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Community Social Services: Weekly Bulletin Sep. 05, 2024

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SOCIAL SERVICES NEWS

News, updates, and stories about social care in BC

Unveiling the latest developments in social services

September 05, 2024

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Table of contents

  • Communities & Families
  • Reconciliation Book Club
  • Toxic Drugs
  • Opportunities
  • Reconciliation
  • Social Policy Forum 2025
  • Children & Youth
  • Career Opportunities
  • Health & Mental Health
  • FSGV
  • Homelessness & Housing
  • Good News

Communities & Families

‘It Sucks’: Lack of Rebuild Plan for Fire-razed B.C. School Rankles Parents | Global News

Parents and students in Port Coquitlam are frustrated over the lack of a clear rebuild plan for Hazel Trembath Elementary, which was destroyed in a suspicious fire nearly a year ago. As the new school year begins, about 250 students are still being bused to a temporary school 10 kilometres away, causing disruption and uncertainty for families who want to return to their neighbourhood school. Despite the BC government’s commitment to rebuilding, a timeline has yet to be provided, leaving parents like Nicole Robles and Alaina Milicivic concerned about their children’s future education and community stability.

Resources:

Reconciliation Book Club

Bone Black

The Federation’s Reconciliation Book Club, designed to be inclusive and accessible for all staff in member organizations, is a key resource for increasing knowledge of reconciliation issues. Book Club members meet regularly to discuss a new book, and Federation staff ensure that the discussions are enriched with supplementary materials, including discussion questions, additional readings, and author and publisher information.

We invite you to join us for the next meeting of the Reconciliation Book Club on October 23, 2024. The book we will be discussing is “Bone Black” by Carol Rose GoldenEagle. Don’t miss this chance to be part of the discussion. Sign up for the book club here: https://fcssbc.ca/bookclub/

Toxic Drugs

BC Taking Action to Prevent Overdoses, Make Students Safer on Campus | BC Gov News

The Province of British Columbia is implementing new guidelines to enhance safety on post-secondary campuses and combat the toxic drug crisis. Developed by the Post-Secondary Overdose Prevention and Response Steering Committee, these guidelines focus on overdose prevention and response, including the distribution of nasal naloxone kits and promoting awareness of drug-checking services. The initiative aims to protect students, staff, and faculty by providing essential tools, training, and resources, ensuring that campuses are safe environments. The guidelines are part of broader efforts to address the devastating impact of toxic drugs on communities and students in B.C.

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Opportunities

The Federation actively works to help our members stay up to date with what is happening across the community social services sector. Check our calendar for training opportunities, webinars, and events.

Reconciliation

New First Nation Primary Care Centres to Open in BC | City News

The British Columbia government and the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) announced plans to open 13 new First Nations primary care centres across the province, with 10 set to begin operations this fall. These centres aim to provide culturally safe, tailored health care and social services in partnership with local First Nations, the FNHA, and the Ministry of Health. This initiative is part of the province’s efforts to address Indigenous-specific racism in the healthcare system and to bring essential services closer to First Nations communities. Once all centres are operational, B.C. will have 15 First Nations primary care centres.

Related:

Save the date!

Social Policy Forum 2025

Our 2025 Social Policy Forum will occur on February 12, 13 and 14. We are excited to host this event again at The Inn at Laurel Point, Victoria. The Social Policy Forum is an opportunity for members, sector partners, and government colleagues to connect and explore the pressing social policy issues our organizations – and, more importantly, our communities – face today. Participants will learn more, discuss the impacts and consequences of social policy, and explore approaches that will move us forward in finding solutions and better ways to support our most vulnerable citizens. Please watch for more information, including hotel booking details.

Children & Youth

Hundreds of New Child Care Spaces Creating Opportunities for Richmond Families | Education News Canada

Richmond families are benefiting from the addition of 220 new licensed child care spaces, made possible through more than $8.2 million from the ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund, supported by provincial and federal funding. These spaces, located on school grounds, include care for infants, toddlers, and school-age children and aim to provide affordable, quality, and inclusive child care close to home. The initiative is part of a broader effort under the Canada-British Columbia Early Learning and Child Care Agreement to create thousands of new spaces across the province, offering significant support to working families and contributing to the community’s well-being.

Related:

Career Opportunities

The Federation actively works to help our members recruit and retain skilled staff. Click here to check the current opportunities.

Health & Mental Health

Frustration Mounts over Repeated ER Closures Across BC Interior | Global News

Emergency departments across British Columbia, particularly in the interior, are facing repeated closures due to staffing shortages, leading to mounting frustration and concern among residents and healthcare professionals. Over the Labour Day weekend, five hospitals in the region, including those in Oliver, Merritt, and Williams Lake, had to divert patients, forcing some to travel hours for care. Health Minister Adrian Dix acknowledged the crisis, noting that despite hiring hundreds of doctors and nurses, the system is still struggling, especially in emergency rooms. Local leaders and experts criticize the province’s response, citing years of underfunding and a lack of adequate planning and calling for a new, sustainable approach to address the ongoing healthcare challenges.

Related:

FSGV

FSGV Benefit Wayfinder 2024 | The Federation

The Federation, in collaboration with Family Services of Greater Vancouver, is offering a FREE virtual workshop to help frontline staff improve their support for clients with financial struggles using Prosper Canada’s Benefits Wayfinder. This training will equip participants with essential knowledge and skills to assist clients in discovering and applying for benefits and will include effective, trauma-informed money conversation techniques. The workshop is available on September 25 and November 5, 2024, from 12:30 pm to 2:00 pm and is limited to 30 participants per session. Additional dates will be added, and a waitlist is available by contacting Katherine Lim at info@fcssbc.ca. Register today and share this opportunity with your colleagues!

Homelessness & Housing

Firefighters Raise Concerns about B.C.’s New Single-stairwell Apartment Rules | Global News

The B.C. government has introduced new building code regulations allowing structures under six storeys to have a single staircase, a move aimed at increasing housing density, particularly in transit-oriented areas. While some, like designer Bryn Davidson, praise the change for enabling more efficient and livable urban designs; fire officials express serious safety concerns. The B.C. Professional Fire Fighters’ Association and Fire Chiefs’ Association warned that the new rule could significantly endanger lives, as it bypasses established safety standards requiring multiple exits. They argue that the change was rushed and lacked proper consideration of recent safety data.

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!

Note

The articles 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 relevant to our sector; the inclusion of a story is not an endorsement.

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