2021 Select Standing Committee Submission

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Every year, The Federation makes an official submission and presentation to the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services. This committee holds province-wide consultations on the upcoming provincial budget and this year The Federation made very clear what our priorities and recommendations were.

Our submission and presentation highlighted both the strength and vulnerability of BC’s community social services sector and our priorities for the next provincial budget were summarized by the three following recommendations.

  1. Investments in a Strong and Sustainable Social Services Sector
  2. Investments in Structural Reconciliation-Informed Change
  3. Mental Health Focused Investments

An excerpt is below but you can read the full text of The Federation’s submission here. The Select Standing Committee will release its report with recommendations by November 15.

“Given how essential our sector is to the health, safety, and wellbeing of the children, families, adults, and seniors of BC, this government should fund as many community social service sector positions as it does government positions and at equivalent rates. Administration costs should be covered in all contracts. Downstream dollars should be matched with upstream prevention and early intervention investments. After decades of cuts and underfunding, our programs require an across-the-board 5% increase in funding to their core operating costs, sector-wide—it can be done and it would have a profound impact.

Our staff, like other front-line workers, have been called heroes over the past year and a half. And yes, they have absolutely done extraordinary things in challenging circumstances. But simply calling them heroes is a symbolic reward where a structural one is needed—it’s a rhetorical sleight of hand that justifies their risks and sacrifices while preventing others from having to internalize how much they benefit from those sacrifices.

So rather than simply calling them heroes, consider that many community social service workers may not have had a choice but to show up for work in person throughout the pandemic. Think of what the past 18 months would have been like without mental health counsellors, daycares, family resource programs, employment services, or food banks. And then ensure the next BC budget includes the kind of investment we should have received years ago. Because it’s time our staff and organizations are fairly compensated for the vital and challenging work that they do 24 hours a day 7 days a week.”

 

09/23/2021: Member Support and Information Recap

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Hello Federation Members,

Thank you for joining us for our second Member Support and Information Exchange call this month. To honour each of us on the call, we began with a check-in question. Below, please find topics for this week:

  • Member Discussion
  • Proof of Vaccination program
  • National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
  • Training Dollars
  • Youth Bursary Donations
  • Help Improve Child and Family Service Delivery
  • Accreditation Circle

Our Member Calls

Name: Member Support & Information Exchange
Date: Every second Thursday of the month (usually with a guest and specific topic)
Time: 10:00 am to 11:00 am

The fourth Thursday of the month will be held in the event that Federation Members want a second call for any given month to ask questions and/or share ideas and practices. We invite your ideas for future topics. Please note that recordings are no longer uploaded to the website. Upcoming calls:

  • Oct 14 with guest Satvinder Basran, CSS Health and Safety Council
  • Nov 18 with guest Jonny Morris, CMHA BC to focus on CSS mental wellness for clients, staff and leadership
  • Dec 9 with guest Dr. Brian Emerson, Deputy PHO on staying healthy through the holidays

Member Discussion

Before our introduction circle, we began with a minute of silence in respect of the ongoing findings of the unmarked graves at past Residential Schools. Our discussion involved sharing answers (from Dr. Brian Emerson, Deputy Public Health Officer) to member questions. If you have more questions for the Public Health Office regarding COVID-19, please email them to Sherry Sinclair at sherry@fcssbc.ca. We are grateful to Dr. Emerson who will keep us informed as we move through the fourth wave of the pandemic and into Phase 4 of BC’s Restart plan.

Q: Neighbourhood Houses are under the social services banner and run classes such as choir and art. Do staff/participants require proof of vaccination?
A: Yes, if over 50 participants in a class.

Q: Booster shots: will PHO be following other provincial guidelines around offering booster shots only to immuno-compromised people or will there be a plan for annual boosters for everyone in 2022 and onward?
A: I anticipate we will be following the recommendations of the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI). We recently announce that boosters would be offered to a group of clinically extremely vulnerable people, per NACI’s recommendation.

Q: Is the BC Proof of Vaccination going to merge with the Canadian National Proof of Vaccination program?
A: That is yet to be determined.

Q: Is there a FAQ document for the Proof of Vaccination?
A: Please see this page. In particular note:

Personalized information for:

On this call, members also discussed:

  • Proof of vaccination regulations and ideas on how to manage that within the organization
  • What organizations are doing with their recruitment & retention one-time funding
  • Transformative Reconciliation in Accreditation Circle

Vaccine Card

BC’s Proof of Vaccination program is now in effect. You can register for a QR code that can be saved to your smartphone or printed. This is temporary until the Federal Government develops a national proof of vaccination program. According to the program, 2 vaccine shots will be required by October 24th. You can learn more about the program and what events and facilities are affected here.

Dr. Penny Ballem, working with the health authorities, has confirmed that community social services clients, volunteers, staff, and leaders are not required to show proof to attend or deliver services or activities. This includes training, programming, and all manner of business (on- or off-site).

If a person does not have a computer or smartphone, you can order a paper copy by phone at 1-833-838-2323 from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM 7 days a week. Telephone for the Deaf: Dial 711. Video Relay Services (VRS) provides sign language interpretation and is free for registered deaf, hard of hearing, or speech-impaired people.

Vaccination Promotion Continues

In an effort to increase vaccination rates, the BC government has introduced an escalated plan implementing Walk-in Wednesday Clinics, along with vaccinations for youth aged 12 years and up. You can call or register online for a walk-in appointment on August 8 or continue to get registered for the first dose and follow-up second dose. Check these web pages out for a collection of most things COVID-19 related or Vax for BC.

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Next week, the province of BC will recognize September 30th as the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, in alignment with legislation passed by the federal government in June 2021. This date coincides with Orange Shirt Day, which began with Phyllis Webstad in 2013 and involved wearing orange shirts to honour Indigenous children forced to leave their families to attend residential schools.

We encourage everyone to take time on this new holiday to participate, reflect, and learn more about Canada’s history of colonization and the impact we see today. To support this work, The Federation has launched a new initiative, Reconciliation Dialogues, that we encourage you to learn more about. If you are looking for ideas to commemorate September 30, please check out this update from Riley McKenzie, Federation Indigenous Advisor, and Rick FitzZaland, Federation Executive Director.

A National Residential School Crisis Line has been set up to provide support to former students. This 24-Hour Crisis Line can be accessed at: 1-866-925-4419.

Wellbeing Web Support

Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions (MMHA) has a new website to support mental wellness to add as a resource for your organization. One other fantastic resource is the Canadian Mental Health Association BC Workplace Mental Hub. You will see a specific page for Community Social Services. Jonny Morris, CEO of the CMHA BC, will be our guest on November 14th to discuss mental wellness in the sector and answer member questions.

Training Dollars Available

Last year, The Federation helped to launch the Community Social Services Training Fund. Currently, organizations are able to apply for both the Support for Certification/Education Individual Grant (now with funding of up to $15,000 for multiple employees) and the Organizational Training Grant (funding of up to $10,000) within the same fiscal year.

We ask you to help us spread the good news that these training dollars are for all community social service organizations. The recipient does not have to be a Federation member and we would appreciate you sharing this information with your colleagues.

If you are searching for a way to decolonize and transform your organization, please apply to the Transformative Reconciliation program. All community social service agencies may apply to the Community Social Services Training Fund to cover the entire cost of the Transformative Reconciliation registration fees, regardless if you have applied for Training Fund monies previously.

Help Get Donations for the Youth Education Bursary

The Federation is pleased to announce that our Associate Member, Sincron HR, is offering members a unique way to help support the Youth Education Bursary fund. When any Federation member sets up a meeting with Sincron HR to review their recruitment and onboarding needs, Sincron HR will make a donation to the Youth Bursary Fund. We encourage you to reach out today.

Help Improve Child and Family Service Delivery

Thank you to everyone who has completed the survey for the child and family service mapping research coordinated by the University of Ottawa’s Institute of Fiscal Studies and Democracy and BC’s Representative for Children and Youth. To increase participation, the cut-off date for receipt of questionnaires and participation in case studies has been extended to Friday, October 8th.

If you would like to participate in a one-hour case study interview, please contact Dr. Helaina Gaspard, Director of Governance & Institutions at the Institute of Fiscal Studies and Democracy at helaina.gaspard@ifsd.ca. Completed survey PFDs can be emailed to helaina.gaspard@ifsd.ca. Thank you very much for your support in this important work!

Accreditation Circle

If you are looking for support for your virtual accreditation, please join Federation members on the active virtual accreditation monthly calls. They happen on the 3rd Friday of each month. The next call is Friday, October 15, from 11:00-12:00. Please contact Pam or Stephanie for more information at pam@fcssbc.ca or stephanie@fcssbc.ca

Please let us know how we can support you. We love hearing from you! We look forward to seeing you on our next call, Oct 14, from 10:00-11:00 AM. The dates and log-in information for future member calls can be found on our Webinars page and all past notes are on our Member Support and Information Exchange page.

 

Wishing you a lovely September 😊

Stephanie Martin, Program Assistant
Sherry Sinclair, Director of Programs and Services

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

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What we are doing and what you can do…

September 30th has been introduced as a National Day of Truth and Reconciliation by the federal government. The day—a new federal statutory holiday— has been created to give everyone an opportunity to recognize and commemorate the harmful legacy of the residential school system which more than 150,000 Indigenous, Métis, and Inuit children were forced to attend between the 1870s and 1990s.

This day is an important step in the reconciliation process for our country and an opportunity for all Canadians to recognize and honour all the Indigenous people who suffered at residential schools, to remember the thousands of children who never returned to their families, and to acknowledge the ongoing legacy of the residential school system.

As communities and individuals prepare to recognize this new holiday, celebrate Orange Shirt Day (with which it coincides), and honour the unmarked graves of hundreds of Indigenous children that are still being found, it is important that all Canadians use this day to reflect on our collective history of assimilation and colonization and to educate ourselves on the effects that are still felt today.

This holiday is an invitation to reflect upon the past, to re-learn our history and turn that learning into action. We hope that you use this opportunity to educate yourselves, explore some current issues faced by Indigenous communities across Canada, and consider what you can do as individuals and organizations to advance reconciliation with Indigenous peoples—even if these are your first steps.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission

One place you can start is the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s (TRC) final report and calls to action. The commission was established in 2008, as an outcome of the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement. The commission’s purpose was to document the history and lasting impacts of the Canadian Indian residential school system on Indigenous students and their families.

Between 2007 and 2015, the TRC spent six years engaging and listening to the Indigenous voices who were victims of the residential school system. The TRC’s final report created a historical record, provided education about the history and legacy of the residential school system, and introduced 94 calls to action focused on furthering reconciliation between Canadians and Indigenous people.

Creating this national holiday was one of those calls to action.

Awareness of the TRC has increased over the past few years, and especially over recent months with the recovery of unmarked graves in Indigenous communities where church-run residential schools were located. (Missing Children and Burial Information are addressed in calls to action 71–76.) More and more people are calling on the federal and provincial governments, as well as the Catholic Church, to publicly apologize for these atrocities and become more engaged in “righting a wrong” and addressing all of the TRC calls to action.

The TRC and social services

As some of you may be aware, there are several TRC calls to action that are specifically addressed to our sector and our work. The recommendations directed at social services and child welfare organizations are broad and far-reaching and in line with many of the values and priorities of The Federation.

Individuals, organizations, and governments are (among other things) called to reduce the number of Indigenous children and youth within the child welfare system, to implement Jordan’s Principle and to support and enact Indigenous child welfare legislation that establishes national standards for Indigenous child apprehension and custody cases. Child welfare agencies and courts are recommended to take the residential school legacy into account in all their decision-making and governments are urged to develop culturally appropriate parenting programs across the country.

The TRC calls to action have dedicated sections on child welfare, justice, youth programs, reconciliation education, and businesses. We encourage you to read and reflect on those specific to our sector and those addressed to businesses and to use whatever privilege and power you have to support the calls to action and help advance reconciliation—whether it be as individuals, as employees who deliver services, or as organizations.

What The Federation is doing on Sept 30

The Federation will be recognizing September 30th as a statutory holiday and it will be a paid day off for Federation staff. Our staff team has been encouraged to use this day to continue our personal work on Truth and Reconciliation.

Some will be participating in events (in-person or virtually) like the Drum for the Children event hosted by Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc. Some will be wearing their orange shirts and talking about what orange shirt day means with their families. Others have pledged to spend the day re-reading the Truth and Reconciliation Report and finding calls to action that resonate with them and can be incorporated into their work and/or daily lives. Some will be reflecting and watching family members who are taking part in the Spirit Walk through the live YouTube feed.

The Federation is also launching a new initiative called Reconciliation Dialogues, led by our Indigenous Advisor Riley McKenzie and Communications Coordinator Marshall Watson which will combine monthly interviews, editorials, and reflections and commentary on current events to provide for dialogue with and between members and an entry point through which to learn about Indigenous people, practices, and perspectives.

What you can do on Sept 30

Hopefully, in your community, there will be workshops, art exhibits, community forums, educational opportunities and cultural activities that you can participate in.

Individually, you can host conversations in our organizations, with your families and children. If you’re not sure how to start, here is a video from the First Nations Child & Family Caring Society called Reconciliation Begins with You and Me. And here is an article on Sharing the Message of Truth and Reconciliation with Your Kids from CBC Parents.

If you spend the day in nature, learn and acknowledge which First Nation’s unceded land you are hiking or biking or camping on. Learn how to correctly pronounce that First Nation’s name. Consider that the highways and roads you took to get to that campsite or lake are most likely built on what were Indigenous trails and reflect on what that means.

If you are spending the day indoors, consider watching an Indigenous movie!

  • Indian Horse (streaming on Netflix)
  • Smoke Signals (rent on Amazon, Google Play or YouTube)
  • Four Sheets to the Wind (streaming on Amazon Prime)
  • Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance (free to watch at nfb.ca)
  • Once were Warriors (rent on AppleTV or YouTube)
  • Monkey Beach (streaming on Crave)

Or you can spend the day reading an Indigenous author! Some of our favourites are Monique Grey-Smith, Richard Wagamese, Richard VanCamp, Lee Maracle, Waubgeshig Rice, and Michelle Good. You could also pick a book from the list of past titles on The Federation’s Reconciliation Book Club page.

You can read the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada reports, including the TRC’s Calls to Action, or order a hardcopy booklet.

Start learning about key issues that are of greatest concern for Indigenous Peoples in Canada like inadequate housing and crowded living conditions higher levels of incarceration and higher rates of suicide.

Wear your orange shirt in recognition of Orange Shirt Day, encourage others to do the same, and talk to friends and family about what Orange Shirt Day is and why it is important. If you are purchasing an orange shirt, make sure you are supporting Indigenous artists and organizations.

Learn the Secwépemc Honour Song and take up the invitation to drum and sing along at 2:15 PM (PST) on September 30th.

Watch “Namwayut: We Are All One” a CBC Video on Truth and Reconciliation in Canada, narrated by Chief Robert Joseph, a residential school survivor.

Watch an interview with Truth and Reconciliation Commissioner Murray Sinclair where he describes how Canadians can work toward reconciliation by, among other things, reading the Truth and Reconciliation report and finding a call to action that interests them.

In conclusion

In her award-winning 2016 book Price Paid, former Xat’súll First Nation Chief Bev Sellars explained that even though settlers may not be responsible for the racist laws and policies that have disadvantaged Indigenous people for centuries, now that we are aware of them, we have a responsibility to help change the situation.

“You cannot turn a blind eye to this. If you do, you will be doing
the same thing as your ancestors.”  – Bev Sellars

So on September 30th, we invite you all to take the next steps on your path toward reconciliation. There is a lot of energy focused on the work of reconciliation and anti-racism right now and a variety of calls to action available to you. There are also more Indigenous resources, books, movies, and podcasts than there have ever been.

Each of us has a responsibility to acknowledge, recognize and learn on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, but we must be mindful of what we do and how we do it to ensure that our attempts at learning and growing do not put the burden back on our Indigenous community members—those of us who are settlers here have to be willing to do the work ourselves.

But that doesn’t mean you have to do it alone. Remember what Altogether better is all about. Reach out to your colleagues and friends. Share ideas and lessons. Start (or continue) some conversations. Help each other figure out what to do and how to do it. Hold each other accountable. Recognize the steps you’ve taken together and then figure out and take the next ones.

Riley McKenzie
Federation Indigenous Advisor

Rick FitzZaland
Federation Executive Director

Introducing the Reconciliation Dialogues

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Welcome to this new Federation initiative and this new section of our website. My name is Riley McKenzie and recently joined the Federation as an Indigenous Advisor. I am Mohawk/Scottish and live in Victoria. I have been a guest on the lands of the Lekwungen people for over ten years.

My role is to support the Federation in ensuring programs and services are provided to members from a culturally respectful place that reflects an Indigenous worldview and to develop, encourage, and recommend changes to support our board’s vision of reconciliation and decolonization.

This initiative, what we’re calling Reconciliation Dialogues, will combine monthly interviews, editorials, and reflections and commentary on current events in order to further The Federation’s commitment to reconciliation and resurgence.

It will be an opportunity and a space in which to provide information on Indigenous issues that affect the social services sector, provide a forum for dialogue with and between members, create a safe space to ask questions, and provide an entry point through which to learn about Indigenous people, practices, and perspectives.

While you can expect these Reconciliation Dialogues to explore and cover a variety of topics and current events (e.g., child welfare, colonization, racism, recruitment and retention) we will also be reaching out to you, Federation members, to let us know what you would like to learn more about and who you would like us to speak with and interview.

We are framing this initiative as an ongoing series of dialogues because our hope is to engage with members, foster discussion, and create relationships. While on the surface this may look like a series of blog posts on The Federation website, I see it as an opportunity to share stories of resilience, gain a greater understanding of our shared history, explore pathways to reconciliation, and delight in some laughter.

I understand very well (as does the entire Federation staff team) how busy you are with the work of your communities and organizations. But I am hopeful that you will join us in these dialogues. We have some inspiring and interesting interviews and discussions lined up and I am certain they will provide you with valuable insights, a dose of humour, and new ways of thinking about your communities, organizations, and daily lives.

I hope you join us.

Riley McKenzie
Federation Indigenous Advisor

Projects and Issues Update: Subsidized Training, Specialized Homes and Support Services, Adolescent Health Survey

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The past few weeks have been a whirlwind of meetings and announcements and consultations and issue management at The Federation. We are continuing to work and advocate on many different fronts on behalf of you, our members, while also supporting you through the fourth wave of the pandemic and the rollout of vaccine cards and mandates.

This update contains a few important announcements and updates that we wanted to make sure you didn’t miss—some subsidized training opportunities for members and some important issues we are working on behind the scenes. Rest assured that we are paying attention to your pressing, pandemic-related needs as well as the ongoing issues that you were struggling with before the public health crisis (which continue to have a significant impact).

As always, I encourage you to reach out to me or anyone on The Federation team if you have questions, comments, or ideas about the projects and issues detailed below (or any other Federation work).

Your expertise, time, and creativity are the most valuable resources we have when it comes to building the kind of strong, sustainable community social services sector we all want. You all continue to impress and inspire me and I want to thank you for being a part of this Federation and supporting these important pieces of work.

Rick FitzZaland
Federation Executive Director

New Subsidized Training Workshops

In early 2021, we launched a series of learning and development workshops to complement the two main funding streams of the Community Social Services Training Fund. These were subsidized by the training fund and focused on coaching and human resources. Since then, we have offered new workshops on new topics (such as volunteer coordination and risk management). But due to popular demand, we are returning to those initial themes and once again coordinating workshops, in partnership with CityU, on Coaching for Leaders and HR Performance Management.

The workshops begin later this month and run through October and early November. You can learn more about the topics, the dates of each workshop series, and apply for a spot on The Federation website. If you previously applied in the spring and were put on a waitlist, you can contact the Community Social Services Training Fund Coordinator at sheldon@fcssbc.ca if you are able and would like to participate in this offering.

Transform Your Organization’s Approach to Reconciliation

Applications are open for the next cohort of The Federation’s new Transformative Reconciliation program. Our first and current cohort has been a resounding success and we are excited to launch applications for a new group of participants.

The program’s action-oriented design is tailored for leaders and staff who are keen to create real-world approaches to reconciliation that are founded on decolonizing principles and Indigenous knowledge within their specific local and organizational context. Staff pairs participate in the program together and work to create a strong understanding of reconciliation, decolonization, and indigenization, actively translate these theories into practice, and safely explore their own responsibilities in this work.

The program is built to be inclusive of both Indigenous and non-Indigenous participants from Indigenous and non-Indigenous organizations. Everyone is welcome—if you are interested, this opportunity is for you.

Applicants from any community social services organization in British Columbia can also apply to have their program costs paid for by the Community Social Services Training Fund. Learn more here!

Specialized Homes and Support Services

There continue to be changes happening within MCFD regarding new projects and internal shifts, including the Specialized Home and Support Services (formerly Residential Redesign) consultations. The ministry continues to be running this process; The Federation is just a partner. As such, not everyone who wants to will be able to participate in an in-depth capacity.

However, the honest input and feedback from The Federation and our members continues to be heard and appreciated by our government colleagues. And we have established a few areas of focus that will determine the success of these consultations. These include: clearly defining the tangible implementation needs for the specialized homes transformation; supporting the readiness of social workers, front line staff and specialized services and community sector partners; keeping the wellness of children and families at the centre of our decisions; determining how this transformation can support decolonization.

Additional engagement sessions will be taking place in the fall where we will, among other things, confirm design principles and feedback mechanisms.

BC Adolescent Health Survey

The BC Adolescent Health Survey (AHS) is a province-wide survey administered to youth in Grade 7 to 12 every five years since 1992. The survey gives insight into youth health trends, emerging issues, and risk and protective factors for healthy development. Adapted versions of the survey are administered to youth whose experience may not be captured in the main survey including youth in custody, homeless and street-involved youth, and youth in alternative education.

Federation Associate Member, McCreary Centre Society will start hosting community consultations for the 2023 BC AHS this fall and winter. Community consultations are a chance to discuss survey items that people and organizations would like to see included in the 2023 survey.

Please contact karen@mcs.bc.ca for more information, to register for one of the regional consultations happening across the province, or to schedule an additional consultation. In the fall, McCreary will be hiring Youth Health Ambassadors across BC to host consultations with their peers to gather input on what youth see as the key local health issues in their communities.

Register for The Federation’s AGM

The Federation’s Annual General Meeting will be taking place online over Zoom next week on Wednesday, September 22nd from 8:45 AM to 12:00 PM. Join us for presentations and updates, the release of the 2021 Annual Report, the election of new board members, ratification of new members and more! Register to attend and view the board election documents here.

October Event Save the Date

In place of an in-person conference, The Federation’s October Event will be an evening networking event with the Emerging Health Leaders BC on October 14th. Save the date and stay tuned for more details and registration in the coming weeks!

Training Fund Monies for Backfill Positions

As of September 2021, changes to the administration of the Community Social Services Training Fund now allow organizations to include requests for backfill funding in their application. This funding can cover the cost of wages for casual employees so that programs do not have to close or reduce hours when staff training or certification is taking place.

The closing date for Funding Round Two is September 30th. As a reminder, organizations can apply for both the Support for Certification/Education Individual Grant (now with funding of up to $15,000) and the Organizational Training Grant (with funding of up to $10,000) in the same fiscal year. You can learn more and apply for funding on the Federation website.

09/09/2021: Member Support and Information Recap

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Hello Federation Members,

Thank you for joining us on Thursday, September 9, 2021, for our monthly Member Support and Information Exchange call. Below, please find updates for this week:

  • Member Discussion
  • National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
  • Improving child and family service delivery
  • Free cloth masks
  • Proof of Vaccination program
  • BC Restart Plan Phase III
  • Donating to the Federation Youth Bursary
  • Accreditation Circle

Our Member Calls Have Changed

You have noticed this month we are shifting our ‘Covid-19 and Your Organization’ member calls to calls on the 2nd Thursday of the month, beginning today. The new name is Member Support and Information Exchange and we want to keep the focus on the Federation supporting members to ask questions and share their ideas and practices. We invite your ideas for topics. The Federation is creating space for a second call in the month if members say they would like that to happen. The upcoming calls will be:

  • September 23th from 10:00-11:00 AM
  • October 14th from 10:00-11:00 AM (with guests from the CSS Health and Safety Council)
  • November 18th from 10:00-11:00 AM (with guest Jonny Morris, CMHA BC and a focus on mental health for clients, staff and leadership)

Member Discussion

Before our introduction circle, we began with a minute of silence in respect of the ongoing findings of the unmarked graves at past Residential Schools. We shared information on BC’s Proof of Vaccination and hosted Dr. Brian Emerson, Deputy Public Health Officer to provide clarity on COVID-19 impacts. If you have questions for the Public Health Office regarding COVID-19, please email them to Sherry Sinclair at sherry@fcssbc.ca. We are grateful to Dr. Emerson who will keep us informed as we move through the fourth wave of the pandemic and into Phase 4 of BC’s Restart plan.

Here is a recap of the members’ discussion:

Q: Are there restrictions for staff working in long-term (LT) care and also in Community Social Services (CSS)?
A: My understanding in LT care, programs are resuming with safety protocols in place. There was the instance of a single site and specific circumstance where such restrictions applied, however, there should not be a restriction for them working between LT care and CSS setting simultaneously.

Q: Are vaccinations mandatory for Supported Housing Programs, where 24-hour care is provided?
A: Not at this time. Mandated for long-term, extended care, home care and other residential care settings. The next move is certain hospital care settings/programs and extended care. (Something to consider would be where do health care and other services begin.)

Q: We received confirmation that Proof of Vaccine (PoV) is not required for CSS Board of Directors, do you expect that to change soon?
A: Numbers have started to rise and we are in the fourth wave of this pandemic. Review of limits and restrictions is ongoing (during a pandemic), especially if an area starts to show the trend of increased numbers infected. The main focus is to promote vaccination. As the number of vaccinated people increases and the number of critical care cases goes down, we can consider opening business further. If any restrictions are to come out, it will be similar initiatives such as the vaccine card which is gear toward discretionary activities (accessing non-essential services such as recreational and leisure).

Q: Is there a number to direct people to ask technical questions? Re HR mandatory vaccination, staff required for outreach, staff request to vaccinate, etc.
A: Dr. Emerson is good contact regarding the Vaccination Card. Dr. Behn-Smith is away right now. In terms of accessing these places, where people are required to ask for proof of vaccination, and in regard to whether a worker is not vaccinated, it is important to keep in mind that the purpose is to encourage people to vaccinate (the Province has tried to limit areas where this is required; e.g., in-persons recreational or leisure activities). People can still access some of these services via ‘take-out.’ It is when a person wants to access these services in person that proof of vaccination comes into play (e.g., if you wish to dine in a restaurant, use a public gym facility, attend ticketed sports events/venues, indoor concerts, casinos, bars/pubs).

Q: What is the difference between getting takeout and in-person services? Can a person go into a restaurant?
A: You can enter to pick up food but if ‘sitting down,’ you will be required to provide proof of vaccination. Individuals will still have to follow social distancing requirements when picking up takeout; however, because dining-in involves longer periods that increase lengths of potential exposure and or transmission, proof of vaccination will be required.

Q: Re: health sector and mandatory vaccination—some organizations require staff to meet people outside in restaurants, etc. Can we ask and can we require vaccination?
A: Restaurants are required to ask for proof of vaccination. This could be a problem if the client or worker is not vaccinated. Again, one factor of proof of vaccination is to try to limit places this is going to be required so there are alternatives. It is more limited to sit-down table service, concerts, theatres. When it comes to HR matters, there are definite limits to what information you can ask from them and issues about what you can ask about personal medical histories. Agencies are encouraged to get a legal opinion.

Q: Sincron has software that can track vaccination status (Re Variants ). Since the Delta variant came on very strong, what is the plan to monitor and manage other variants so there is a less drastic shifting of gears for businesses?
A: The variants monitoring/management involves measuring the degree of transmission. If we get a variant that the vaccine doesn’t work against, that is when we have to implement a different plan. Right now, we’re not seeing that. The vaccines are effective in lessening the effects of virus. Planning to increase the number of vaccinated people increases the number of people with immunity to the virus, including variants. (Immunity does not stop a person from contracting the virus but affects how the body responds to the virus such as lessened or milder symptoms).

Q: We are seeing some public resistance to backtrack in restriction and people are tired of the pandemic. What is the Province’s position to address this?
A: The province has been dealing with it from the beginning. The government is stepping up to help educate and support through increased communication and education. Sharing the steps we have taken offers transparency, offers the tracking of progress, and overall mitigates resistance to vaccination.

Q: In school settings with young children, we have tried to implement social distancing measures (such as registered drop-in) but it has been difficult. Any suggestions?
A: Fortunately, the effect on children has been minimal and kids will be kids. The recommended plan of action is to promote vaccination for adults around. Regarding the mandate for adults to be vaccinated, it is not mandatory but there is a challenge to consider regarding HR standards and privacy law and labour relations on mandatory vaccination. You are encouraged to seek legal opinions.

Q: Is there leeway for organizations to determine if whether to mandate vaccines within their organization?
A: Go in with eyes open and pay attention to the legal positions.

Q: Neighbourhood Houses are under the banner of social services and run classes such as choir and art. Do staff/participants require proof of vaccination?
A: Yes, if over 50 participants in a class.

Q: Will PHO be following other provincial guidelines around offering booster shots only to immuno-compromised people or will there be a plan for annual boosters for everyone in 2022 and onward?
A: I anticipate we will be following the recommendations of the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI). We recently announced that boosters would be offered to a group of clinically extremely vulnerable people, per NACI’s recommendation.

Q: Is the BC Proof of Vaccination going to merge with the Canadian National Proof of Vaccination program?
A: That is yet to be determined.

Q: Is there a FAQ document for the Proof of Vaccination?
A: See https://www2.gov.bc.ca/vaccinecard.html

Over the coming weeks, Dr. Emerson is happy to be the Federation contact for additional questions and concerns. If you have additional questions, please send them to sherry@fcssbc.ca and we will forward them to Dr. Emerson.

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

The province of BC recognizes September 30th as the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, in alignment with legislation passed by the federal government in June 2021. This date coincides with Orange Shirt Day, which began with Phyllis Webstad in 2013 and involved wearing orange shirts to honour Indigenous children forced to leave their families to attend residential schools. According to Canadian Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault, this National Day can give Canadians a chance to learn about and reflect on a dark chapter in their country’s history and commemorate the survivors, their families and their communities.

Speaking to the administration of this new national holiday, the Public Sector Employers’ Council (PSEC) does not want the employer to bear the expense of administration costs for the day and contracts will be adjusted accordingly. Please click here for the letter from MCFD addressing service providers, the intent of the day and how the administrative costs will be provided for.

National Residential School Crisis Line

A National Residential School Crisis Line has been set up to provide support to former students. This 24-Hour Crisis Line can be accessed at: 1-866-925-4419. At the Federation, we are renewing our commitment, as an organization and as individuals, to take personal responsibility for truth and reconciliation, to make sure our words translate into actions, and to use the power and privilege we have to drive change and decolonize those systems to which we are connected.

Wellbeing Website Portal

The Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions (MMHA) has a new website to help connect people with mental wellness services and supports.

Improve Child and Family Service Delivery

Thank you to everyone who has completed the survey for the current mapping research of the Representative for Children and Youth (RCY) with the University of Ottawa’s Institute of Fiscal Studies and Democracy (IFSD). The focus is to map the ecosystems of child and family services delivery for Indigenous and non-Indigenous children in the province.

A Project Overview PDF (with a description of the case study approach) is available here as well as a short 12-question PDF survey that you can download and complete. With the intention of being inclusive, and to ensure that everyone affected is aware of this project and has the opportunity to voluntarily participate, we are extending the cut-off date for receipt of questionnaires and participation in case studies to Friday, September 24.

If you would like to participate in a one-hour case study interview, please contact Dr. Helaina Gaspard, Director of Governance & Institutions at the Institute of Fiscal Studies and Democracy at helaina.gaspard@ifsd.ca. Completed survey PFDs can be emailed to helaina.gaspard@ifsd.ca. Thank you very much for your support in this important work!

One Million Free Cloth Masks

As we wait for the delivery of the N95 masks from Brands For Canada, we are offered over a million 3-ply cloth masks. If you are interested in receiving a large quantity or know somewhere they can be stored for distribution, please email Pam Alcorn, pam@fcssbc.ca. Delivery can be arranged to your storage area. We do not have an arrival date for the N95 masks.

BC’s Restart Plan

We continue in BC’s Restart Plan Phase 3 and can move to Phase 4 once the current COVID-19 cases decrease and new cases remain low. We are all continuing to follow the health protocols of frequent hand washing, staying home when ill, and when advised, keeping socially distanced and wearing a mask. As of September 8, 2021, 77.7% of eligible people 12 years and older have received their second shot of the vaccine and 85.2% have received their first shot.

BC Vaccine Card

Requiring proof of vaccination to participate in non-essential activities will begin September 13th. People will have until September 26th to register for a QR code that can be saved to their smartphone, saved as a screenshot, or printed from their computer. This is a temporary measure until the Federal Government develops a National Proof of Vaccination program. The BC Proof of Vaccination website explains everything you need to know.

Dr. Penny Ballem, working with the Health Authorities, has confirmed that community social services (CSS) clients, volunteers, staff and leaders are not required to show proof to attend or deliver CSS activities. This includes training (off- or on-site), programming (off- or on-site), and all manner of business.

If a person does not have a computer or smartphone, you can order a paper copy by phone at 1-833-838-2323 from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM 7 days a week. Proof of vaccination is not required to vote in person for the Federal election on September 20th. Telephone for the Deaf: Dial 711. Video Relay Services (VRS) provides sign language interpretation and is free for registered deaf, hard of hearing, or speech-impaired people.

The requirement applies to all people born in 2009 or earlier (12+) and covers:

  • Indoor ticketed sporting events
  • Indoor concerts, theatre, dance and symphony events
  • Licensed restaurants and restaurants that offer table service (indoor and patio dining)
  • Pubs, bars and lounges (indoor and patio dining)
  • Nightclubs, casinos and movie theatres
  • Gyms, exercise facilities/studios, pools and recreation facilities
  • Businesses offering indoor group exercise
  • Indoor adult group and team sports for people 22 years old or older
  • Indoor organized events with 50 or more people (e.g., wedding receptions, organized parties, conferences and workshops)
  • Indoor organized group recreational classes and activities like pottery, art and choir
  • Post-secondary on-campus student housing

Vaccination Promotions

In an effort to increase vaccination rates, the BC government has introduced an escalated plan implementing Walk-in Wednesday Clinics, along with vaccinations for youth aged 12 years and up. You can call or register online for a walk-in appointment on August 8 or continue to get registered for the first dose and follow-up second dose. Check these web pages out for a collection of most things COVID-19 related or Vax for BC.

Available Training Dollars for Organizations

Last year, The Federation helped to launch the Community Social Services Training Fund. Currently, organizations are able to apply for both the Support for Certification/Education Individual Grant (now with funding of up to $15,000 for multiple employees) and the Organizational Training Grant (funding of up to $10,000) within the same fiscal year.

We ask you to help us spread the good news that these training dollars are for all community social service organizations. The recipient does not have to be a Federation member and we would appreciate you sharing this information with your colleagues.

If you are searching for a way to decolonize and transform your organization, please apply to the Transformative Reconciliation program. All community social service agencies may apply to the Community Social Services Training Fund to cover the entire cost of the Transformative Reconciliation registration fees, regardless if you have applied for Training Fund monies previously.

Help Get Donations for the Youth Education Bursary

The Federation is pleased to announce that our Associate Member, Sincron HR, is offering members a unique way to help support the Youth Education Bursary fund. When any Federation member sets up a meeting with Sincron HR to review their recruitment and onboarding needs, Sincron HR will make a donation to the Youth Bursary Fund. We encourage you to reach out today.

Accreditation Circle

If you are looking for support for your virtual accreditation, please join Federation members on the active virtual accreditation monthly calls. They happen on the 3rd Friday of each month. The next call is Friday, September 17, from 11:00-12:00. Please contact Pam or Stephanie for more information at pam@fcssbc.ca or stephanie@fcssbc.ca

 

Please reach out and let us know how we can support you. Looking forward to seeing you on our next call, September 23rd from 10:00-11:00 AM. The dates and log-in information for future member calls can be found on our webinars page.

Wishing you a lovely Fall 😊

Pam Alcorn, Membership and Public Policy Coordinator
Sherry Sinclair, Director of Programs and Services

Transformative Reconciliation

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Apply to participate in the program’s next cohort!

Last year, The Federation partnered with Dr. Dustin Louie from the University of Calgary to offer a cohort-based, year-long program called Transformative Reconciliation in Community Social Services.

The program was designed to provide a more intensive learning program for members and community partners who want to deepen their learning and apply reconciliation-based approaches to their organizations and programs—to engage in transformative reconciliation through collaborative learning, design, and practice.

The first year was a resounding success and we are excited to launch applications for a new cohort of participants. You can find the application form and program dates on The Federation website.

The program’s action-oriented design is tailored for leaders and staff who are keen to create real-world approaches to reconciliation that are founded on decolonizing principles and Indigenous Knowledges within your specific local context.

The program is built to be inclusive of both Indigenous and non-Indigenous participants from Indigenous and non-Indigenous organizations. Everyone is welcome—if you are interested, this opportunity is for you.

Program funds covered

Applicants from any community social services organization in British Columbia can apply to have their program costs paid for by the Community Social Services Training Fund. To do so, fill out an application through the Support for Certification/ Education Individual Grant granting stream and put Transformative Reconciliation as the program.

Organizations can still apply to have their Transformative Reconciliation fees paid for even if they have already applied for and/or received other Community Social Services Training Fund monies this calendar year. You can find more info about the Community Social Services Training Fund and the application form here.

Join an info session

Interested? Want to learn more? Join the Transformative Reconciliation program instructor, Dr. Dustin Louie, for an information session on Tuesday, September 14th at 12:00 PM (PST). Learn about the program, about the instructor, what to expect, and ask questions!

Join Zoom Meeting: Click here!
Meeting ID: 398 929 5822
Passcode: 3NGavp

An invitation to take action

I encourage and invite you to learn more about this program and sign up to engage in difficult conversations in a supportive space—working together to transform our practice and embody the important calls to action that have been handed to us.

As always, if you have any questions or feedback about how The Federation can support you and your organizations, don’t hesitate to contact me.

Rick FitzZaland
Federation Executive Director