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Community Social Services: Weekly Bulletin Aug. 8, 2024

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SOCIAL SERVICES NEWS

News, updates, and stories about social care in BC

Unveiling the latest developments in social services

August 1, 2024

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Table of contents

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

Health & Mental Health

Another Emergency Room Closed in B.C. Due to Lack of Staffing | Global News

Rural hospitals in British Columbia are facing frequent emergency room closures due to staffing shortages. The Lillooet Hospital’s emergency room will be closed from 7 a.m. Monday to 8 a.m. Tuesday, according to Interior Health. In July, there were 79 closures across hospitals managed by Interior and Northern Health. Interior Health had 28 closures, with Williams Lake experiencing 10 and Oliver and Merritt each having six. Northern Health saw 47 closures, with Haida Gwaii experiencing 15, followed by Chetwynd and Terrace with eight each.

Resources:

Reconciliation Book Club

Telling Truth: Seven Conversations about Indigenous Life in Canada

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 August 28, 2024. The book we will be discussing is “Telling Truth: Seven Conversations about Indigenous Life in Canada” by Michelle Good. Don’t miss this chance to be part of the discussion. Sign up for the book club here: https://fcssbc.ca/bookclub/

Reconciliation

Northern BC Struggles with High Overdose Rates in Indigenous Communities | CFNR Network

Northern British Columbia is grappling with a severe opioid crisis, disproportionately affecting Indigenous communities. Since 2016, over 16,000 people in the province have died from illicit drug use, with First Nations communities experiencing significant losses. In the first half of this year alone, Northern B.C. reported 115 drug-related deaths, a stark contrast to the province’s total of 1,158. First Nations women in the North are particularly vulnerable, with a death rate 11.7 times higher than other women last year. The First Nations Health Authority report shows that despite representing 14.8% of the population, First Nations people account for 46.1% of overdose deaths, a rate five times higher than other residents. Julie Morrison of the First Nations Health Authority highlighted the region’s lack of resources, with only two treatment facilities and insufficient supportive housing and detox beds. Efforts to combat the crisis include anti-stigma campaigns, community dialogues, and annual grants for awareness initiatives. A candlelight vigil and a purple flag-raising event in Prince George aim to raise awareness and support for the affected communities, emphasizing the need for empathy and understanding of addiction as a health issue.

Related:

Training Opportunities

Children & Youth

Helping Students Express Their Feelings about the Climate Crisis | Canada’s National Observer

The Climate Art Challenge helps students express their feelings about the climate crisis through arts-based storytelling, which mitigates mental health issues and promotes wellbeing. The project uses Indigenous teachings to view the climate crisis as a relational problem, encouraging students to create art that reflects their emotions about climate change. Teachers download a lesson plan to guide students in researching climate impacts and resilience, maintaining visual journals over several weeks. The artwork is exhibited in class and the community, fostering discussions on climate issues and emotions. Luiza Salek, part of the first UBC Climate Studies and Action cohort, integrates this approach with her work on Indigenous storywork and land-based education, aiming to build resilience and deeper ecological responsibility. Salek’s vision for a better world centers on reclaiming a connection to the land and fostering community through shared stories and radical sharing. She encourages young people to find common ground through land connections and urges all generations to engage in deep, intergenerational conversations.

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 Laurel Point Inn, 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.

Communities & Families

How This Post-secondary Course Will Prepare Prospective New West, Coquitlam Educators | New West Record

Douglas College in New Westminster and Coquitlam is launching a new English proficiency course this fall to support early childhood education (ECE) and youth care (CYC) students, addressing the projected demand for over 12,000 jobs in these sectors in B.C. over the next decade. With a $116,000 grant from the B.C. government, the 15-week English Upgrading program aims to remove barriers to education by offering high-quality, low-barrier options, including small class sizes for personalized instruction. The program, which will also be available in the winter and summer of 2025, is designed to build students’ confidence and skills from basic literacy to college preparatory levels. It is tuition-free for domestic applicants, making ECE and CYC career pathways more accessible and helping to meet B.C.’s labour market needs.

Related:

Career Opportunities

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

Homelessness & Housing

How Singapore’s Housing Model Inspires BC’s Affordability Drive | CBC

Urban planner Louisa-May Khoo noted similarities between British Columbia’s new B.C. Builds housing program and Singapore’s housing model, where Khoo previously worked. B.C. Builds, inspired by Singaporean principles, aims to set rental rates at 30% of household income and use state-owned land and low-cost financing to provide middle-income homes. However, replicating Singapore’s model in B.C. poses challenges due to differences in social environments and land availability. Singapore’s approach, which includes extensive state involvement in land ownership and development, has achieved high home-ownership rates but may be difficult to fully implement in Canada. Despite this, elements of Singapore’s comprehensive urban planning could serve as a guide for B.C. and other cities aiming for affordable housing solutions.

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!

Toxic Drugs

Community Action Initiative International Overdose Awareness Day 2024 – BC Events | CAIBC

International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD) on August 31st aims to raise awareness, eliminate stigma, and address grief related to overdose deaths. With toxic drugs now the leading cause of death for people aged 10-59 in BC, surpassing homicides, suicides, accidents, and diseases, the day emphasizes evidence-based prevention and drug policy reform. Since the 2016 public health emergency declaration, over 14,000 lives have been lost in BC. This year’s theme, “Together we can,” highlights the importance of community solidarity in combating overdose. Events will take place across BC to engage and unite communities in this crucial cause.

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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