Family Services
About
Family Services believes in assisting families through a balanced approach by empowering them on their physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual healing journey. To provide support and services to facilitate healthy, strong, and connected families. Priority is given to families experiencing Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) involvement. Keep families together by helping them develop adequate skills and abilities to cope with daily family living. The Family Services can assist with making connections with culturally relevant resources, such as Elders and/or First Nation programs. Family Services takes a holistic, balanced approach that is culturally relevant in providing support to individuals and families.
Vision
To create a strong Urban First Nation Person/Families with respect and dignity. By bringing back the traditional way of life. By creating a stronger balance in a physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual way of life. The Family Service Team strive to have our Urban First Nation Families unified in a healthy way. By keeping our Urban First Nation Children out of Child Welfare System. Or advocating for our Urban First Nation Children to return to their families and communities.
Services
Inquiry Form
Intake is required. Intake is by phone (250) 384-3211 or in person between the hours of 1:00pm and 4:00pm Monday to Friday. Inquiries for intake can be done by completing the below form. All referrals must go through Intake.How to Reach Us
8:30am – 4:30pm
Monday to Friday
231 Regina Avenue
Victoria, BC
V8Z 1J6
Tel: (250) 384-3211
Fax: (250) 384-1586
Brenda Freeman, Team Leader
Email: brenda.f@vnfc.ca
Family Support Workers
The Family Support Team takes a balanced approach that is culturally relevant in providing support to individuals and families.
We assist with:
• Providing parents and 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 report to the Team Leader and assist families in achieving their goals through support, referral, skill development, education, mentorship and cultural continuity. We provide 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. Your worker will make referrals to community supports if necessary, but many referrals can be done in house. The team works to provide traditional and cultural values as related to individual(s) life.
Family Social Workers
The Family Services Team can assist with making connections with culturally relevant resources, such as Elders and/or First Nations Programs.
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.
Social Workers report directly to the Family Services Team leader and/or the Social Service Programs Manager. The social worker provides direct services that include support for Indigenous families to help them achieve their goals. The worker(s) will provide this support throughout the development, implementation, and completion of their individualized risk reduction plan and, if requested, will provide continuing support, check-ins and advocacy after. 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.
Family Services Team Responsibilities
• Attending case conferences and MCFD meetings as a support, and/or advocate.
• Providing information of all available community resources that may be of assistance.
• Providing information on how to deal with government systems.
• Regular checking-in to support you in working towards your goals.
• Developing and implementing a goal plan and a family wellness plan.
• Transportation to and from appointments.
• Providing parents and with support and educational programs that are culturally sensitive.
• Developing new parenting tools to cope with parenting challenges.
• Providing families and individuals with emotional support on their healing journey.
• Information regarding available housing resources.
• Creating a network of community support.
• Developing self-advocacy skills.
Client’s Rights and Responsibilities
• You have the right to be treated with respect.
• You have the right to tell your story and be listened to without judgement.
• You have the right to be accepted and respected for where you are on your healing journey.
• You have the right to speak with your workers supervisor to state a complaint and or a compliment.
• You have the right to discontinue our service at anytime.
• Your confidentiality is a high priority to the Family Services Team.
• It is your responsibility to choose to create change within your life.
• It is your responsibility to attend scheduled appointments and to phone if you are unable to attend a session.
• All participation with the Family Services Team is on a voluntary basis.
• For your convenience the FST is able to come to your place of residence for appointments.
Parent Legal Centre
The Parent Legal Centre provides a free lawyer and an advocate to help address the social worker’s concerns about your children’s safety (child protection) early on. Together they can help you find solutions that work for you and your family.
Resources
Mustard Seed
- Office: 625 Queens Ave.
- P: 250-953-1575
- Hours: Mon- Fri. 9:00am1:30pm (appointment or walk-in)
- ID: yourself and all family members
- Availability: once a month
St. Vincent de Paul Social Concern
- Office: 828 View Street
- P: 250-382-0712
- Hours: Mon-Fri. 8:30am-12:00pm, 1:00pm-4:00pm
- ID: yourself and all family members
- Availability: once a month
St. john the Divine Emergency Food
- Service: 1611 Quadra St.
- P: 250-383-7169
- Hours: Tues and Fri. 10:00am-12:00pm. Closed Fi & Tues after Income Assisstance cheques issued; open Friday the following week
- ID: No
- Availability: once a month
Goldstream Food Bank
- 761 Station Ave.
- P: 250-474-4443
- Hours: Tues and Wed. 10:00am-2:30pm. Open first 3 weeks of the calendar month
- ID: yourself and all family members and mail, utility bill
- Availability: Once per month
Sidney Lions Food Bank
- 9586 Fith St.
- P: 250-655-0679
- Hours: Mon, Wed, Fri. 9:00am-12:00pm. Closed the last week of the month.
- ID: yourself and all family members and mail, utility bill
- Availability: Once per month
Shelbourne Community Kitchen (Pantry Program)
- 3541 Shelbourne St.
- P: 250-590-0980
- Hours: Tues-Fri 10:00am-2:00pm
- Availability: 1st one free & have to sign for programs.
Living Edge, Quadra Village Community Centre
- 901 Kings Rd.
- P: 250-360-6928 (Doug)
- Hours: Tues and Thurs 10:30am-11:30am
- ID: No
