Further Education Society of Alberta

🌼 Spring is in full bloom, and so are our little artists! This May at Kids Club, children celebrated the season with beautiful spring flower crafts. Homework Club is a weekly program at the Manchester Community Space where children aged 6 to 12 receive homework help, develop social skills, and build confidence throughout the school year.

The Digital Technology Sessions for African & Caribbean Seniors, hosted in partnership with Bridge to Oasis Foundation, have wrapped up and we are so grateful for everyone who took part.

At our last session, participants dived into WhatsApp, explored other useful apps for their devices, and learned how to protect themselves from online scams. These are skills that make everyday life easier, safer, and more connected.

Bridging the digital divide means making sure everyone, regardless of age or background, has the tools and knowledge to thrive in a digital world.

Thank you to Bridge to Oasis Foundation for your partnership. And thank you to every participant who brought such energy and curiosity to each session.

When she first walked into Parent-Child Mother Goose, she was a new immigrant, feeling lonely and isolated, eager to connect but unsure where to start.

That was nearly six years ago.

Today, her daughter, who grew up singing and rhyming in the program, excels academically and socially in elementary school. And her two year old son? He calls their weekly session his "school" time and can't wait to go.

Parent-Child Mother Goose is more than songs and rhymes. It's a safe, welcoming space where parents and young children build language skills, confidence, and real community connections together.

Want to help more families find their community? Through Rogers Birdies for Kids presented by AltaLink, your donation to FESA is matched up to 50% and every gift goes further for Calgary families.

We'd love your support. Donate today: https://www.furthered.ca/give-now

☀️ Summer just got more fun!

The 2026 Manchester Kids Club Summer Edition is HERE! 4 days of FREE activities, games & crafts for kids ages 5–12.

When: July 27–30 | 9:30AM–3:00PM
Where: Manchester Community Space.

Spots are limited — sign up by July 13!
Contact: [email protected] or 403.801.7644

Want to volunteer? We're also looking for helpers aged 13+ who are available in July and during the program. Volunteers 18+ need a current PIC/VSS.

This program is held in partnership with the City of Calgary – Your Local Government Community Social Work program.

Last week we celebrated Mother's Day at Shaganappi Community Space with over 15 families!

Families enjoyed card making, beading, songs, pizza and prizes. Kids put together their "Why I Love My Mommy" lists, and one mom whose little ones were too young made her own list of why she loves being a mom. Every family took home a literacy kit to keep the learning going at home.

Thank you to everyone who came out and to our partners Calgary Housing and the Community Social Work program at ! 💜

Today we’re celebrating mothers and mother figures and the many ways they support, encourage, and care for the people around them. 💛

Wishing warmth, appreciation, and moments of joy to all mothers today and every day.
Happy Mother’s Day.

Literacy and Parenting Skills (Indigenous and General Approaches) — Facilitator Training

Join us May 26–28 in Calgary for in-person training in our Indigenous and General Literacy and Parenting Skills programs!

Designed for anyone working with parents, families, and foundational learners, this training will equip you with strategies, cultural facilitation techniques, and adaptable resources to use in your own agency or community setting.

When: May 26th–28th, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm (26th and 27th) and 9:00 am – 12:00 pm (28th)
Where: FESA Office, #100, 5421 11 St NE, Calgary, AB T2E 6M4
Cost: $325 per participant (includes catering, facilitator’s guide and resources)
Register today: 403-250-5034 or [email protected]

For more info and upcoming trainings — including New Beginnings (Parenting After Violence) — visit: https://www.furthered.ca/trainings-and-workshops

Certificates, good food, and even better company. That's how our ESL Conversation Club for Moms wrapped up this program! 🎉

Our Reading and Writing Circles program is a welcoming, judgment-free space where newcomers can practice English, build confidence, and connect with others. Sessions focus on everyday language that actually matters: talking to a child's teacher, understanding a bill, chatting with a neighbour. Our ESL Conversation Club for Moms is a special version of this program offered in partnership with Centre for Newcomers, designed specifically for moms and focused on building conversational English skills together.

Today we celebrated every mom who completed the program with certificates and a potluck feast.

Congratulations to all of our graduates, and thank you to Centre for Newcomers for being such a wonderful partner in making this happen. 💛

🌸 Celebrate the moms in your life with us! Join us for a FREE Mother's Day Family Event at Shaganappi Community Space with games, activities, refreshments, and fun for all ages. Friday, May 8th from 4 to 6pm. Everyone is welcome! 💜

Last week, our team gathered with the Stoney Nation Job Resource Center for an Indigenous Workplace Learning Circles (IWLC) Facilitator Training. IWLC is a program that supports Indigenous youth in building workplace skills, confidence, and a connection to culture, taking an asset-based approach that celebrates what participants already bring through their knowledge, language, and lived experience. The facilitators we trained last week are the ones who bring that to life, and seeing this group come together ready to lead was something special.