December 16, 2003 For Immediate Release

Twenty-five community groups from around northern BC have received funding from the University of Northern British Columbia to support local services for children and families.

The funding was originally provided to the University through a grant from the Ministry of Children and Family Development. The total allocation from the Ministry was $2 million and community groups submitted proposals seeking allocations of up to $75,000. A component of the project will involve UNBC evaluation of all of the local initiatives over the next 2 years, with a goal of identifying best practices.

Recipients in the Northeast

Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Dawson Creek, for an in-school mentoring program.
North East Native Advancing Society, to hire an Aboriginal Family Services Coordinator who will conduct outreach and educate high-risk families.
North Peace Community Resources Society, to develop a parent education program and provide assistance to parents whose children are in care or at high-risk.
South Peace Child Development Centre, for a program specifically geared to young fathers in high-risk or fragile families.
South Peace Community Resources Society, to work with six high-risk families in developing appropriate support and connection to relevant organizations.
Tansi Friendship Centre Society, to target high-risk families and develop parenting skills

Recipients in the Northwest

Friendship House Association of Prince Rupert, for a program to increase educational and community resources to support families whose children are at risk or in care.
Iskut First Nation, to establish a Community Family Support and Intervention Team that will train foster families and develop effective crisis management.
Kitimat Child Development Centre, to coordinate and improve parenting groups, parent education networks, and parent-to-parent peer support.
Northwest Band Social Workers Association, for the Parents in Training Project and a facilitator to work with younger, high-risk families to improve parenting skills.
Taku River Tlingit First Nation, to operate a parenting group for parents whose children are in care.
Terrace Child Development Centre, to develop parenting classes and support groups, and provide intensive home visits to high-risk parents.

Recipients in the Bulkley Valley-Nechako region

CNC Lakes District Campus, to develop a case management service for high-risk children and their families.
Nechako Valley Community Services Society, for an educational parenting group, parenting support, and intensive in-home support services.
School District #91, to develop peer teams to deal with violent or at-risk students.
Yekooche First Nation, for a program to support the return of children in care and enhance existing services to prevent others from coming into care.

Recipients in the Fraser-Fort George and North Cariboo regions

Big Brother & Big Sisters of PG, to establish a mentoring program for youth.
Canadian Red Cross, Northern BC/Yukon, for a community education program designed to prevent the occurence of child abuse.
Family Y of Prince George, for educational classes with pre-school programming, youth and fitness programs, and child-minding services.
Intersect Youth and Family Services Society, for a program to support the return of children in care and enhance existing services to prevent others from coming into care.
Northern Family Health Society, to work with various service agenices to develop an effective model of service delivery.
Northern John Howard Society of BC, to provide parenting skills and support to fathers.
PG Parent-Child Mother Goose Society, to create and promote healthy patterns of interaction between parents and infants.
Tsay Keh Dene, for parenting classes and child support service delivery in their isolated community.
Quesnel Child and Youth Support Society, for a program that will use lay home visitors to contact families and promote better integration with existing services.

There were a total of 84 proposals submitted for one-time funding and the successful proposals were determined by a review committee independent of the Government and UNBC. The Strengthening and Creating Capacity for Children and Youth fund was announced in April and is designed to improve local capacity for reducing the number of children in the care of the Ministry.