Alberta non-profit helping children and young adults with neuromotor conditions celebrates 30 years

Families of Alberta for Conductive Education has been helping children and young adults with cerebral palsy and similar conditions for three decades.

Families of Alberta for Conductive Education (FACE) got it’s start in Calgary in 1996 and has been providing programming for children and young adults with cerebral palsy and other neuromotor conditions ever since.

The organization focuses on helping children and adults learn how to be more independent through programs that work to improve gross motor, fine motor, social and self-care skills.

FACE executive director Kimberly Millis says conductive education is a holistic form of therapy that originates from Hungary.

“Conductive education focuses on the whole person, so it’s really about helping them with life skills and whatever that means for that individual trying to improve upon whatever they’re doing to make them more independent,” Millis told CTV News.

Millis says the non-profit hosts learners from toddler to young adults affected by neuromotor conditions. It’s overall goal is helping them become more independent in their routine daily activities.

It also aims foster more acceptance in the everyday societal engagements.

“We’re trying to really build awareness in the community, let people know we’re here,” Millis said.

“There’s a huge need in this population who don’t know about organizations like ours who could really use this kind of programing for their children,” she said.

She added FACE sometimes thinks of itself as “Calgary’s best kept secret” in the accessibility community.

“We have parents who find us and their children are 17 and they said, ‘why didn’t we know about you sooner?’”

Ancible Peter, a longtime program conductor with FACE, says there is a lot of planning involved to keep the participants engaged throughout the day.

“Each of our participants are unique so it’s super fun. But the planning, the behind the scenes, is a lot of work,” she said.

“Once we (start) working with them, they do not know how the time is running but in order to plan ahead and to prepare each activity, it takes a lot of effort from each of us staff.”

But Peter says it’s rewarding to see the impact of conductive education sessions on the participants.

“When I started most of our adults were all kids, they all grew up and I stayed the same height,” she joked.

“They love to come here to be with their peers and to do all of the activities. (I) feel so successful, there is something that you could do for others so that gives like a very positive effect on me and that keeps me going.”

Johanna Spooner’s daughter Maddy Peltier has been coming to FACE sessions for more than eight years. She says Maddy enjoys her time at FACE surrounded by her peers.

“The special needs community is quite a tight community and really supportive of one another and one another’s kiddos,” she said.

“For them to have quality long term relationships that evolve as they evolve, I think that’s the trick. Just making it positive and making it fun while they’re getting a lot of quality, constructive skill building in.”

Learn more about FACE here.