Improved Childhood Outcomes
Our Network partners are committed to supporting healthy child development by fostering collaboration across health, education, and social services; promoting access to early childhood programs; and addressing service gaps through community-driven solutions. We build local capacity by equipping caregivers and organizations with tools and training, advocate for policies that improve the social conditions affecting child health, and elevate community voices to ensure lived experiences guide our efforts. Together, these actions create a more inclusive, supportive environment where every child can thrive.
Priority # 1: Improving Childhood Outcomes
To collaboratively promote well-being by cultivating learning about healthy child and youth development and by fostering compassionate responses to all those impacted by poverty, mental illness, trauma, and substance use, focusing on upstream prevention strategies.
Oceanside Child Youth Wellness Action Group
The Child and Youth Wellness Action Group is an Oceanside action table of the NOW Network that addresses the wellness of children and youth. Learn more about the CYWAG here
Our Projects
Connecting the disconnected: Building capacity and partnerships in communities.
Community Research and Engagement Lab (CoRE-LAB)
CoRE-LAB is part of the Human Early Learning Partnership (HELP) at UBC, and is led by Dr. Brenda Poon, an Assistant Professor and Partner at HELP. CoRE-LAB does research that creates community-based and community-specific knowledge about the systems that support children’s well-being and development. We engage directly with communities and build partnerships to promote healthy child development and healthier communities and help communities take action to improve the systems that support their local children.
In 2025 the Child Youth Wellness Action Group in Oceanside was chosen as a community partner in this project.
What we hope to achieve:
Our research process is community-based and community-driven. At the end of this project, we hope that the information we gather will benefit communities directly and can be used to turn knowledge into action.
Learn more about the project here:
Oceanside State of Children and Youth Report 2025​
The 2025 Oceanside State of Children and Youth Report has been officially released, offering a comprehensive and deeply human look into the lives of children, youth, and families across the region. This report is the result of a collaborative effort led by the Oceanside Child and Youth Wellness Action Table, a working group of the Naut’sa mawt Oceanside Wellness Network, with support from local organizations and community members.
Titled “Stories Beyond Statistics: Understanding Children and Youth in Oceanside,” the report goes beyond numbers to highlight the lived experiences, challenges, and strengths of young people in the community. It aims to inform policy, guide program development, and inspire collective action toward healthier, more resilient futures.
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​Visit the Every Door is the Right Door page for a complete list of service providers with addresses and website information.
Service providers may pick up cards free of charge at Family Place, 494 Bay Avenue, Parksville.
First 2000 Days & Beyond is an Oceanside community collaborative focused on improving child wellness by supporting healthy development from conception to age five. Launched in 2019, the initiative brings together health, education, social service, and community partners to address the social determinants of health through a collective impact approach. The project recognizes that a child's earliest years have a profound influence on lifelong health, learning, and well-being, and works to create coordinated, community-wide solutions that help children and families thrive.
Action Areas
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Support Nutrition: Promote food security, prenatal and maternal nutrition, breastfeeding support, and access to reliable nutrition information.
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Promote Early Learning: Increase opportunities for play, strengthen parent-child interactions, encourage healthy attachment, and support family engagement in early development.
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Ensure Protection: Reduce the impacts of toxic stress, strengthen family resilience, support caregivers, and promote positive childhood experiences that build lifelong well-being.
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Together, these actions help create a nurturing environment where all children have the opportunity to reach their full potential. Learn more and access resources at First 2000 Days and Beyond page