Sonia DaSilva likes to help others.
After moving to Innisfil three years ago from Toronto, the registered early childhood educator (RECE) started looking for ways she could help others, in particular children in the community.
Over the years, she has immersed herself in the Innisfil community, initiating various projects including a business networking group and a card program for residents at local retirement homes and shelters.
In Toronto, she worked at a family and youth drop-in centre, where she ran programs helping families connect with one another.
"It was pretty awesome... and I was able to start coaching the families," she said. "It felt right and you could start seeing a difference (in the children's behaviour)."
DaSilva wanted to find similar work in the area and started by opening her own in-home daycare.
But now, she is hoping to align her personal goals and passion for helping families, supporting them with educational resources on child care and communication.
"My passion is to educate families on how to work together, reduce stress," she said, noting the pandemic has caused an increase in stress for many families stuck at home together with no breaks.
She wants to act as a family mediator, helping to connect families and help them communicate with one another better.
"I think it's very much needed now more than ever," she said.
DaSilva's new project will include group and one-on-one workshops, teaching participants the importance of self-value, money management and communication with children.
"This has been a part of me for a few years now, and it's time to do it," she said. "A lot of people can't afford counselling; even for me to set it up is expensive and time-consuming."
With her background working with children, DaSilva says it's important to take the time to understand their children's feelings, especially during these unprecedented times when they may not understand what is going on.
"Parents need to feel they are not alone," she said.
Her idea is to have local businesses sponsor workshops and programs for families to sign up for. In exchange, the businesses will be featured on her website and social media. For companies who support on a monthly, she would like to recognize them with a certificate that they can display at their place of business.
"I look at it as a community project to help our families," she said.
DaSilva plans to host regular online Zoom meetings for parents, who can connect with one another.
Anyone interested in working with DaSilva can contact her directly by email at [email protected] or on her Facebook page here.
