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Mar. 25 Biweekly Update: Social Services Key Insights

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SOCIAL SERVICES NEWS

News, updates, and stories about social care in BC

Unveiling the latest developments in social services

March 25, 2025

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Table of contents

  • Families
  • Opportunities brought to you by the Federation
  • Youth
  • Reconciliation
  • Disability
  • Children
  • Families
  • Good news

Families

More local families get keys to new homes through Habitat for Humanity Okanagan | Kelowna Now

Two more families have received the keys to their new homes in Lake Country through Habitat for Humanity Okanagan’s (HFHO) 12-home development, marking a significant step toward stability and security. During an emotional ceremony, HFHO CEO Andrea Manifold emphasized that these homes provide a foundation for a brighter future. HFHO’s homeownership program partners with low-income families, requiring them to contribute mortgage payments, maintenance, and volunteer hours rather than receiving homes for free. Mortgage payments are reinvested into the community to build more homes for families in need.

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Opportunities brought to you by the Federation

The Federation is dedicated to supporting our members and strengthening the broader community social services sector. We offer a range of ways to stay informed, build connections, and grow your skills.

Stay informed about the latest in the sector by exploring our calendar of training sessions, webinars, and events designed to help you succeed.
Get connected and expand your professional network through opportunities created specifically for community social services professionals.
Looking for a new career? Explore current job postings and find your next opportunity in the community social services sector.

Visit our website today to discover all the ways we can support you!


The Federation of Community Social Services of BC, in partnership with the Community Social Services Health and Safety Association, invites you to join us for the Caring for Communities Health and Safety Conference.

From April 9 to 10, 2025
Courtyard Marriott Prince George
900 Brunswick Street
Prince George, British Columbia, Canada

This two-day event will bring together professionals, advocates, and community leaders to explore key topics in workplace health and safety — mental health, decolonization and more — all through the lens of the community social services sector.

Day 1: Preconference
Your choice of full-day training workshop:
Mental Health First Aid
Introduction to Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee

Day 2: Conference
Keynote: Warren Hooley
Boundaries & Respectful Assertiveness
Women’s Health and Safety
and more!

Click here for the complete agenda: Caring For Communities Health and Safety Conference: Agenda
Register here: Caring For Communities Health and Safety Conference

For youth from care, financial barriers can make post-secondary education challenging. That’s why The Federation Youth Education Bursary exists—to support students pursuing careers in human and social services. Since 2009, we’ve awarded $296,925 to 217 students, covering tuition, books, and supplies.

💰 What You Need to Know:
✅ Up to $2,000 per academic year (two semesters)
✅ Can be combined with other bursaries or tuition waivers
✅ Funds go directly to the academic institution
✅ Must be used within 18 months (for 2025 recipients, by January 2027)
✅ You can apply more than once and receive the bursary multiple years in a row

📝 Applications close May 5, 2025. Applicants will be notified in the summer. Apply here: 2025 Youth Education Bursary

How to prepare your community organization for wildfire season 2025 in BC

Wildfires are becoming more frequent and intense — how can your organization be ready? Join us for a vital webinar designed to help BC’s social services organizations prepare for the 2025 wildfire season.

Hear from leading experts as they share insights on fire behaviour, health impacts, and the psychological effects of climate disasters. Learn firsthand from a social service leader who navigated wildfire response in 2024. A live Q&A session will follow pre-recorded interviews with our expert panel.

📅 Date: April 24, 2025
⏰ Time: 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM
📍 Online Webinar

Featured Speakers:
Katie Hodder – Firsthand experience navigating a wildfire crisis
Bob Gray – Fire behaviour and mitigation strategies
Alexis Palmer-Fluevog – Psychological impacts of climate disasters
Linda Thyer – Health risks and medical considerations

Moderated by Arden Henley, Executive Director of Green Technology Education Centre.

Don’t miss this opportunity to strengthen your emergency preparedness. Register today!

Youth

‘B.C.’s’ expected rent supplements for Youth from child welfare system not paid in more than a year, sources say | Penticton Herald

The Strengthening Abilities and Journeys of Empowerment (SAJE) program, designed to support former youth in care in B.C. with up to $600 per month in rent supplements, has not provided any payments since February 2024 — raising concerns about its effectiveness and future. Despite the province’s claims of the program’s success, ministry sources confirm no rent supplements have been distributed for more than a year, leaving applicants like Jamal — who has applied multiple times — without the promised support. Communication from SAJE has been unclear, and there is no timeline for future disbursements. Minister Jodie Wickens acknowledged funding constraints but suggested young adults seek alternative rental support. Advocacy groups warn that the program’s shortcomings, alongside broader challenges in the child welfare system, could exacerbate homelessness among former youth in care. Meanwhile, Jamal and others face financial struggles, with limited access to additional funding for education, employment or essential expenses, leaving them feeling unsupported and frustrated with the system.

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Reconciliation

B.C. author makes valuable Indigenous learning a walk in the woods | Fernie BC News

Squamish author and ethnobotanist Leigh Joseph’s new children’s book, “The Land Knows Me,” takes young readers on an educational journey through the woods, teaching them about the cultural and practical significance of plants through Indigenous traditions. Inspired by her previous work, “Held by the Land,” the book follows her children and niece as they explore the natural world, incorporating Squamish language, stories, and teachings to encourage early connections with nature. The book, illustrated by Natalie Schnitter, includes interactive elements like reflection questions and a plant directory to make learning accessible. Joseph, whose ancestral name is Styawat, sees this work as a way to honour those who preserved Indigenous knowledge and to heal cultural trauma by reconnecting with the land. Since its March 4 launch, “The Land Knows Me” has gained recognition, ranking as a top children’s book on Amazon and becoming widely available in bookstores and online.

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Disability

Chilliwack mother enduring multiple seizures faces year-and-a-half wait for epilepsy procedure | CBC News

Chilliwack mother, Wietske Flor, has been enduring debilitating seizures since contracting viral encephalitis in 2021, leaving her unable to care for her three children alone or drive. Despite high-quality care from neurologists at Vancouver General Hospital (VGH), she faces a 17-month wait for an intracranial EEG (iEEG), a critical procedure to pinpoint the source of her seizures and determine if brain surgery could help. With VGH performing only two iEEG procedures per month due to resource constraints, Flor remains in limbo, experiencing frequent seizures that sometimes require emergency care. Her husband, Gabor, describes their daily life as living with an unpredictable “ticking bomb,” highlighting the immense stress and uncertainty. Experts note that long wait times for epilepsy procedures are common across Canada, and while officials acknowledge the issue, Flor and her family feel abandoned in their struggle.

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Children

5 years after COVID-19 started, parents and experts say the impact on kids remains | CBC News

Five years after COVID-19 school closures, students worldwide continue to struggle with academic and social challenges. Studies show persistent lags in math and literacy, with Canadian students behind by nearly a full school year in math and several months in reading. Parents report spending significant money on tutoring and therapy to help children catch up, while social and emotional difficulties, such as anxiety and reluctance to socialize, remain prevalent. Children with special educational needs were particularly affected, missing crucial interventions due to disrupted schooling. Experts stress the need for holistic government investment in both academic recovery and mental health support to address the pandemic’s long-term impact fully.

Families

Families search for child care after BrightPath in West Kelowna announces closure | Global News

Families in West Kelowna, B.C., are struggling to find alternative childcare after BrightPath Childcare Centre announced its closure on June 13 due to the non-renewal of its lease following the building’s sale. The closure affects 64 families, many of whom have found it challenging to secure new placements due to long waitlists at other centres. Some parents, like Nicole Clifton, have spent hours calling other facilities without success, while others, such as Bobbi Vojtko, are facing logistical challenges with school drop-offs and work schedules. Although BrightPath has directed families to its Kelowna location, the commute is unmanageable for many. Nearby centres, including Neighbourhood Kids Childcare Centre, are overwhelmed with inquiries, highlighting the growing childcare shortage in the area.

Good News

If you have any feel-good, weird, fascinating, or amusing stories you’d like to see included in this section, send them 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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