When Powell River Child, Youth and Family Services Society (PRCYFSS) was founded 20 years ago, one in four local children did not live in poverty; they do now.
On Monday, September 19, the society celebrated its 20th anniversary. Much has changed in the two decades since the agency’s doors opened to provide services, programs and counselling. The most significant change, according to PRCYFSS executive director Heather Gordon, is money became scarce and social programs for people in need suffered as a result.
“We’re lucky we live in a small town because people give and work together to do their best,” said Gordon, who has been PRCYFSS executive director for six years. “We’re lucky to live in a community that celebrates and values social services and those caring professions; that’s probably one of the saving graces. Powell River is a community that believes in coming together in supporting children.”
However, according to Gordon, in an economic climate that creates additional pressures causing family breakdowns and increased mental health concerns, the best is often not enough.
“We all know there are grossly inadequate resources to support the mental health concerns that face children, youth and families,” said Gordon. “Our staff works with the families and youth who are living in circumstances that result from poorly funded programming, so we see that every day. Our hearts break.”
Gordon said the society could do with double the staff to meet the needs of the community, but do the best they can with what they have.
“The one thing we’ve learned across 20 years is what keeps it all together is our caring, strong, dedicated staff team,” said Gordon. “We’ve had lots of changes over 20 years, but our impact in the community is really all about the ability, care and dedication of that staff. We’re lucky to have them.”
Debbie van Dok has been with the PRCYFSS since its beginnings and now works as a young-parent support. In her time she said she has seen a shift in the society’s ability to “actually really focus on families.”
“When I first started we really focused on the individual child,” said van Dok. “We went out and helped them cope, rather than going into the family and trying to look at the bigger picture. For me, that’s the biggest change.”
Despite the many challenges, PRCYFSS is heading in a good direction, according to van Dok, because of more preventative services that provide for all families, not just for families who are struggling.
“I’d like to see more of that,” she said. “I’d like to see us not stigmatizing families, like, ‘You have a problem, so we’re going in there and we’re going to fix you.’ We’re providing opportunities for them to come and access whatever they want and need.”
According to Gordon, the society has had to be creative to meet needs that are not automatically government funded.
“The community has been so supportive in helping us launch two different projects that are up and running with great success,” she said. “They are true examples of a community working together to solve social problems that don’t fit into a box determined by the government.”
One of those examples is a parenting centre and library that offers free crisis counselling for any caregiver of a child up to age 19 and free access to a library of 3,000 self-help books and supports.
The second project is a youth centre designed to create a safe drop-in recreational space for youth aged 12 to 18.
“Our staff have programs, food and always an adventure prepared for kids,” said Gordon. “Right now we have a drop-in program on Thursdays and a fantastic new sports and recreation program on Wednesdays after school with the Powell River Kings, who come and hang out with the kids.”
At PRCYFSS’ annual general meeting on Monday, September 19, board chair Hugh Prichard said the 20 years that the society has served the citizens of Powell River is significant for a number of reasons.
“It has to do with the fact that the invaluable and instrumental work that this group does is done without much recognition or fanfare, and tirelessly on behalf of children and families in Powell River,” said Prichard.
According to Prichard, the society has served in challenging times with little progressive support on the part of the government in terms of new funding for programs.
“That’s a challenge for us,” he said, “but we continue to rise to the challenge and make it happen for Powell River. It’s a real testament to our tenacity and our vision in terms of the importance of making it possible.”
Gordon said the society chose to mark its anniversary with a symbolic release of white doves, marking the accomplishments of first two decades and its hopes for the future.
