Welcome to Belgium, your new home base…the land of chocolate, beer and frites. Get ready for a few years of European living as you work and explore with Casteau as your base. The Military Family Services Europe centre is located on Casteau next to the Canadian Detachment and their mission is to contribute to the well-being of all CAF families. MFS(E) Casteau offers a multitude of programs and services that meet the needs of our community. Being posted OUTCAN does not come without its challenges and they want to ensure a stress free integration. Programs for all ages and family configurations are offered that help navigate the ins and outs of living in a European community. Community Services Providers have various information sessions (Themed coffee mornings, Lunch’n’Learn sessions etc.) that are truly valuable to newcomers. They believe in harnessing the talents of the amazing volunteers in the community and many events and teaching sessions are led by community members.
Information session topics range from a cleaning product demonstration (Yes! You will find out how different cleaning or operating a European washer and dryer can be in your new home), a tour of the local hospital and its emergency facilities, spending a morning at a chocolatier learning and making your own chocolates Belgian style, learning about travelling tips and tricks in and around Europe, and many more! Also, throughout the year, weekly or monthly programs run that include Café Tours as a Peer Support Program where as a group we explore local restaurants, coffee shops, parks, exploring Belgian bike trails etc.) For the younger members of the community, MFS develops a variety of children and youth activities. These include an assortment of weekly after school activities for each age group, farewell and welcome events, home alone and babysitter courses, family-orientated trips/meet ups, and youth conference events. MFS also maintains a resource library. The loan collection is made up of an extensive travel book section, fiction books and DVD collection available for loan. Furthermore, in order to decrease the amount of items you have to bring or buy, they also have an inventory of tools, lawn mowers, grass trimmers, power washers and European small appliances that are available for our use. At MFS(E) Casteau, they are diligently assessing and improving how they can meet the changing needs of the community. From the time you set foot on the ground to when you bid them your goodbyes and onward, you will become part of the MFS family. Visit the centre anytime and you will be greeted with a smile, a coffee and a helping hand.