2020-2021)
We respectfully acknowledge that the OCCA is operating on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Syilx Okanagan Nation.
In 2023, we received financial assistance from: Province of British Columbia; Mason Canada; First West Foundation; Warm Hearts Foundation.
