Personal Support
– Referrals to community resources
– Advocacy
– Food Security
– Support navigating various governmental systems (MCFD, Youth Justice, Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction)
– Support with making and getting to crucial appointments

Education
– Employment readiness (resume writing, job applications)
– Education and Alternate Education Plans
– Life skills

Health
– Mental health, substance use, sexual health, and referrals
– Help accessing harm reduction/sexual health supplies
– Support navigating health care system
– Pregnancy and parenting support
– Helping 2SLBTQIA+ individuals access gender affirming care
– Access to sports and recreation

Housing
– Support with housing applications

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The VNFC Health Services team includes Indigenous Health Support Workers, Mental Health and Substance Use Counsellors, and a Mental Health Liaison. Our Health Services team provide holistic and culturally safe health and wellness services to people who identify as Indigenous and their families.

Health Support Workers

Provide one-on-one support for people with health challenges, including:

• Navigate access to health care and wellness services
• Advocate on client’s behalf within the health care system
• Assist with accessing health benefits funding for services, equipment, and medications
• Provide transportation to appointments for clients with mobility issues

Provide group support and education, including:

• Lunch & Learns
• Drop-in monthly information sharing about health issues and resources
• Footcare
• Services and assessment provided by a Footcare Nurse for Elders and people with diabetes. Registration is required
• Health Support Circles and Cultural Sharing
• Sharing circles and cultural activities (art, music, food) help to support mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual health and wellbeing

Mental Health and Substance Use Supports

• One-on-one counselling for people with substance use issues in all stages of change
• Client-centred goal setting and help with developing healthy living skills
• harm reduction, abstinence, setting boundaries, stress management
• Information about and referrals to other mental health and substance use services for healing and recovery, such as support groups, other agencies, and residential treatment centers
• Advocacy and support in navigating the mental health and substance use systems
• Culturally safe group supports, including talking circles, grief support circles, and cultural activities and teachings
• Community education on mental health and mental health resources and services

How to Access Health Services

To access our one-on-one Health Services, an intake is required. Intake can be completed from 1pm –4pm, Monday to Friday, by either coming in person to the VNFC or calling us at (250) 384-3211. Details about drop-in and group programming can be found on our Health calendar.

How to Reach Us

8:30am – 4:30pm Monday – Friday
Intake is required*

231 Regina Avenue
Victoria, BC
V8Z 1J6

Tel: (250) 384-3211
Email: intake@vnfc.ca

Director: Grey Showler
Coordinator: Christina Kante

*Intake is by phone (250) 384-3211 or in person between the hours of 1:00pm and 4:00pm Monday to Friday. All referrals must go through intake.

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We support the understanding and completion of housing applications one-on-one with our team. Support provided one day per month. Contact Intake to book your time to get support.

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Social workers help families achieve their goals by providing support throughout the development, implementation, and completion of individualized risk reduction plans by providing continuing supports, check-ins, and advocacy. These supports can include Advocacy with MCFD, attending case conferences, meeting with lawyers and preparation for court, and one-on-one emotional support.

We assist with:
• Developing and implementing a long and short-term goal plan and a family/individual wellness plan.
• Providing parents and with support and educational programs that are culturally sensitive.
• Assisting family to provide safe, stable, and nurturing environments for their children.
• Providing goal-oriented and time limited appointments.
• Helping problem solve to overcome challenges along the way.
• Developing self-advocacy skills.
• Information regarding available housing
• Preserving the family unit.
• Developing a community as a whole to respond to families needs.
• Providing information regarding budgeting, shopping, household, and time management skills.
• Regular checking in to support you in working towards your goals.
• Developing new parenting tools to cope with parenting challenges.
• Providing information on how to deal with government systems.
• Making connections with cultural relevant resources.

Some areas of support include, but are not limited to, providing one-on-one emotional support, attending case conferences, meeting with lawyers, preparation for court, and advocacy with MCFD. Using a holistic, culturally sensitive approach, the Social Worker will be part of a multi-disciplinary team working to improve children, family, and community identity and wellness.

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Family Support workers take a holistic, balanced approach that is culturally relevant in providing support to individuals and families.

We assist with:
• Providing parents with support and educational programs that are culturally sensitive.
• Provide goal-oriented and time limited appointments.
• Developing self-advocacy skills.
• Information regarding available housing resources
• Providing information regarding budgeting, shopping, household, and time management skills.
• Developing new parenting tools to cope with parenting challenges.
• Transportation to and from appointments.
• Providing information of all available community resources that may be of assistance.
• Providing information/fill about the Legal/Law documents.
• Providing supports for custody disputes and domestic violence.
• Facilitating family or “Circle of Support” meetings.

Family support workers assist families in achieving their goals through support, referral, skill development, education, mentorship, and cultural continuity. We conduct home visits, and provide support with parenting skills, communication skills, budgeting, life skills, nutrition, housing, social assistance, legal aid and court processes. All team workers strive to build solid networks of support within our community and with sister agencies. Many referrals to supports can be made in house, but external referrals to community supports are made if necessary. The team works to relate traditional and cultural values to urban life.

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