Checking in with UM Family Resources

Established in October 2022, Family Resources offers information and referrals to internal and external support services to the UM community on family-related matters.

Since beginning her role, Francene Perehinec, Family Resource Coordinator, has helped numerous UM community members and developed a variety of new programs. On its two-year anniversary, we take this opportunity to re-introduce the role and share some updates from Family Resources.

Get to know Family Resources! Watch this short introductory video:

Services include:

Relocation support

Together, HR Immigration and Family Resources provide free comprehensive relocation and settlement support to foreign national academics, post-doctoral fellows and visiting scholars. Newcomers to Canada can connect with the Family Resource Coordinator for assistance on housing accommodation search, navigating the education and early learning childcare system, referrals to newcomer agencies or community programs, and more.

Childcare search and waitlist assistance

Family Resources helps faculty members, support staff, and students in navigating the early years learning system through regular monitoring of childcare space availability on the Manitoba Child Care Search online tool, assisting with program waitlists, communicating with childcare providers, and more. 

Babysitter directory

In November of last year, Family Resources and Rady Faculty of Health Sciences (RFHS) Family Centre launched the UM Babysitter Directory that lists UM student babysitter profiles for families to contact for babysitting services.  

Event childminding

Units hosting an event at UM Fort Garry campus can sign-up to offer childminding services for their event participants. Family Resources works with the event/conference coordinators to learn about the needs of their attendees and organizes all of the logistical details such as securing the childminder, determining the location of the service, and planning the age-appropriate activities for the children.

Adult companionship services directory

Working with the Centre on Aging and the UM Age-friendly University Committee, this directory aims to connect caregivers of adults within the UM community with students offering support through companionship services.

Events

Family Resources works with partners across the university to hosts a variety of events for networking and social opportunities. Some past activities include a Hallowe’en and Christmas event at the Bruce D. Campbell Farm and Food Discovery Centre, Take Our Kids to Work Day with Human Resources, and children’s programming at Campus Beautification Day with a neighboring school and daycare centre.

“We strive to be responsive and will continue to evolve our programming based on the needs of our diverse community,” says Perehinec. “I look forward to continuing this work, serving our outstanding community of faculty members, support staff, and students as they navigate through the different stages of family life.”

To learn more and to connect:

• Visit the Family Resources webpage and UM Intranet site.
• Email FamilyResources@umanitoba.ca.
• Drop in at an Open House, 12 to 1 p.m. on the last Wednesday of each month (Room 319, Administration Building).
• Sign-up for the Family Resources newsletter.
• Follow UM Family Resources on Instagram.