Royal Canadian Air Force Family Connection Program

Making the RCAF a better home than ever before.

Family Connection Program volunteer connectors stand ready to assist families settle into their new communities during the posting season and to support families who are separated from their loved ones due to military service.

The Family Connection Program ─formerly known as the Family Sponsor Program─ was developed by the RCAF Family Support Team (FST) based on consultations with military families at RCAF Wings and units across the country. The main goal of the program is to build community and improve communications at the wing and unit level. It’s designed to ease the stress of relocation and service-related separation by connecting families to each other and to local leadership. When we stand together we are stronger than when we stand alone.

RCAF units work in conjunction with local Military Family Resource Centres (MFRCs) to provide the Family Connection Program to any family posted to an RCAF unit. Together they engage, build and maintain a team of volunteer connectors at each Wing. The volunteer connectors pro-actively reach out to families that are newly posted or affected by duty-related separations. There will always be challenges.

What the Family Connection Program and volunteer connectors can do for RCAF families:

• serve as a friendly point of contact for a new family when they arrive
• facilitate the introduction of new families to other families within the unit or on the Wing
• ensure that posted families, and families experiencing service-related separation, know what support and services are available and how to access them if required
• ease the settling process for families into new surroundings
• foster a greater sense of community at the unit level, particularly during a posting move or deployment.

• let your unit know that you would like to be paired with a family connector or
• contact your local MFRC or
• email the Family Support Team: RCAFFamily_ARCfamille@forces.gc.ca

Are you a member of the RCAF family? Get involved:

• contact your unit and let them know you’d like to be a family sponsor or
• contact your local MFRC or
• email: RCAFFamily_ARCfamille@forces.gc.ca

Military families have every reason to feel empowered. This program will capitalize on their robust spirit while enabling them to feel at home in the RCAF community – no matter where their military adventures may lead.