>From:    Segev Levy <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: peer counselling training groups

>Welcome to Mary-Anne, and may I congratulate you on your exciting
>program. Am I correct in remembering a similar program some years
>ago in Peru? They were quite successful, I think, and I wish you
>equal - if not greater - success. May I ask where your funding
>is coming from? Please don't worry about competition - I live on
>the other side of the world, practically - I just need IDEAS.
>Good luck and thanks. Judy Knopf

Hi Segev!

Our funding came from the Canadian Federal government.  They released funds
under a program 'Community Action Plans for Children' or CAPC.  The funds were
available to groups to provide community services for children considered at
risk from ages 0 - 6. (And of course any baby not breastfeeding is at risk,
right?)  The target community, as outlined by the government proposal, was on
and off reserve aboriginals, adolescent, immigrant, single and unemployed
families.  The North Shore Breastfeeding Resource Group put forward the
proposal for a Breastfeeding Peer Counselling program as a way to reach out to
women in the target community.   La Leche League International has had a BF
Peer counselling program in place for years that has a remarkable success
rate.  So we took their idea, applied for the funding and ran with it.

The first group of peer counsellors (9 women) is 1/2 way through their 20
hour course and will be out in their communities by the end of June.  The
other portion of the funding was to hire a trainer/coordinator (me) and part
of my job is one-to-one breastfeeding support in the form of home visits, and
a breastfeeding drop-in that is starting once a week towards the end of June.
I work closely with the pregnant and parenting teen program in my community
and the high school graduate program for teen mothers.  I also receive
referrals from the community health and hospital nurses. I have two other LC's
working closely with me..Sandra Yates and Marina Green,  we have a fabulous
collegial relationship!!!

This job is supposed to be 20 hours a week.....but as you can imagine....so
much to do, and so little time.  My client base filled up very rapidly, so
this program is obviously filling a need for these moms and babies.

Thanks for the interest, and the words of encouragement.

Mary-Anne Taylor
North Vancouver, B. C.
CANADA