Early Years Community Sessions

We at The Federation believe that there is wisdom to be found in different and differing perspectives. We believe that the best community social services are built upon local knowledge and strong relationships. And we believe that the intentional inclusion of many voices is integral to creating lasting change.

Over the past six months, The Federation has been collecting and sharing feedback from our members about the changes to Early Years services in BC. While most of the members we have spoken to are supportive of the Early Years Framework there have been lots of concerns about the changes underway and the impact they will have on community members and service delivery.

As a way to help address these concerns, The Federation is working with the Ministry for Children and Family Development to host community dialogue sessions. Our goal is to bring together the many different people involved in the early years to share information and to identify new ways of work together in the service of young children and their families.

In addition to these dialogue sessions, MCFD is also providing free half-day cultural safety training for early years leaders and staff across the province. These sessions are being designed specifically for non-indigenous service providers who want to make sure all community programs are places of cultural safety and belonging.

Community Dialogue Sessions

You will have the chance to participate in a dialogue session with the new MCFD Director of Operations for the Early Years. You can meet the new DOO, learn about their role, ask questions, and share information about service needs in your community. These dialogue sessions are an important opportunity to build the foundation of future relationships between the Early Years sector and MCFD.

Cultural Safety Sessions

Dr. Margo Greenwood and Dr. Sarah de Leeuw will be offering a creative, inviting, and supportive workshop, led by Indigenous and non-Indigenous facilitators about cultural safety, respect, and sensitivity—as well how to incorporate it into service delivery in your place of work. The sessions are a low-barrier training opportunity that will enhance both your personal learning and your practice.

Register to participate!

These sessions will be taking place between now and April and we encourage you to make time to attend. You can see the full list of dates and communities below. Click here to RSVP for sessions in your community.

Organizations are asked to limit participation to two representatives each; however, the same person does not need to attend both the morning and afternoon session. (For example, an Executive Director may choose to attend the dialogue session but have front line staff attend the cultural safety session.) If you have questions about this initiative or want more information, please contact kathy@fcssbc.ca.

And please help us spread the word out about these sessions. They are free of charge and available to all early years service providers (you don’t have to be a Federation member or have contracts with MCFD to attend). Please help us circulate this information by sharing this with anyone who may be interested in participating.

Rebecca Ataya Lang
Director of Programs and Services 

 


Prince George* (SDA 42 North Central): February 7 & April 4
Terrace* (SDA 41 Northwest): February 8 & April 2
Fort St. John* (SDA 43 NorthEast): February 11 & April 9
Victoria (SDA 31 South Vancouver Island): February 19
Nanaimo (SDA 32 North Vancouver Island): February 20
Kamloops (SDA 13 Thompson Cariboo Shuswap): February 25
Abbotsford (SDA 21 East Fraser): March 11
Burnaby (SDA 22 North Fraser): March 12
Surrey (SDA 23 South Fraser): March 13
Vancouver (SDA 24 Vancouver/Richmond): March 14
North Shore (SDA 25 Coast/North Shore): March 15
Cranbrook (SDA 11 Kootenays): April 11

*Please note: For SDAs 41, 42, and 43 the sessions are on two separate dates.

The Youth Education Bursary

When I was first joined The Federation team years ago, the Youth Education Bursary was one of the things that really drew me to the organization and inspired me as I took on this role.

That’s because I recognized that the bursary was more than just a dollar amount of financial support. It was (and it still is) one of the ways The Federation and our member organizations see young people as more than simply their experience in government care. It sees their potential and it helps them reach it.

To me, the bursary is an intentional and heartfelt way of welcoming the next generation of caregivers and practitioners into our sector. It empowers those who have been recipients of services and support to learn how to do the same for others. And that’s why I am excited to announce that applications for the 2019 Youth Education Bursary are now open.

Supporting young people who want to support others

Over the past few years, our province has made strides in supporting youth in care through policies and programs like tuition waivers. But that’s still not enough—especially since the eligibility criteria for tuition waivers will only help some of BC’s former youth in care.

That’s why the bursary continues to be an important piece of our work. These young people want to join our committed, caring, and hardworking sector and we will be there to support them. And, after receiving feedback from recipients, we have expanded the bursary’s eligibility to include young adults up to the age of 30.

The bursary application (and links to other resources for young people) are available on our website. The deadline to apply is May 3, 2019. Please share this information widely and offer your help to any young people completing the application—the best way to make these processes less scary for a young person is to have a kind, caring adult work on it with them. (You can find the application here.)

In closing, I want to sincerely thank all of our members for their ongoing support of this important and meaningful program and encourage you to pass on information about the bursary to youth-in-care and youth-serving organizations in your network.

Rick FitzZaland
Federation Executive Director

“I cannot express my thankfulness and appreciation for the support I have received. I was a child that grew up in a very low-income family with a single mom and five siblings. We frequently sought help from food banks, low-income housing, and welfare. And now because of the help and support I have received from organizations like The Federation, I am starting my Masters of Clinical Social Work degree in the fall of 2016. Thank you for helping me help others.” – 2016 Bursary Recipient

Research Bulletin January 2019: Social Determinants of Health

This month’s research bulletin focuses on articles and reports related to the social determinants of health—the social, economic, and political conditions that affect the health and wellbeing of people, communities, and populations.

The reports below provide an overview of current and recent research focused on the social determinants of health and their use as a framework for the development and implementation of social programs and policies and supports. They suggest ways existing efforts can be improved and offer new information, approaches, perspectives to increase the impact of social interventions.

  1. Taking stock of the social determinants of health (2017, CAN)
  2. Creating change in government to address the social determinants of health: How can efforts be improved? (2015, UK)
  3. FNHC Social Determinants of Health Discussion Guide (2017, CAN)
  4. Towards a global monitoring system for implementing the Rio Political Declaration on Social Determinants of Health (2018, UK)
  5. What has economics got to do with it? The impact of socioeconomic factors on mental health and the case for collective action (2018, US)

For more information, additional research, and/or if you have feedback about how we can make this member service more useful, please contact The Federation’s Research and Policy Coordinator, Pam Alcorn at pam@fcssbc.ca. Subscribe to get future Research Bulletins sent directly to your inbox!

1. Taking stock of the social determinants of health

This article, by a team of researchers based out of the University of Calgary, shares the results of a literature review of 108 academic and grey research papers about the Social Determinants of Health. It attempts to bring clarity to this multi-faceted concept—the key elements, how they operate, and how they can be addressed through social policy.

They define and explain the social determinants of health—the social, economic and political conditions that affect people and populations—and argues why adopting such a lens or framework is vital for wide-spread health promotion. They also explain that this work requires a difficult shift from focusing on “individual-level” factors to community and societal factors.

The article provides valuable research that can inform many current discussions about the value of social services as well as the need for cross-sector and cross-ministry collaborative work on policy development and implementation. It also provides useful descriptions of key terms used in the design and evaluation of social policies and programs.

2. Creating change in government to address the social determinants of health: How can efforts be improved?

This research paper recognizes the growing complexities of social and public health issues and aims to draw evidence-based lessons from previous governmental programs and policies that incorporate the social determinants of health.

Their main finding is that, for such efforts to be as successful as possible, they require a “whole-of-government” response that goes much further than simply identifying problems and choosing appropriate tools. According to the authors, maximizing impact also requires high-level political support, formal authority, collaboration across government silos, the inclusion of front-line service providers, and clear accountability mechanisms.

For those working towards the creation of a Social Policy Framework for British Columbia, this report offers insights into how such a process could (or should) unfold and highlights elements and approaches that will help to address the breadth and complexity of such an initiative.

3. Social Determinants of Health Discussion Guide

This discussion guide was created by the First Nations Health Council to support discussions about the social determinants of health and show links between specific social issues (e.g., poverty, early childhood experiences) and overall health.

The guide acknowledges the recent realization within “mainstream” science that health is “largely determined by the conditions in which we grow, live, work and age” and demonstrates how different factors can affect health throughout our lifespans. The authors present their case for collaborative, comprehensive, and integrated care with a full continuum of services and conclude with a proposal to collaboratively a 10-year strategy to accomplish that goal.

Given our province’s commitment to reconciliation, this guide offers insights into First Nation perspectives on health and wellness and can help inform how services and policies are planned, developed, and implemented in BC.

4. Towards a global monitoring system for implementing the Rio Political Declaration on Social Determinants of Health

This paper reports on the efforts of a World Health Organization working group to identify high-quality indicators and metrics for capturing and tracking government action related to addressing the social determinants of health.

Though it is somewhat dense, this report will be useful to those interested in ways to (1) track and measure the programs, services, and systems that are aiming to address complex social issues, and (2) build evidence to better support effective actions that are addressing health inequities.

It offers implications for research and practice which will resonate with those working on program design and policy development as well as those researching “under-studied” interventions related to the social determinants of health (which may require new and novel approaches).

5. What has economics got to do with it? The impact of socioeconomic factors on mental health

This report provides a review of research related to social determinants of mental health. The authors examine implications at both individual and societal levels while illuminating the ways social determinants of health can inform the prevention and treatment of mental health challenges.

In order to address mental health inequalities, the authors argue that we need to shift our focus from an individual’s personal mental health state toward broader actions in the realms of policy, community, and service provision while also beginning to shift the framework of our analyses from psychological to economic.

Their review of contemporary research on mental health focuses on the important role socioeconomic factors play when it comes to mental health equality. They also provide recommendations for moving from evidence to action and explore the barriers to addressing “upstream” economic factors that more broadly affect mental health.

 

Building Strong & Sustainable Community Social Services

Last February, the 2018 Social Policy Forum identified and focused on four of the key factors affecting the sustainability and capacity of British Columbia’s community social services sector:

  • Inclusive and culturally safe workplaces
  • Attraction and retention
  • Supervision and training
  • A coordinated system of social care

This focus carried us through 2018 and these four themes continue to frame the work of The Federation as we head into 2019. They drive our advocacy efforts, guide our programs, and inform the services and supports we design for our members.

Below you will find a brief overview of some of the work that has come out of the 2018 Social Policy Forum as well as what we have planned for the 2019 Social Policy Forum next month in Victoria.

What we’ve got underway…

(You can see the full 2018 Social Policy Forum Work Plan that was presented at The Federation’s 2018 Annual General Meeting here.)

Inclusive and culturally safe workplaces
Our Reconciliation Book Club has our third meeting next week and the group continues to grow in both size and energy. (You can learn more and sign up to participate here.) In November, the Federation team worked with Sources to pilot an offering of the KAIROS Blanket Exercise and plans are underway to offer more training opportunities over the coming year.

Attraction and Retention
In addition to addressing issues like wage compression, our main focus in this area has been launching the Labour Market Social Services Research Project in partnership with the Ministry of Advanced Education Skills and Training, SparcBC, and CSSEA. This project will provide more (and more accurate) information for the sector and develop strategies to encourage people to choose a career in human services.

Supervision and training
CSS Health and Safety regional meetings were hosted throughout the fall to assist Federation member organizations in incorporating workplace practices that can keep clients and staff safe. We have also increased the frequency of our Research Bulletins and re-launched the Research to Practice Network to connect emerging research to front-line practice.

A coordinated system of social care
We are continuing to meet and work with MCFD and MSDPR to inform and influence policy and practice across the sector (in addition to addressing emerging issues such as the Employer Health Tax). We are advocating strongly and striving to make clear the fact that such threats to the sector are also threats to the government’s goal of improving the well-being of all British Columbians.

What we’ve got planned…

This year’s Social Policy Forum will continue the work begun in 2018 and provide new opportunities to understand and address the issues and challenges we are facing. We have designed this event to bring passionate and motivated people together, to create space for problem-solving and planning, and to facilitate collaborative learning, dialogue, and action.

  • A session on changes to Indigenous Child Welfare legislation will assist the community sector in adapting practice to align with these changes.
  • Deputy Minister Allison Bond will present MCFD’s new strategic framework.
  • The Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction will share the efforts underway to reimagine community inclusion and will be seeking feedback from Social Policy Forum participants.
  • Recent issues with criminal record checks have inspired a working session that will engage participants in designing a system for recruiting, screening, and supporting the ongoing learning of staff.
  • Ten years ago we first asked the question “What leadership is called for in these times?” A special session will revisit that question as part of our ongoing commitment to supporting leadership development in the sector.

Overall, our goal for the 2019 Social Policy Forum is to inspire, inform, and empower participants to continue building a stronger and more sustainable community social services sector. We hope you join us. Learn more and register today.

Rick FitzZaland
Federation Executive Director

Early Years Community Consultations

From January to March, MCFD, ECL Early Childhood Consulting, and The Federation of Community Social Services of BC are teaming up to host brand-new training and dialogue sessions for early years providers across BC.

We’ll be coming to locations across the province (see below for a full list of dates and communities) and each date will feature two interactive sessions—one in the morning and one in the afternoon.

MORNING SESSIONS – From 9:00–12:00 you can participate in a community dialogue with the new MCFD Director of Operations for the Early Years. You can meet the new DOO, learn about their role, and share information about service needs in your community.

AFTERNOON SESSIONS – From 1:00-4:00 join a creative, inviting, and supportive workshop, led by Indigenous and non-Indigenous facilitators about cultural safety, respect, and sensitivity—as well how to incorporate it into service delivery in your place of work. Please note that these cultural safety sessions are designed for non-Indigenous service providers.

Sign up to participate

Organizations are asked to limit participation to two representatives each; however, the same person does not need to attend both the morning and afternoon session.

Click here to RSVP for sessions in your community. Further details about the exact location of the sessions will be sent out in mid-January. For more info, please contact kathy@fcssbc.ca.

Participants are also being encouraged to complete this short survey which will help the facilitators plan a session that is best suited to the needs of those taking part.

Participation in these sessions is funded by MCFD and is free of charge to Early Years providers in the SDA. There is also a budget to support travel and accommodation costs—please contact kathy@fcssbc.ca if you would like to access this support.

Community Schedule

Click here to RSVP for sessions in your community.

1. SDA 12 Okanagan – January 25, Kelowna (CLOSED)
AM Dialogue Session with MCFD Early Years Director of Operations
PM Cultural Safety session with Dr. Margo Greenwood and Dr. Sarah de Leeuw 

2A. SDA 11 Kootenays – January 28, Nelson (CLOSED)
AM Dialogue Session with MCFD Early Years Director of Operations
PM Cultural Safety session with Dr. Margo Greenwood and Dr. Sarah de Leeuw

2B. SDA 11 Kootenays – April 11, Cranbrook 
PM Dialogue Session with MCFD Early Years Director of Operations

3. SDA 42 North Central – February 7 & April 4, Prince George*
AM Dialogue Session (April 4) with MCFD Early Years Director of Operations
PM Cultural Safety session (February 7) with Dr. Margo Greenwood and Dr. Sarah de Leeuw

4. SDA 41 Northwest – February 8 & April 2, Terrace*
AM Dialogue Session (April 2) with MCFD Early Years Director of Operations
AM Cultural Safety session (February 8) with Dr. Margo Greenwood and Dr. Sarah de Leeuw** 

5. SDA 31 South Vancouver Island – February 19, Victoria (CLOSED)
AM Dialogue Session with MCFD Early Years Director of Operations
PM Cultural Safety session with Dr. Margo Greenwood and Dr. Sarah de Leeuw

6. SDA 32 North Vancouver Island – February 20, Nanaimo (CLOSED)
AM Dialogue Session with MCFD Early Years Director of Operations
PM Cultural Safety session with Dr. Margo Greenwood and Dr. Sarah de Leeuw

7. SDA 13 Thompson Cariboo Shuswap – February 25, Kamloops (FULL)
AM Dialogue Session with MCFD Early Years Director of Operations
PM Cultural Safety session with Dr. Margo Greenwood and Dr. Sarah de Leeuw

8. SDA 43 NorthEast – February 11 & April 9, Fort St. John*
AM Dialogue Session (April 9) with MCFD Early Years Director of Operations
PM Cultural Safety session (February 11) with Dr. Margo Greenwood and Dr. Sarah de Leeuw

9. SDA 21 East Fraser- March 11, Abbotsford  (FULL)
AM Dialogue Session with MCFD Early Years Director of Operations
PM Cultural Safety session with Dr. Margo Greenwood and Dr. Sarah de Leeuw

10. SDA 22 North Fraser – March 12, Burnaby (FULL)
AM Dialogue Session with MCFD Early Years Director of Operations
PM Cultural Safety session with Dr. Margo Greenwood and Dr. Sarah de Leeuw

11. SDA 23 South Fraser – March 13, Surrey  (FULL)
M Dialogue Session with MCFD Early Years Director of Operations
PM Cultural Safety session with Dr. Margo Greenwood and Dr. Sarah de Leeuw

12. SDA 24 Vancouver/Richmond – March 14, Vancouver (FULL)
AM Dialogue Session with MCFD Early Years Director of Operations
PM Cultural Safety session with Dr. Margo Greenwood and Dr. Sarah de Leeuw

13. SDA 25 Coast/North Shore – March 15, North Shore  (FULL)
AM Dialogue Session with MCFD Early Years Director of Operations
PM Cultural Safety session with Dr. Margo Greenwood and Dr. Sarah de Leeuw

Click here to RSVP for sessions in your community.

*Please note: For SDA 41, SDA 42, and SDA 43 the two different sessions are on two separate dates.
**The Cultural Safety session for SDA 41 in Terrace will be in the AM on February 8th

Report on the 2019 Budget Consultations & Social Services Investments

Last fall, the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services held public consultations on the upcoming provincial budget. This process happens every year—and every year The Federation presents to the committee and provides input on what we believe should be the priorities for the provincial budget.

The result of those consultations was released in November. The unanimous report (which can be accessed here) contains valuable insights, significant trends, and some encouraging recommendations.

The number of social care organizations and Federation members that participated this year was encouraging. In fact, the representation of Federation members was one of the first things that stood out to me. And I want to thank all of our members who took the time to contribute to the consultation process.

Having so many passionate and informed voices saying the same thing and pushing in the same direction continues to be one of the most powerful tools we have for creating the change we want to see. And the report’s recommendations reflect that.

Social Services Recommendations

A number of community social service organizations—including The Federation and Federation members—expressed concerns about funding formulas and challenges related to financial sustainability and service delivery. As a result, the report’s recommendations related to social services included a number of investments and funding increases (see Page 68).

  • Increase funding available to charities and non-profits (Recommendation 78).
  • Increase investment in early childhood development—especially early intervention and services in Indigenous communities (Recommendation 79).
  • Increase funding for the community social services sector and adopt a flexible, outcomes-based approach in contract deliverables (Recommendation 80).
  • Urgently address compensation issues for foster parents in recognition of the valuable service and care they provide (Recommendation 82).
  • Fund specialized child and youth mental health and substance use services and supports, including collaborative programs like Foundry (Recommendation 87).

Other recommendations speak to income and disability assistance rates, single parent supports, poverty reduction, and trauma-informed care. The full report is available hereThe section devoted to social services is on pages 63–68.

Turning Attention into Action

Overall, the community social services sector appears to be increasingly understood as necessary, important, and in need of government investment. In fact, this was the second year that social services were identified as the top priority in the survey question asking participants to identify their top three priorities for making life better (see Appendix A).

And since the sector as a whole seems to be better understood and more valued—likely as a result of the attention around child care and the overdose crisis—we must work even harder to turn that goodwill into good outcomes.

In other words, the need for us to speak out these issues is as important as it ever has been. It is rewarding and inspiring to see our sector valued and recognized. But we also need to make sure that this attention translates into action—improved procurement practices, stronger and more collaborative relationships, increased investments.

To this end, I encourage all Federation members to learn more about our 2019 Social Policy Forum in Victoria, BC and seriously consider participating. We have designed this event to bring passionate and motivated people together, to create space for problem-solving and planning, and to facilitate collaborative learning, dialogue, and action. You can read about the event and register to participate here.

What’s next…

In February we will once again be attending the budget lock-up with our sector allies. We are also planning a 2019 Budget Review Webinar for members that will take place on Wednesday, February 20th from 10:00–11:30. (We will email login details to members in January.)

We will also be offering more support to help members participate in next year’s budget consultations to keep building this momentum. Next summer we will begin working with members to craft presentation scripts and key messages so that our voice is even louder next fall.

Rick FitzZaland
Federation Executive Director