° Justice Council’:

“SRIEF. PRESENTED TO
“THE. PREMIER | AND
“CABINET OF THE

~ PROVINCE “OF BRITISH
COLUMBIA BY TERRACE

& DISTRICT. COMMUNITY

; RESOURCES SOCIETY AT
TERRACE, B.C. SEP-
CTEMBER. 33, 1976 -
-Mr,: Premier and Cabinet,
-. This brief is to bring to

‘your attention a matter of .

mutual concern between the
provincial government and
the residents of Terrace and
the adjacent district as well
as. other communities
throughout the province. -

We. would respectfully

‘submit that a strong con-

cern on the part of your .

“ministers for the develop-
ment: and continuation of
active local groups should
sbeshigh on your list of
- priorities. The coordination
--and development of the
‘various | departmental
programs of the provincial
government can. be
guaranteed a much higher
ratio of suecess: when local
‘community’ group ~ par-
_ ticipation is. present. The
‘needs are better assessed
locally, the- program

planning can be tailored to.
"individual community needs.

‘and the resulting coor-

-dination ~ and.” ~ im: .
‘plementation provides ~

maximum benefits. and

‘+ returns to ail people in the -
community. -..

- “Over a period of. ap-
proximately the:past seven —
> years an active community _
been °

participation “has
~ developed in the important
area of providing needed
services to people of
Terrace and District, The

areas of service are those -
‘which. are of primary

~goncern to all members of
- your Cabinet and has in-

a cluded development and

coordination, of needed
_' services funded by various
provincial

_ departments.
““itomemaker Service (to

the aged, the sick and to |
‘ programs to fit the needs

other incapacitated.) Meals-
dm-Wheels ) primarily to
senior-citizens. Crisis Line -

— Youth. orientated. Coor-

dination of Volunteer. Ser-
vice. Community. In-
formation “and Referral
MOEVICC. Compilation of
tiirectory .of Services -
updated every. two years.
lias Cave Services -
_.assistance: with setting-up.
“child Care Workers, various

"- -ineentive. “ programs -

assistance, direction and to
some degree coordination of

—jther community programs

and in.an umbrella capacity
“fo assist in administration
ind. implementation . of
“specific. Department of

'- Human. Résources

. programs - generally short
in nature, Development of
ebi? Comsellor Service -
“presently "in progress.
Development. of Legal Aid
_ Programs '- in progress in
conjunction with. the local

“We wish .to bring — the

-. above to’ your’:attention -in

“order that ‘you. ‘will’ have

some first hand knowledge |
. of the involvement of the
Terrace & District. Com-,
~ munity: ‘Hesources ‘ Society.”
“To this end please find: at--

government

~ Mainland,

tached an outline covering
these developments.

'- We know you will agree

that the work, involvement
and dedication of these
people should be en-

couraged and for this reason .

we strongly urge all‘of your
ministers to actively en-

-dorse, support and use the

Terrace & District Com-
munity Resources Society
as a local coordinating and
initiating body for - their

> various: programs.

Further,. we would urge
your Cabinet to actively and

‘apgressively promote . the
development of similar

- groups. in- all communities

throughout the province. ©

~ ‘Respectfuliy submitted.
- J Switzer a
_ Chairman ot

ferrace & District

Community. Resources
Society. . :

TERRACE... COMMUNITY:
SERVICES = A, VOLUN-:
‘TEER AGENCY |

Terrace Community

- Services: began operation
over three years ago, under.
the sponsorship of the
. Terrace
- Resources

Community

as. assessed by . the
population at-large.
‘The - resulting

-described a need. for a

volunteer agency that could
coordinate many services

that were fragmented or did ©

not exist in Terrace and that
could focus more public

‘awareness on the functions
. of the various agencies that

were available. | Con:
currently with the survey, a
Directory of Services was
compiled, printed and
distributed to the . public.

The survey showed the.

areas of most concern to be
the coordination of more
services to seniors, children
-and youth, and residents
living. Be

‘In the establishment ‘of

new to Terrace and northern °

shown by the survey, we
also established a registry
of volunteers, which in-
dicates their interests,

availability and special .
‘ qualifications. — _

‘Heeruitment and Placement.
~ dn the recruitment and

placement of volunteers, we

have ‘experienced excellent

response from the ‘public
and media. This includes on-

going volunteerism for such

programs as Meals-on-

‘Wheels, Childrens Safety
"-Course, etc, We have also
been uble to gather better

than twenty volunteers on

‘very: short notice for can-

‘vassing, © accommodation,

- donations to flood’ or fire.

victims, transportation.’ We

have also provided other
social service agencies. or
‘non-profit societies with

volunteers having unique
qualifications, to assist on a

one-to-one basis with clients —
‘who may require’ special

assistance, This has’ in-
cluded’ providing tutoring,

- escorting handicapped or

elderly persons to Lower

counting, |

emergency ‘. homemakers, »
. counselling. Our Directory

‘Course :
Volunteer speakers and
.. which covered such subjects

Council,’ to:
determine by survey -the
needs and. usages .of social
- services in the Terrace area

drivers .

sas. S-P.A.R.C.,:
‘Councils, Consumer Ser-
. vices, B.C, Housing; Family

typing, ac--
visiting,

of Services has been an
excellent resource for

recruiting volunteers.

‘Training for Volunteers
Terrace Community

Services have sponsored

and coordinated many

‘ongoing - workshops: and

training programs, ‘These

have included three Safety

Courses as set up by the B.C.
Safety Council, for children

‘over twelve years of age

with the assistance: of

volunteer speakers, films

and requiring a written test
to pass the course.. The.
names of these children are

registered with us to enable

us. to refer the public to

reliable babysitters.

ilomemakers — Orientation
again -using

as nutrition, home safety,
care of elderly or bed-ridden
clients and. general mental
health. Homemakers

Service is a separate part of

the Terrace Community

Services and is very com-

plementary to the other

volunteer. programs. We

have been able to assist the
Department . of Human

Resources, Skeena Mental
‘Health Clinic, . .
Health Unit ‘in. providing:
home care to-their clients.
.. ° .Meats-on-Wheels |
Profile -- t
- spot training for volunteers.

Skeena

( Orien-
tation Meetings and on-the-

This program is coordinated
by Community Services and
there is-a charge of $1 per

meal to our clients. We have.
a registry of over fifteen .
available. for
‘delivery’ of meals. Our

drivers are an invaluable
resource in that they. visit

with, and advise us on the

health and well-being of
senior . citizens —° par-

ticularly. those who do not-
have many friends or

relatives. We have on
several occasions been able

fo offer assistance because

of this knowledge.
- We have recently received

“a.request from. senior

citizens to set up a weekly
workshop on-Arts and Crafts
and will be. recruiting
volunteers.to instruct such a
course, and perhaps in the
future, to assist with

. marketing crafts if they so

desire:
Clearing House.

Asa -clearing house for .
‘volunteers ,.we have assisted
persons ‘referred to us: by-

their doctor-in finding clubs,
associations ‘or ‘other. ac-
tivities which. can use: their

services in. a volunteering .
capacity. Associations or

lodges have asked ‘us to
recruil - volunteers: for
specific projects such: as
organizing bingo games,
‘playing checkers’ or crib-

bage with elderly residents, -
- volunteers to assist “with

Day: Care or Handicapped

Associations © special
‘ programs — transportation,

picnics, field trips.

We. have also assisted
outside organizations such
Justice

Life Program with: setting

‘up meetings: or workshops
~and.:assuring: that. persons.
“most. interested .:are in-
-formed:.of :the- time -.and

- subsequent

Terrace and District =
nity Resource Board Brief

radio, posters, flyers, cir-

place, as they could be
future volunteers for their
organization... |

_ We have been approached

‘by Churches and Service

Clubs for direction to
programs which ‘could use

their help and which receive
little publicity or funds: |

We are presently coor-

‘dinating -donations to be
made to the new Senior

Citizens Complex by Service

Clubs as they have shown a.

great interest in supplying
additional furnishings to the
building. We have received
two firm committments to
ate. :

TERRACE COMMUNITY

SERVICES -— VOLUN-
TEER CRISES LINE :

-, A Volunteer Crisis Line
-began on March 1, 1974 and
-has received funding for a

coordinator. by the Grants
Division of the Department
of - Human -
Assistance for the cost of

‘installing extra phone lines
‘was piven by the Terrace

Municipal. Council.
Workshops have been

coordinated by the Terrace ~
Community Services office, |
-using volunteer speakers

from the various social
service agencies for some
thirty volunteers... Con-

.tinuing -weekly -sessions
have been held for these.
volunteers with . assistance.

from .the Department of

-Mental Health. and other.
agencies. Several volun-.
-teers with previous ex-

rience in other* centres
have proved an invaluable
resource to those who are
inexperienced. - Volunteers

have now manned the Crisis.
Line for..over two years, 24
hours.a day. There-has been
a continuing resgonse from

the public to assist. in, this

program. 0,
The coordinator,.assesses

all--. candidates...’ for

suitability, keeps records of.
calls received, detailed.
reports on.-more-. difficult .
‘calls, further follow-up ‘on
‘all referrals: and: monthly.
statistics © by. general
‘category... SO

We have: found. that in.
addition to using the survey -
as a basis:of need for..new’
‘services in the Terrace -
-area, there, has had to be a
‘more: conerete: measure as
to whether the. services are -

indeed warranted.
We ..have.. made . this

assessment in different

ways depending upon. the

“project. ©

“We have. re-sutveyed a
particular segment. of the

population i.e., seniors to.

determine, whether. they.
-would: use a proposed .ser-
‘vice. .This. survey was.as.
-close to 100 percent as. we —

could make it, and it showed

there-.was a desire for. a

-Meals-on-Wheels ‘service, a

need for. occasional. home
care, .a mobile. library

(which. is handled. by the
“Friends of the Library”).
_and Jastly: craft classes or
-work, bees. -‘Fransportation
was not a priority ‘— but...

y a-..limited”

““mini-bus’’ service has been

set: up. by .a.clocal: tran-
-sportation company. -:-..

_ Other methods have been:
‘publicity — newspapers and _

Resources. -
. volunteers have been placed _
to assist with a specific ©

culars to schools and
churches, with, a strong
emphasis on =. pre-
registration. This - has
allowed us to determine the

‘time frame for workshop or

orientation meetings — the
number. of volunteers
available and their com-

-mitiment as to time and

availability. This method

‘has worked well for
volunteers for the Crisis.
Meals-on-Wheels,

Line,
Safety Course ‘for Child

Minding, Volunteer home ~

care and aides for the Pre-
Schools and Day Care. The
spin-off from Day .Care

Aides has resulted. in . the.

enrollment’ of some

volunteers in the Early .

Childhood Education
program available through

Adult Education and. the

Northwest College. -
-A great bulk of ‘our

problem and we feel. we

ve been very successful in |

meeting this need. .

‘We are presently engaged
on a program with — the

Chamber of Commerce,
Municipal Council, Service

Clubs, Churches and other
‘societies to sponsor a one
day Community Forum, to

provide a starting point for
concrete, cooperative actin
in the: community, an
assessment of the : troubles

faced and an active citizen

participation in the future

development of the'Terrace

area. '

“We feel ‘that our in--

volvement in this forum is.a

concrete’ demonstration .

from other committed

_citizens that our services as

a volunteer. agency has
proven to be a worthwhile

contribution to the quality of
-life in'our community. =.
_.Consumer-Debt Counselling. .
‘Service. 5 es

To make: available to the
consumer. at: the local -level

"the assistance to enable him:
‘toresolve his problems ;:and

to develop.-innovative ap- . “
proaches to. dealing with ~~
'. gonsumer. information
smeeds. 7

“Specifically:
(1) To'set up-pr

actual interest rates paid,
ete.: wep tae ae

@) “Work: . with the

Department of Education to

promote and lecture on good -

practices

‘amongst students. ae
(3) Financial. counselling:

consumer.

for newly married couples...
(4) Workable budgelting:

for young. families. -

“.-¢5) Counselling assistance

for old age pensioners and

others on fixed incomes. -
(6) Specific. counselling -
for all people in. the com- .
existing: ‘debt.

munity with exis
problems; overextension of
credit: -setting up orderly

payment of debts; personal :

bankruptcy.

(7) Work in tiason_ with
native court and community. -
_ workers, . Sop

(8) Make available: “in-

formational pamphlets, set

up news,releases. .

ams to.
educate: the public , on.
consumer ‘related: matters; ,
the’ interpretation’ of:“con- -
tracts .and agreements,.