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📰 FCSSBC: May 3, 2024 Social Services Update

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SOCIAL SERVICES NEWS

News, updates, and stories about social care in BC

Unfold the recent happenings and advancements in social services

May 3, 2024

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APPLICATIONS EXTENDED

The Youth Education Bursary assists young people who are, or have been, in care and want to pursue a career in the field of Human Social Services. Since 2009, we’ve awarded $296,925 in bursaries to 217 recipients to help students with the financial costs of tuition, books, and supplies for post-secondary study. Donations from FCSSBC members and the public are welcome! Bursary applications are open until May 31, 2024.

The FCSSBC Youth Education Bursary

Table of contents

  • Housing
  • Federation’s Current and emerging issues conference & AGM
  • Communities
  • Update session
  • Children
  • Webinar
  • Families
  • Workshops
  • Mental health
  • Job opportunity
  • Non-Profit North
  • Health
  • Helpline
  • Seniors
  • Toxic Drugs
  • Reconciliation
  • Good news

Housing

BC Housing – Strike Vote Results Are In! | BCGEU

The BC General Employees’ Union (BCGEU) has released the strike vote results. The results indicate that 100% of Maintenance staff voted yes, while 96.6% of Admin staff voted yes. The union is now scheduled to have bargaining meetings with the employer to discuss the collective agreements. If the vote is insufficient to push for a fair deal, the union will escalate and negotiate an Essential Services Agreement. A job action committee will also be formed to inform essential service negotiations. The union asks members to stay tuned for updates on any developments in bargaining.

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Conference

June 2024: Current & Emerging Issues Conference and AGM

Our June conference is designed to tackle the pressing issues that matter most to our members. Based on feedback from our members, we’ve tailored the agenda to cover current trends and emerging topics. The Federation AGM* on the final morning ensures we discuss these crucial issues and address organizational matters vital to our collective mission.

Thursday, June 13, 2024: Conference & Networking Reception

Friday, June 14, 2024: Federation AGM*

Click here for more info and to register: https://fcssbc.ca/conferences/june-conference-agm/

*AGM is for members only.

Communities

B.C. launches portal to help find hotel rooms for emergency evacuees | CBC News

The British Columbia Hotel Association is launching a new central booking portal in June that will provide provincial emergency support staff with live information on room availability for emergency evacuees. The portal will help eliminate the need to call hotels to find out about room availability and can track where evacuees have been placed. The new booking portal will be used in Kamloops, Kelowna, and Prince George, with the ability to add more places to the system as capacity warrants. The portal will play an important role in helping Emergency Support Services responders secure suitable accommodations for evacuees who need it as soon as they need it.

Related:

Update session

Update session: Representative for Children and Youth | FCSSBC

The Office of the Representative for Children and Youth invites you to an update session in follow-up to the engagement session that has informed a systemic review of the child welfare system in British Columbia.

Session date:

Monday, May 13, 2024

9 am to 10:30 am PDT via Zoom

Email the RCY at rsvp@rcybc.ca to register!

(A Zoom link and agenda will be sent to registered participants in advance of the session.)

Children

Minister’s statement on Child Care Month | BC Gov News

British Columbia’s Minister of State for Child Care, Mitzi Dean, has issued a statement in recognition of May as Child Care Month. In the statement, she recognized the critical role child care plays in the lives of children, families, and communities, as well as the importance of child care professionals. She also highlighted the government’s efforts to make affordable, quality, and inclusive child care a core service that families can rely on, including funding for child care spaces and affordability programs. The statement also discussed the importance of child care on school grounds and the government’s commitment to supporting early learning professionals.

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Webinar

How to create a culture of recognition and acknowledge contributions | FCSSBC and CMHA

This is an invitation to a one-hour workshop on “How to Create a Culture of Recognition and Acknowledge Contributions.” The workshop will explore the importance of recognition and rewards in creating a psychologically safe workplace. Attendees will learn about different recognition strategies, both formal and informal, and how to make them more impactful with a personal touch. The workshop will also discuss the role of managers in implementing recognition practices. The workshop is a collaborative environment where attendees can share their experiences and learn from others. It is scheduled for May 14th or May 30th from 12 pm to 1 pm and is brought to you by The Federation of Community Social Services of BC and the Canadian Mental Health Association.

Families

B.C. daycare operator says provincial red tape could close facility | Global News

Stefanie Swinnard, who runs The Stage Musical Theatre Academy and planned to open child-care programs, faces financial uncertainty due to government red tape. The licensing process was delayed due to construction issues, and the facility’s financial viability is at risk while waiting for the government to decide if families on its waiting list are eligible for child-care subsidies. The lack of available child care is a challenge for parents in New Westminster, where only a small percentage of children have access to child care, especially school-age kids—the B.C. Minister of Child Care is looking at what fees are being proposed and other ways the ministry could work with them.

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Workshops

Parenting workshops | Parent Support Services Society of BC

Five free online parenting workshops for parents and kinship caregivers in British Columbia. The workshops cover various topics, including creating and deepening attachment with children, understanding temperament and goodness of fit, creative journaling for self-care, dealing with parenting power struggles, and tuning into temperament.

Mental health

‘Biological sex’ sports bill voted down in B.C. legislature | CityNews

A private member’s bill introduced by Conservative Leader John Rustad in B.C. to classify publicly funded sports teams and events according to the “biological sex” of participants, banning transgender athletes, was voted down at first reading. The majority New Democrats, joined by two Green Party members and two Independents, voted down the proposed bill. Meanwhile, the Opposition BC United said it was sticking to its policy under Leader Kevin Falcon and never opposing the introduction of any bill on first reading. Rustad told the legislature the proposed bill would ensure publicly funded sports events “must be classified by sex, and it limits participation to participants of the biological sex that corresponds to the sex classification.”

Related:

Job opportunity

Prince George Native Friendship Centre – Assistant Executive Director

The Prince George Native Friendship Centre (PGNFC) is looking for an Assistant Executive Director (AED) to support the long-term strategic goals, objectives, plans, and policies of the organization. The successful candidate will be a proven leader with a passion for holistic and culturally based services that support urban Indigenous communities.

Event

Register for our Non-Profit North event in May!

We’re excited to be co-hosting the Non-Profit North event with Vantage Point on May 9 at the Courtyard Marriott in Prince George — and we’re looking forward to seeing you there. Register on our website to join us in discussing the unique challenges of community social services in the North.

Health

Dr. Farah Shroff appointed to the governing board of the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority | UBC

Dr. Farah Shroff, a public health professional and associate of the School of Population and Public Health and Department of Family Practice at the University of British Columbia, has been appointed to the governing board of the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority. The board of directors is responsible for setting the strategic direction of the organization. Dr. Shroff’s expertise is in international health policy, and she has worked with various governments in Canada and worldwide. She founded and led Maternal and Infant Health Canada, a global public health collaborative, and her contributions to global public health were recognized by the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, which awarded her the prestigious mid-career Takemi Fellowship in International Health. Dr. Shroff is also on the board of the Harvard Health Lab and an Expert at the Harvard Innovation Lab, and she teaches yoga, dance, meditation, and other mind-body activities that promote holistic well-being.

Related:

Helpline

BCMSA & BCACC Launch New Mental Health Helpline for BC Municipal Workers | FCSSBC

BCACC is pleased to announce the launch of a mental health helpline for BC Municipal Workers through the new “Connections to Care” program. The British Columbia Municipal Safety Association (BCMSA) has partnered with the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors (BCACC) to introduce a phone service that connects municipal workers seeking counselling services with mental health professionals.

Seniors

Canada Dental Plan: Few B.C. providers have signed on | CTV News

The newly launched Canadian Dental Care Plan provides dental coverage for nearly two million low-income seniors. While some dental clinics have signed up for the program, others have not due to concerns about the cost and the program’s effectiveness. The program is currently being operated by Sun Life and is means-tested. Only seniors aged 70 and older can make appointments. Dentists who have signed up for the program are excited about the prospect of helping people who don’t have access to care on a regular basis.

Related:

Toxic drugs

B.C.’s First Nations groups call for emergency response to drug crisis | CityNews

The First Nations Leadership Council and the BC First Nations Justice Council are calling for an emergency “cross-governmental and multilateral strategy” to ensure the safety of people who use drugs. The toxic drug crisis needs to be treated and addressed as a public health issue, not a criminal justice issue. The emphasis on law enforcement and policing in the new measure to ban drug use in public spaces is concerning, and a significant and sustained effort must be made to ensure individuals struggling with addictions are not further marginalized and harmed. The province needs to engage with First Nations communities to develop a holistic solution, and culturally safe strategies can be implemented to support individuals living with addictions that honour their identities. The drug and overdose crisis escalated because of a lack of culturally appropriate support services and a lack of recovery services, housing, and tools that don’t address a range of intersecting traumas for Indigenous peoples.

Related:

Reconciliation

B.C. First Nations leaders call for inquiry of police killings of Indigenous people | CityNews

The First Nation’s Leadership Council is calling for a public inquiry into police killings of Indigenous people and the lack of prosecutions for officers involved. This comes after the BC Prosecution Service declined to approve charges against officers involved in the killing of Wet’suwet’en man Jared Lowndes and other cases. The BC police watchdog highlights the lack of prosecutions against police and is preparing a report for the province that will recommend changes to the way cases of police violence are prosecuted. The province says the attorney general is open to meeting with the First Nations Leadership Council at any time and is committed to addressing systemic racism across the justice system.

Related:

Good news

If you have any feel-good, weird, fascinating or amusing stories you’d like to see included in this section, send them our way to giovani@fcssbc.ca!

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Note

The articles included in Federation newsletters are for informational purposes and do not relate to the Federation’s advocacy work. We want our membership to stay informed of news that’s relevant to our sector; inclusion of a story is not an endorsement.