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Whitevalley Community

Resource Centre

2017 ~ 2018 Annual Report

2114 Shuswap Avenue Lumby BC www.whitevalley.ca

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Mission Statement

Whitevalley Community Resource Centre

promotes and supports the health and well-being of our community.

Vision Statement

To provide inclusive and quality services that support the strengths of the community.

188 families with

204 Children Parent & Tot Drop-in Program

Child visits

Good Times Together/ Cherryville Parent & Tot

4550 Lunches served

Seniors’ Drop-In

Community Pride

340 Hours worked by Youth in support of community events and projects

Free Fruit & Veggie and Book Exchange

Over 120 Community members benefited from free fresh produce and book exchange

2016 / 2017 Funding overview 1

Statistics 2016 – 2017 2

Board of Directors 3

Board President’s Report 4

Executive Director Report 5

Community Partnership Projects 6

Parents with Children 0 – 6 Programs 7

Children’s Programs 13

Counselling Supports 17

Youth Programs 23

Seniors’ Programs 24

Volunteer Opportunities 29

Membership Form 30

Funding support provided by:

Table of Contents

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Funders

Federal Public Health Agency of Canada Canada Summer Jobs Provincial Community Gaming Interior Health Ministry of Children and Family Development School District #22 Local Village of Lumby/RDNO

Foundation First West Foundation Pritchard Foundation Community Donations, Participant fees, Membership User Fees Summer Day Camp, After School Senior Drop-In

United Way Lumby Lions Boys & Girls Club

2017 – 2018 Funding overview

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" I love Whitevalley and I honestly don't know what I would do without this place"

" Whitevalley has been a lifeline to me and I can't tell you enough how much I appreciate

what you do"

" Once again Whitevalley has made a difference in my life"

• 8,787 telephone calls / walk ins to

Whitevalley Community Resource Centre

• 2,612 client contacts

• 7,500 email communications

“Providing Assistance”

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Board Member Representing

Julie Pilon – President Village of Lumby

Zachary Palmer – Director Manager Valley First Credit Union

Citizen

Shawn Pol – Director Scotiabank

Citizen

Corporal JR Lechky – Director RCMP

Rick Fairbairn – Director Regional District North Okanagan

Wanda Johnson - Director Cherryville

Larry Thomson – Director Interior Health

Citizen

Ardis Miller - Director Mabel Lake

Beverly Danby – Director Seniors

Melissa Yurkowski – Director Charles Bloom Senior Secondary

Whitevalley Community Resource Centre Society 2017 – 2018 Board of Directors

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Good afternoon everyone. I want to start by saying how truly amazing it is to see so many people here today. This year I thought my message should be about our staff and volunteers. One of my favourite quotes is “to the world you may be one person but to one person you may be the world”. As a staff person or volunteer you may never know the profound effect that you may have made on a person’s life. “Giving back” was how I found my passion for helping others around me;

helping out for the sake of helping out, not expecting anything in return. We need to remember the sole purpose why we choose to help others and what it means to you. To me it is all about unity in the places and the environments that we’re in. It’s one of the only experiences that we have that is not limited by barriers, and especially age. Even with one single action, or event, regardless of how big or how small you are making a difference. You are creating ripples of change, simply because you help. Please know that we at Whitevalley Community Resource Centre genuinely appreciate and value your commitment of time to the organization and for this, I thank you. Julie Pilon Whitevalley Community Resource Centre Chair

Board President’s Report

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Executive Director Report ~ Kelly Johnson

I am very excited to join the Whitevalley Community Resource Centre team. I bring with me fifteen years of experience as Executive Director of a Child Development Centre, a Brain Injury Society, as well as a Social Service and Family Resource Centre, all in small town BC. I have experience in policy, procedure and program development, operations and financial management, contract negotiations and strategic planning. I am extremely pleased to see the level of excellence that the administration and program staff bring to their daily duties. We are in the business of meeting people’s needs on a daily basis and do this function well. My biggest concern is how our organization will accommodate growth in Lumby. Lumby is bringing

new businesses and people; so how will our organization provide for the increasing needs to support these families. Somehow WCRC needs to become part of the picture in terms of planning for expansion or we will be unable to provide services to new businesses, workers and families. I am working with funders to build capacity, ensuring that our contracts meet our programming and staffing needs. I look forward to guiding our organization through a strategic planning session to develop a strong plan for the future. Together our staff and Board will ensure the sustainability and stability of our client services by developing strategies to increase our capacity and meet the challenges ahead.

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“A very memorable Holiday”

“Very much appreciated receiving your gifts and appreciate your thinking of others…”

Back pack Project - A project that makes a difference! The Back Pack Project helps families with financial difficulties send their kids to school with full backpacks. For some families it is difficult to provide all of the pens, papers, notebooks and binders to send students on their way for the academic year.

In the 2017/2018 year we were able to supply over 55 backpacks to those students returning to Charles Bloom, J.W Inglis, Cherryville Elementary or CrossRoads.

We appreciate the partnership with the Family Resource Centre, North Okanagan Boys and Girls Club (Vernon & Armstrong), North Okanagan Youth and Family Services, Salvation Army and everyone’s support of this project. We would also like to thank the community for the backpacks as well as donations that came in for this program. Without the contributions from Telus, Staples and members of the community this would not have been possible!

The Good Food Box – is a monthly box of quality, fresh fruit and veggies and is coordinated by local, dedicated volunteers. By pooling the money, Good Food Box participants receive lots of top-quality food ~ and save money. In 2017/18, Whitevalley assisted these community volunteers by accepting payment and coordinating distribution of some of the approximately 242 Good Food Boxes were distributed last year. Christmas 2017 - with the support of volunteers and generous donations of time and funds, we were able to assist 75 individuals and one dog to enjoy a Christmas they would not have likely imagined.

Community Partnership Projects

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Lumby and Area Early Childhood Development Programs

The Lumby, Cherryville, and Lavington EYC table worked together to host three meetings throughout the year.

The meetings continue to bring like minds together to have the chance to communicate successes, concerns and possible service gaps in regards to our birth to six year old demographic. We provide an opportunity for partners to come together and find that sharing and discussion turns into action plans and the implementation of new programs when possible. The group feels more connected and our community is stronger because of the knowledge we share with each other. This opportunity and discussion is a valuable asset to Lumby and its surrounding communities.

As a result of the establishment of the Lumby, Cherryville and Lavington EYC committee the resource base and outreach has grown substantially. The EYC table consists of representation from many important areas in our communities.

We have at the table: The 0-6 program coordinator from Lumby / Cherryville; SD#22 Trustee; JW Inglis Elementary; Cherryville Elementary; Lavington Elementary; Vernon and Armstrong Boys and Girls Clubs; Child Care Resource and Referral; Mother Goose Facilitator; Day care owners; Public Health; Okanagan Regional Library; Preschool from Cherryville, Lumby and Lavington; Cherryville Recreation Group; local church groups; White Valley Parks Recreation and Culture; Village of Lumby; Literacy Outreach; Coordinator of the NOEYC, and Whitevalley Community Resource Centre.

Good Times Together

This free drop-in program for families with children ages 0-6 is semi structured and provides a fun and social atmosphere for all. Free play sessions, guest speakers, pot luck lunch days and field trips were all well attended throughout the year. Parents have the chance to interact and have adult conversation with other parents and caregivers and the opportunity to ask advice in many different areas. Children also learn from this experience. Through play, “school readiness” is addressed as they learn how to share, take turns, and develop self-confidence and overcome fears.

There are 70 families that drop in throughout the year with the average group having 15 parents with 20-24 children in attendance weekly. We provide one facilitator and child minding as needed to assist within the group and to ensure it is a safe and healthy environment.

Parents with Children 0 – 6 Programs

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Activities and/or speakers this year included;

• Lift the Lip Dental Program • ASQ developmental testing • Kindergarten readiness • Summer Safety Tips • Clothing and toy swap • Child Care Resource and Referral • Halloween, Christmas and Valentines Parties • Pumpkin patch Fieldtrip • Speech and Hearing workshop • Special Crafts • Story and Music time • Cookie exchange • Baking and cooking days

A snack was provided and we encourage everyone to help clean-up and keep the room safe.

Each week, the program ended with a circle time. This is a successful ending to the day, is very well attended by the children and loved by the parents.

Field Trip

A new location the group visited this fall was a local petting zoo where the kids were each given snacks to give the animals. This was a very fun experience for the children and the parents, many of which might not otherwise have this new experience. The children were taught how to gently handle animals and learned about what some of them can and cannot eat. At the end of the trip each child was able to pick out a pumpkin to bring home.

During our field trips we encourage school readiness procedures to help the children be more prepared for the structure of either preschool or kindergarten. This included recognizing health and safety precautions, listening and being quiet, lining up, taking turns and sharing when needed and following instructions and respecting adults.

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Cherryville Parent & Tots

Cherryville Parent & Tots is a 0-6 aged program that has been offered for over ten years with great success. With one facilitator and one child minder each week, we are able to support parents and children and ensure a safe and happy environment. The program has 32 different families that attend the program throughout the year.

The program’s goals and objectives are to;

• improve early childhood development through play, tumbler gym, music and crafts

• provide the opportunity for social and language development • encourage health awareness • address early literacy • support vulnerable families • offer parents tools and skills they need and show them how to implement them at

home and within the program

Mother Goose and Tumbler Gym were two programs offered weekly within the Parent and Tot Program that support early literacy and parent & child bonding. Monthly parent and child crafting days were also a big hit with both parents and children. Attendance was high and many families were thankful to have something to do during the dark winter months. Weekly

activities were alternated between a relaxed unstructured week and a planned activity.

Activities included; • Clothing and toy exchanges • Baking/cooking days • Circle time • ASQ Development testing • Bubble Wonders presentation • Monthly crafting with your children • Pot Luck days • Holliday Celebrations • Speech and Hearing workshop • Lift the Lip

Partnerships within the community were formed allowing for speakers and special guests to come and participate. We had Lift the Lip visit three times and CCRR and their lending library was a monthly visitor and

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The Health nurse visited the group for well-baby checks, car seat safety, and immunizations. CCRR also came to the program to offer a “Speech and Hearing” information session for parents.

Healthy Together

This year we received a one-time grant for a “Healthy Together” program. This program was offered within the Parent and tot programs and provided a learning activity, cooking activity and physical activity each week. The learning activity utilized tip sheets to send home with parents and included healthy eating, incorporating activity into a busy life and many more topics. The cooking activity encouraged parents to include their child in the process of preparing and cooking food. They would then eat what was made and hopefully take some of the food home. The final part of the program is the physical activity. There were activities that would allow parents to learn new easy ways to get more active in their lives for themselves and their children. The full program was to be run for a total of 30 weeks. There were 15 weeks at the Cherryville Parent and Tot and 15 during Lumby Good Times Together.

Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ)

The Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) is a developmental screening tool that looks at the areas of communication, fine motor, gross motor, personal social and problem solving.

It is believed that the first 5 years of life are very important in a child’s development

and participating in ASQ may help to lay a foundation of success in school and later adulthood. It is important to ensure that each child’s development is proceeding with supports around challenges. During this period, the goal is to catch any potential delays early so that a child, with support, can be as successful as possible before the start of Kindergarten.

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In October we hosted an ASQ event. Here we had a day designated to parents learning about what the ASQ is, and taking one of the Questionnaires for their child/ren. We had 27 families with 48 children attend this even and were able to give out ASQ's for every child that attended. Joining us at the event was the health nurse and the community liaison paramedic, and a representative from CCRR. We also had the local Librarian offer a story time at the end of the event. Each child was able to take home a gift bag and volunteers from Valley First Credit Union and local Seniors were there to help with the set up and running of crafting stations. A clothing exchange was set up as well, allowing parents to bring some extra items or take what was needed. The whole day was a huge success.

To date we have had 37 families with children ranging from 2 months to 5 years who are now taking an ASQ for their child/ren whenever they hit the next level of questionnaires.

Whitevalley plans to continue offering ASQ to local preschools and daycare settings as well in the 2018/2019 year. Dad’s group

A new program that was offered this year was the Dad’s Group. This group offered a venue for dad’s to come and learn some parenting tips and tricks. This allowed them a place to meet other dad’s in the community as well as give them somewhere to hear idea’s or ask questions that they may have about parenting. This group ran 2 hours for 2 nights and had five “dads” attend. Topics that were discussed were child development and health and safety. They were able also to discover ways of positive parenting, talk about real life parenting experiences. Cherryville Park

This bi-weekly program was developed to continue parent networking and support through the summer months and to offer parents and children an opportunity to meet through the summer. The Cherryville parents were able to come by for a coffee and let their children play in the park. There were refreshments offered to parents and children and always lots of water when the weather was hot. Last summer we partnered with Child Care Resource and Referral (CCRR) to use their lending library during two of the programs. CCRR was able to bring out a host of toys and equipment for the kids to play with and enjoy. We also were able to acquire a Bouncy Castle that was used each week. 9 families, with 21 children participated in the four groups that were held. Lumby Parenting Isn’t Easy (PIE)

A Parenting Isn't Easy group was offered in Lumby this past winter with four parents in attendance. This program consisted of eight - 2 hour sessions. Session topics included self-care, building self-esteem in children, routines and rituals, how children learn and the value of play, storytelling, rhythm, rhyme and song, discipline and food, nutrition and safety. Each topic is covered in the group with an education component as well as open group discussion. Every participant is given related, take-home literature and a book for the children.

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Cherryville Kitchens Cherry Kitchens is one of the most popular programs for families in Cherryville. This program continues to grow and allows us to engage with families we might not otherwise see. Through this program we are also able to encourage attendance at the Parent/Tot programs which provides early intervention; sharing of resources and making referrals and connecting parents

to supports in the community. There was a new registration for each of the six classes and a total of 13 people were able to attend one or more of the classes. Each session was based on suggestions and requests from the participants. This program focusses on making easy to prepare, budget friendly meals participants can bring home to their families.

Objectives included to;

• Use the Canada Food Guide to increase knowledge of nutritional needs • Increase knowledge of healthy and nutritious cooking • Increase understanding of the benefits of eating together at meal times and the support

of this important routine for our families • Increase understanding of food safe practices and how to include children in the cooking

process • Facilitate a greater understanding of planning and shopping in order to meet economic

hardships and to stretch the family budget • Encourage a shop local model and to use fresh farm produce we have available to us • Give parents the knowledge of how to make food usually purchased premade with

preservatives from scratch and how to make house hold favorites healthier.

There were incredible connections made with different parents through these cooking classes. There are a few moms that attend this program who do not drop into the regular Parent and Tot programs and new friendships were formed due to this. Parent and Tot programs funded by: Ministry of Children and Family Development, Community Action Programs for Children, The Bridge Youth & Family Services Society

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Children’s Programs Kid’s Space – After School Program Kid’s Space After School Program offers children a safe and supportive environment within the school during after school hours. The program has had a positive affect with the children by creating an atmosphere that encourages enthusiasm for learning and skill building. There is homework assistance available for the children who request it with program staff. Staff have also been made available to assist with “home reading” assignments. The staff may sit with the child, while the child reads aloud, providing support and encouragement. The children discuss what they learned during their day at school and while activities are conducted are asked questions about what they think will happen. They are also asked if the event is something they have done before during school, to make a new learning experience they will want to try again. The program also incorporates a large number of learning opportunities by doing a new craft, science experiment, game, or activity each day considering the children’s feedback as much as possible. The children who attend Kid’s Space After School Program have many opportunities for learning and practicing social skills. In addition to the group learning with a School-based Outreach Worker, the program provides a wide range of team building and cooperation games, as well as a to participate in non-competitive team sports. The School Based Outreach Counsellor from Whitevalley Community Resource Centre provided social skills groups for a total of 13 children enrolled in the After School Daycare program at JW Inglis Elementary School. The focus of the groups was on building social skills in order to find and keep more friends, exploring empathy towards others, problem solving and team work. Kids Zone

Once again this program is being offered at the Cherryville Elementary School. Through the funding provided this year, we are able to provide much needed after school care to 40 registered children who attend the program. The program runs for five months from November to March.

40 children are enrolled and are able to attend at least one day a week; they have the choice to register in either the Wednesday or Thursday group. The program accommodates many of the children who attend Cherryville School.

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“I love this program and my kids look forward to it!”

Thank you so much, too bad it doesn’t go all year!”

That every week they heard about all the fun activities

“always smiling when I pick her up”

This program provides the children with a safe environment and the opportunity to develop healthy social skills with children from Kindergarten to Grade 6. The goal of the program is also to enrich and enhance “latch key” children’s lives with a safe and nurturing environment. It allows children to have fun in the school setting without the regular structure of classroom learning.

At Kid Zone this year we were able to include activities such as m flashlight tag and making paper airplanes, Lego, making toolboxes and playing bingo. The children are always encouraged to share their favorite crafts and activities with the instructors so the program is planned around the children interests; they really appreciate that their input is valued and that they are able to direct the program to some degree.

Every day the children are provided with a healthy snack, which by the end of a long day of learning is greatly appreciated and needed. In the New Year we very much enjoyed building and painting tool boxes that had been created by Lee Laviolette for the children.

The children are always encouraged to share their favorite crafts and activities with the instructors so the program is planned around the children’s’ interests; they really appreciate that their input is valued and that they are able to direct the program to some degree.

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Summer Day Camp

The 2018 summer was a busy one as we saw a substantial increase in attendance from the previous year. This made for a fun and exciting time for both children and staff.

As always we tried to make the transition from school to summer and back to school as easy as possible for the children who attend. We follow a similar routine as the school to help the children feel comfortable and remain familiar with school expectations. We continued our routine from last year which included the recess breaks after eating and for a lot of the kids this was their favorite part. Each morning we would discuss the daily schedule and what was to be done that day.

Our calendar for the summer included exciting plans; each day we tried to fit in at least one craft, played games and offered activities that incorporated our weekly themes. The program

continued with having the swim days on Monday’s and Fridays. We also enjoyed using our inflatable slide and the local spray park on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Wednesday was our Trip day where we would go to either Kelowna or Vernon to a new venue each week. These activities also fit into our weekly themes, which included Hollywood week, Dinosaur week, Olympics week, Animal Planet week and more! We hope that when the children return to school they will be ready to easily transition back into the classroom.

Our program strives to present new activities each year. This year that meant going to Energyplex, in Kelowna. We were very fortunate to take a trip to Planet Lazer and Atlantis Waterslides, as well.

Many of the activities we did during the summer were to promote an active and healthy lifestyle. We spent most of our time outdoors, whether it was at the spray park, Lumby pool, playing a game, using the playground at JW Inglis & Oval Park or at the beach. We made sure that the children had opportunities for structured play as well as free play. With it being such a hot summer, the staff was constantly making sure the children were drinking enough water, applying sunscreen, and wearing appropriate clothing. We also took into account the air quality, due to smoke this summer.

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Promoting healthy eating was also a very important part of the summer months. Staff monitored snacks and lunches to make sure children were eating well; there were always healthy snacks available if a child did not have enough packed. Our hope was that the children who attended Lumby Summer Day Camp were able to maintain a healthy lifestyle and will continue those habits into the school year.

The Lumby Summer Day Camp staff (which included three high school students) worked well together under the supervision of the Program Coordinator. We also were able to hire two University students through Canada Summer Jobs. This year both students gained experience organizing, planning, and implementing the Lumby Summer Day Camp. One of the students is attending post-secondary education in UVIC another is going to be returning to TRU, in Kamloops, for her second year. There were four adult staff members (19 years and older), and three youth staff (under 19 years). All of the staff members were expected to attend staff training, meetings, and complete assigned roles. Our hope is that the work experience and skills gained at Lumby Summer Day Camp will help all of the staff and volunteers with their future employment.

Although the summer seemed to go by so quickly, the Lumby Summer Day Camp was able to provide the children with structure and routine similar to the school year; new experiences and fun! We can’t wait to see what next summer brings!

Children’s Programs Funded by: School District #22, Canada Summer Jobs, Community Gaming, United Way North Okanagan Columbia Shuswap, Ministry of Children and Family Development, Participant Income

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Counselling Supports

“Thank you Whitevalley Community Resource Centre for all you have done for

me over the years you have been great neighbors and mentors in all aspects of my

life from raising my children …”

Family Support A confidential family counselling program that assist families, parents, teens and/or children through transitions and / or periods of change. Caseload

• 41 adult women • 8 adult men • 8 families • 32 children

Key issues

Child Behaviour 50 % Drug / Alcohol and Mental Health 45 % Marital / Parenting 45 % Family violence 15 % Housing 50 % Mental Health 40 % Family Dysfunction 50 % Disability / Health 30 %

Note: Some clients and their counselors have identified more than one issue

Adult Counselling The adult counselling Whitevalley offers is a vital, much needed prevention counselling. Often adults need as little as one visit to reframe challenging life situations. Three sessions can make a significant difference to someone who is struggling with grief, life transition or family dynamics.

Doctors, probation and the RCMP can refer to us for counselling service and we will either offer immediate service or refer on selectively according to need or severity of the problem.

• 32 clients

Key issues included:

• Depression • Anxiety • Grief • Marital • Health • Housing

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Groups offered Anxiety group Building on the success of the Anxiety Group offered last year, Whitevalley offered an Anxiety drop-in group in 2017/2018. The group had an average of five participants with nine registered. The members continued to be a support to each other as their confidence increased and anxiety lessened. Violence Prevention & Intervention

The goal is to provide a range of prevention, intervention and support services for adults, youth and children who are affected by or involved in violence. This service can include support groups for men or women, one-on-one counselling and/or delivery of the “Children Who Witness Violence” Program.

• 27 men • 1 women • 3 couples

Service is adapted according to client needs and included; • Anger management • Marital • Drug and Alcohol • Anxiety • Depression • Family Dysfunction • Parenting

Community Living Support Program and Mental Health Counselling This program provides counselling, support, advocacy and referral to adults who do not have a diagnosis but exhibit signs of mental illness, encouraging integration into the community as well as for adults affected by serious and persistent mental illness that provides individual support to enhance day-to-day living and sustains quality of life.

• 73 clients seen

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Key issues Mental Health Conflict Conduct disorder Anxiety Depression Disability

Anger Poverty Grief Family Dysfunction Drug & Alcohol

Cognitive Limitations OCD ADHD Homelessness

Youth Drug and Alcohol Prevention

Youth Drug and Alcohol Prevention (funded in part by United Way and SD22) provides individual counselling to youth (those attending school or home schooled); support for family members; prevention education to youth and families in Lumby, Cherryville, Lavington and area; and referrals to and follow-up with other agencies as appropriate.

The program’s outcomes include;

• One-on-one counselling support, information and referral for youth, parents, and guardians to 2 clients with regards to drugs and alcohol. The service provided included preventative and educational articles, videos, posters, and discussions based on each client’s needs.

• Crisis response and support for youth faced with mental health, housing or legal struggles

• Ongoing networking and collaboration which involves o Attend regular meetings with the "Community Based Youth Services Team", o Collaborating with other professionals and parents of a new LGBTQ youth group

has been showing preventative measures as youth are starting to receive mental health support that they have not been able to find on their own.

• Provided prevention information and resources to youth, parents and the community as needed or requested and increase awareness of current trends and impact on youth success.

• Made available alternate means of communication with youth, i.e. texting and/or e-mail, Facebook, twitter.

Referrals have been made to MCFD Youth Agreement and Community Pride

Addictions Counselling The purpose of this program is to provide individual and group counseling services to youth and adults in the community of Lumby and surrounding area who are experiencing issues related to substance misuse. 30 clients and their families were seen.

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Key issues Anxiety Drug & Alcohol Homelessness Caregiving Depression

Anger Family Violence Family Breakdown/Dysfunction

Grief Abuse Post Traumatic Marital

Doctors, probation and the RCMP refer to us for counselling service and we will either offer immediate service or refer on selectively according to need or severity of the problem

School Based Outreach Program – JW Inglis Elementary, Cherryville Elementary, Charles Bloom Senior Secondary, CrossRoads Alternate Learning Centre

This counselling and support program for students and their families where home or community is impacting the students ability to be as successful as they can be at school provided services to 167 students and their families.

Student profiles included; Low school performance 39 Mental Health/Anxiety/Self Harm 33 Behavior 33 Depression 17 Family Dysfunction/Violence 43

Relationships 37 Grief 5 Social Skills 39 D & A 5 Attendance 32

Charles Bloom Secondary (CBSS) and CrossRoads Alternate School

The focus with CBSS and CrossRoads was to build relationships where the students felt comfortable with discussing the issues in their lives. This was accomplished by regularly meetings with the students and supporting them in practical ways, if need be. In the process of building rapport, we attempted to teach them skills to address their presenting concerns. Substance use concerns and parent teen conflict are typically discussed with all students and time was spent discussing concerns with families as well and meeting on occasion to get updates. The behaviors they are referred for were also addressed with the families.

Many of the youth continue to state that they experienced anxiety outside of the norm; where they felt that the anxiety was interfering with their everyday functioning and their ability to have friends, be part of a group and focus on school. In addition, a number of students disclosed self-harming behaviour and suicidal ideation. The goal is to provide them with skills and strategies on how to cope with the stressors that they deal with on a daily basis in a healthy and positive way. In addition, an increased awareness and acceptance of the topic of mental health was observed – a very positive step forward as a main goal expressed by school personnel was to connect youth in need to a counsellor and to work as a team to ensure mental health remained a priority within the schools.

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This past year we were able to continue to offer an LGBTQ Support Group/Drop-In at CBSS which supported up to 18 youth at the sessions. This continues to be a huge step forward for the small communities of Lumby/ Cherryville and is a “new”, and sometimes scary, topic that people are learning about. JW Inglis and Cherryville

Whitevalley Community Resource Centre’s School Based Outreach Program for JW Inglis and Cherryville Elementary served 35 students and hosted seven groups. A wide variety of case issues included;

• anxiety • separation and divorce • grief and loss • peer relations/social skills

• self confidence • attendance • anger

The School Based Outreach Program provided service to clients in individual counseling sessions and in a support group format. Techniques such as psycho educational, rhythmic movement, play therapy, mindfulness, cognitive diffusion, visualization cognitive behavioral therapy and therapeutic models continue to be utilized to help identify issues and help families find useful and effective strategies.

In the 2017/2018 year a growing number of children experiencing anxiety were seen. The administration, teaching and support staff at JW Inglis focused to a large degree on “self-regulation”. This strategy to calm emotions and inclusion and also creates a valuable skill in helping children identify emotions and use their skills to better cope with them.

Working with students involved helping them cope with their issues whether it was interpersonal, intrapersonal and involved family, self, or school related matters. The focus was to work with students towards reaching their potential and feeling better about themselves, their world and their place in the world. School staff also wanted students to do well socially, academically, and behaviorally. These goals can be intrinsically correlated. If there are troubles at home or personally, the child suffers and school notices and so do peers. In addition, Whitevalley was able to offer over 7 groups Groups offered Charles Bloom Senior Secondary & JW Inglis Transition Group (funded in part by North Okanagan Boys and Girls Club)

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BOYS GROUP Skills focused on

• What it means to be mindful. Thinking of others and how they feel. • Problem solving strategies • Cooperation and team work; why this is an important part of friendship • What does it mean to be calm and strategies for calming down when upset • Self-control and controlling angry feelings • Feelings and why are they an important part of friendship • Do’s and Don’ts of friendship • Manners and why are they important

Primary and Intermediate Social Skills and Self-Regulation Groups In these groups the participants were given instruction and learned strategies on how to make friends and be good friends. The group also learned skills that helped the participants to minimize conflict in their peer group. Mindful Friends group – Kindergarten Students participated in the following

• Making friends • Including others and thinking of others • Noticing my thoughts and how they make me feel • Developing emotional literacy • Feelings and understanding why they are important for making friends • Understanding others • Learning and assessment

Counselling Programs Funded by: School District #22, Community Gaming Grant, United Way of the North Okanagan Columbia Shuswap, Ministry of Children and Family Development, Interior Health Authority, Okanagan Boys & Girls Club

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Youth Programs ~ Community Pride

In partnership with community organizations, Community Pride provides mentoring and paid employment opportunities for rural youth (15-29), reducing vandalism, increasing work place skills and encouraging mutual respect between the community and its youth.

This program coordinates work/volunteer experience for youth with local non-profit groups and community organizations. Community Pride encourages youth to engage with the community and the community to engage with youth. In the past it has been our experience that youth involvement and pride in their community has had the potential to reduce crime. The program also promotes skill building/asset building/employment readiness, providing youth with opportunities for resumé enhancement and earned income with adult volunteer mentoring and support.

It is found that by mentoring the youth in the community, they build a sense of pride, and develop their own interpersonal and workplace skills. In return, the organizations are further supported, and in many cases more able to provide a service that might not otherwise have been feasible.

Program Goals

• To provide the communities of Lumby and Cherryville with support and positive interactions with youth

• Support youth with their resumes, training, interpersonal and employability skills

• Opportunities for youth to be involved in the community to build healthy relationships, develop self-esteem, acquire knowledge, and expand their skills

• Promote work experience, and responsibility and reliability with the youth

Outcomes

In the 2017/2018 year there were over 40 youth enrolled in Community Pride. As a result of great success of the program, our community relationships are ongoing and continuing to grow.

Events we have partnered with; • Christmas Light Up • Lumby Days • Cherryville Days • Lumby Recreation – Soccer and

Baseball

• Lumby Chamber of Commerce Cherryville Seniors Dinner

• White Valley Parks Recreation and Culture

• Canada Day Celebration • Community Garden

Feedback:

“The Community Pride program has been very valuable in providing assistance in staffing community events such as Hockeyville and Family Day and also for recreational programming such as Cherryville spring sports programs. “ Thanks!! Youth Programs Funded by: United Way of the North Okanagan Columbia Shuswap, Community Gaming

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Korean exchange student at the local high school "I really want to thank you for going through a lot of work for my volunteer opportunities… I really appreciate your help. Thank you so much"

Seniors’ Programs

Senior Drop-In Drop-ins Participants Lunches Served 5000 + over 170 4550 Participation at the Senior Drop-in: - Provides opportunities to participate in social interaction in small and large groups, structured

programs and informal discussions with peers, adults from the community, children and youth that visit with the senior participants

- Develops, distributes and posts activity calendars, monthly menus and daily announcements (by Facilitator and participants) that promote, remind and encourage participation in Drop-in activities and community events.

- Provides volunteer opportunities for participants and community members

- Provides opportunities for family and friends of Drop-in participants to join in activities and enjoy a meal together.

- Provides opportunities to share in the commemoration and celebration of important dates such as monthly birthdays, Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Thanksgiving, Remembrance Day and Christmas with themed activities and lunches.

- Provides interaction with community professionals and seniors services providers such as members of Village Council, local church leaders, Community Income Tax program, Resource staff person, Human Resources Outreach, ICC, CCN, Elderly Services, etc.

Drop-in programs and activities include:

• Cribbage/card games, board games, word and jigsaw puzzles

• Bingo • Agility group • Brian games • Current event and reminiscing

discussions • ‘Coffee table’ and picture books • Outside games • Gardening • Craft workshops and

demonstrations

• Opportunities to maintain cognitive, social and motor skills

• Presentations on travel, personal safety, fire safety, etc.

• Entertainment – music, sing-alongs’, etc.

• Knitting group • Intergenerational activities • Volunteer opportunities • Monthly birthday celebration

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A home-made, nutritious lunch prepared using Food Safe Guidelines and prepared and served by volunteers is available at the Seniors Drop-in. The menus are developed based on participant feedback. Seniors outings included: - “Fishing Forever” at Mabel Lake: sixteen seniors attended the Fishing Forever outing. Seniors

were taken by bus to Mabel Lake and provided with fishing rods and spent the day fishing, socializing and enjoying a lunch. This event is offered by the Lumby and District Wildlife Club who provide the fishing rods; food, chairs and tents for comfort. They also arrange the bus that picks up the seniors to transport to Mabel Lake. Members of the local club are on site at the event with hot coffee, hamburgers, hot dogs, watermelon and ice cream. In addition, they serve the seniors!

- “Heaven Can Wait”: three groups of six seniors enjoyed a pontoon boat tour around the bay near Kin Beach on Okanagan Lake. Following the boat ride, the seniors enjoyed a dinner out.

- Kangaroo Creek Ranch: twelve seniors traveled to the ranch and spent time watching many species of birds, animals and kangaroos in their habitat. The highlight for many was holding baby kangaroos still in the pouch stage.

- Bowling: two groups went on three separate bowling outings. Ten, eleven and thirteen seniors participated and each time they dined out at a local restaurant.

- Farm tour and picnic: nine seniors went to a local hobby farm to see farm animals and have a picnic outdoors in the sunshine.

- Senior/Youth picnic: 20 seniors and 10 children gathered at the local park for a BBQ and games

- Cherryville seniors supper: three seniors are taken monthly (Sept. to April) for supper in a neighboring community

- Power House Theatre – three seniors participated - Okanagan Science Centre – 15 seniors participated - Sparkling Hills – eight seniors participated - Allen Brooks – seven seniors participated - Three Valley Gap - 15 seniors participated

Partnerships and support include – Lumby Food Bank, Good Food Box, Lumby Fish & Wildlife; Lumby Lions, Canadian Mental Health Association, Old age Pensioners (50+ club); Good Food Box, Better at Home (Nexus); Hairdressers and dog groomers; Community Policing; Lumby District Senior Citizens Housing Society, City of Vernon, A1 Bus lines, North Okanagan Community Life Society, RDNO, White Valley Community Hall

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The Intergenerational program provides seniors and the children opportunities for interaction through activities. These activities are designed to facilitate interaction and enjoyment for seniors and children. It gives the seniors an opportunity to share a lifetime of information and knowledge with someone who might not otherwise learn these valuable pieces of information. The children are given opportunities to become familiar and comfortable with seniors. This is a wonderful program for both generations. Intergenerational events included:

• Visits from Jiminy Crickets Daycare, preschoolers and grade 8 students from Cedar Bridge School.

• Youth and seniors participate in coloring, crafts, card and board games and sing alongs.

• The youth often provide musical entertainment such as instruments and vocal performances.

• Annual Picnic in the Park Seniors Services The Seniors Services Coordinator;

• creates awareness about services, programs and resources. This was accomplished through newspaper, posters, pamphlets, brochures, meetings such as Seniors Interagency Networking (once per month with other service providers)

• makes referrals to appropriate, outside agencies such as Seniors Mental Health, Good Morning Program, Community Care Nursing, ICC, Physicians, etc.

• promotes the Seniors Drop-in program and activities and organizes outings. • networks with other service providers, such as Seniors Interagency Networking once per

month and the WCRC Board of Directors meeting. In the 2017/2018 year there were 446 referrals to 56 different services or agencies to 70 different seniors or family members of seniors;

- Alzheimer Society - BC transit - BC Wildlife - Better at Home

- Birth Certificates - Christmas Families - City of Vernon - Cleaners

- CNIB - Community Care

Nursing

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- Community Thrift Store

- Doctor / General Practitioner

- Doctor / Specialist - Elderly services - Fair Pharmacare - Family members - Field Trips - Foot care - Gleaners - Good Food Box - Good Morning

Program - Groomer - HAFI - Hair dresser - Handyman Service - Health Insurance - Hearing Clinic - Helping Hands - Helping Hands - Home Owner Grant

- Home support - Hospice - IHA social worker - Income Assistance - inSite housing - Integrated Care

Coordinator - Lavington Ladies

Group - Legal Advocate - Life line - Lumby & District

Seniors Citizens Housing Society

- Lumby Health Centre

- Medical Services Plan

- Nexus BC - NORD - Occupational

Therapist - Passport office

- Peer support – CMHA

- Pharmacy - Red Cross Loan - SAFER - Seniors Drop –in - Service Canada

(Old age security, Canada Pension Plan, GIS )

- Stroke Workshop - Thrift Store - Tuesday Together

program - Venture Training - Vernon Jubilee

Hospital - Vernon Radiology - Veterans Affairs - Veterinarian - Virgin Mobile - We Care - Wheels to Meals

The Seniors Services Coordinator also provided

248 home visits to 75 seniors 750 contacts with 185 seniors

Seniors Connect Programs & Volunteer Opportunities The Senior’s Coordinator - Volunteer Development Coordinator recruits, orients, and supports volunteers in seniors programs and activities. On average there are twenty-five (25) volunteers working in various areas providing just over one thousand hours in the programs designed specifically for seniors. The volunteer placements for the Seniors’ Drop-in Program include cooks, set-up and clean-up, serving, doing dishes, collecting the money, and shopping for the groceries for the meals. Volunteers also take on positions and facilitate activities such as playing cards, games, exercises, sing-a-longs, barbeques and assisting with the Intergenerational program. Through participant feedback and requests, new activities are considered and developed if possible.

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Other Senior’s Programs where volunteers assist: Healthy Living…Aging Well is held once a month and gives participants an opportunity to have their blood pressure and weight checked by a certified paramedic and discussion on topics such as Arthritis, diabetes, nutrition, Canada food guide and exercise. Compliments of the “Breaking Bread” program, participants have been provided with a healthy snack at each presentation. This program draws between 10-20 seniors to each session.

Knitting Circle – is facilitated by a volunteer weekly. All of the supplies are donated to the group of six regulars.

The Smoothie Program - (funded by the First West Foundation) was offered in July 2017. This free, six week program featured preparing nutritious and affordable meals quickly and easily. These classes also showcased how smoothie machines not only whip up delicious drinks but also appetizers, soups, baking mixes, dips and sandwich fillers as well. Each class proved to be informative, fun and a chance to interact with peers and share. During the classes, eight participants attended and they all received a 17 piece Magic Bullet Blender to keep. The positive feedback was overwhelming; not only from the participants but from the on-lookers that shared in the creations as well. The Senior’s Corner is a space available in the local newspaper that helps promote new and on-going programs and provides a “venue” where seniors and volunteers are celebrated for their contributions to the community and the senior programs.

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Senior’s Picnic in the Park was held July 21 at the Lumby Oval Park. 56 guests in total attended, including community seniors and Lumby Summer Day Camp participants. One gentleman residing at Saddle Mountain is visually impaired. He met two young boys that wanted to play Frisbee with him; not an easy task for a legally blind man. The boys were so kind and patient, teaching the senior different ways to toss the Frisbee. They would help him locate the disc in the field by guiding his walking stick in the right direction. The man said that it had been over 25 years since anyone had asked him to throw a ball or Frisbee. A few days later, the mom of one of the boys called Whitevalley and asked if she could bring her son to Saddle Mountain to continue visiting with the man. She said her son had not stopped talking about what a fun time he had at the BBQ and wanted to talk or throw a Frisbee with his new found friend again. Whitevalley staff is working on connecting them for future visits.

Seniors’ Programs Funded by: Interior Health, United Way North Okanagan Columbia Shuswap, First West Foundation, Community Gaming and Participant Income

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“I love my days at Whitevalley; hence I keep coming back! Always greeted with lots of smiles and loads of appreciation…”

Volunteer Opportunities

• 10 Board of Directors providing over 180 hours of volunteer service to the agency

• Over 25 volunteers provide on average 1,000 hours directly to our Seniors programs

• Over 500 hours of staff, office and program volunteer hours

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Whitevalley Community Resource Centre Membership Form

(** are required fields)

Please print: ** Name: _________________________________________________________________

** Address: _______________________________________________________________

** City: ____________________ Province: ___________ Postal Code: ______________

** Phone: _____________________ ** E-mail: _________________________________

** I am a: New Member Former Member

Receipt requested

I would like to make a donation in lieu of a membership fee in the amount of; (memberships are not tax deductible) $1 $5 $10 Other ____________

WHITEVALLEY COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTRE

Relevant bylaws

- A member is expected to act in a manner supportive of the Society.

- Every member shall uphold the constitution and comply with these bylaws.

- Attendance of members at the Annual General meeting must be in person

** I understand, accept and agree to; Uphold the bylaws of the Society including those stated above Receive AGM notice via email

And to receive, via email; Newsletters Notice of upcoming groups, events,

etc.

** By signing below, I accept membership into Whitevalley Community Resource Centre

** Signed: ______________________________ Date: ______________________________

Complete and submit to: P.O. Box 661, Lumby, BC, V0E 2G0 Fax : 250-547-6285

E: info@whitevalley.ca

For office use: Update database Membership card # Letter