Annual Report (2015-16)

Options offers more than 80 community services, programs and groups. This brochure highlights many of them. Please visit our website (www.options.bc.ca) or contact us at 604.596.4321 or 604.584.5811 for more information.

a bird’s-eye view 2015‑2016 annual report

A Message from Options Community Services (OCS)

Chair Tim Beachy

Executive Director Christine Mohr Options is in the

Every day, Options evolves and adapts to meet the changing needs of the community.

midst of much exciting work. None of us could have

We are determined to take on the tough challenges facing individuals, families and the community. We take seriously our vision: to inspire hope and belonging! OCS is well positioned for the future. We are investing in and expanding services, engaging more people in the work and partnering with other community organi- zations. We are grateful for the depth and breadth of community support we receive. OCS’s Board of Directors is always busy. Finances are secure and orga- nizational risks are identified and ad- dressed. Quality improvement is a focus in all areas and programs. I thank the Board for its consistent fo- cus on supporting staff and responding to changing needs in the community. OCS staff and volunteers, led by E.D. Christine Mohr and the whole E-Team, continue to perform at a very high lev- el. These incredible staff and volunteers are the hands and hearts that serve the community with so much skill and com- mitment. We all owe them our thanks.

foreseen the full impact of our govern- ment’s humanitarian decision to welcome over 25,000 Syrian refugees. We knew we could count on our community to help. This experience highlighted OCS’s flexibility and resourcefulness. We acted quickly to wrap supports around fami- lies, including child care, housing search, employment, counselling and more. We are now focused on enhancing our mental health, housing, and youth ser- vices. We became a designated mental health assisted living provider, and began preparing to build transitional housing, as well as an expanded homeless shelter in Cloverdale. We have also secured property in Surrey with plans to build an integrated youth centre and affordable housing for a variety of identified service populations. We are honoured to have long term rela- tionships with many community organiza- tions and new partnerships that are deep- ening as the result of a shared purpose. THANK YOU to our staff, volunteers and Board for all their passion and hard work. To our community partners, funders and donors–THANK YOU for your never-ending commitment to community.

Board of Directors

Directors Craig East Doug Neale Louella Matthias Kamaljit Lehal

Executive Chair Vice Chair Treasurer

Tim Beachy

Michael Kendler Hema Shrestha Angela Rai John Gibeau

Ken Holmberg

Kevin Kilgour Secretary Rosy Manhas

About Us

Our People

Our Vision We inspire hope and belonging for all.

Our Mission We are a diverse organization,

united in the purpose of helping people to help

themselves and promoting safe, healthy, vibrant communities.

Our Values Diversity: At OCS, everyone has a voice. We are inclusive, respectful and fair.

434 employees

43 languages spoken

495 volunteers

Integrity: We are accountable, honest and compassionate.

We provide services across the life span from prenatal to seniors throughout Surrey, Delta, White Rock and Langley. Our Programs

Resourcefulness: We are creative, flexible and innovative.

Collaboration: We work collaboratively as partners and teams within the organization and broader community. Excellence: We go above and beyond the ordinary and strive towards the exceptional and extraordinary.

We believe in the power of collaboration; working with individuals, businesses, community groups and government toward our vision of inspiring hope and belonging for all. Our Partners

Making a Difference in People’s Lives

My worker was truly amazing. I was able to come to trust her and the information she provided me with has helped me become more comfortable in my community and has helped me become a better mother-she has changed my life. Family Strengthening Program I cannot say enough about how thankful I am. The only reason I am not going to kill myself is because I talked to you . Fraser Health Crisis Line

Very helpful, informative, and flexible. Counsellor is awesome. She really cared and made a difference. Children & Youth for Domestic Peace There is no judgment here. No stigma, no hiding, no lying and making excuses to seem ‘normal’. We all accept each other and are supportive. Clubhouse Program Member I couldn’t imagine someone helping me, but you managed to.... thank you so much...I will definitely call back again if I need help. Fraser Health Crisis Line

Staff helped me find my voice again . Threshold Program

Worker did a great job connecting with the client and making them feel comfortable. Historically, the client was reluctant to accept services, so it was great to hear that the client was engaged with a much needed support.

I learned a lot of effective, positive parenting skills. I was also able to

discuss my concerns and issues and not feel like I was being judged. It was good to hear other parents concerns and know that I’m not alone . Nobody’s Perfect Parenting Program

Referring Social Worker– Quick Response Program

OCS is an accredited agency; this reflects and confirms our commitment to best practices, ethics and client services. It also reflects a commitment to quality assurance, quality improvement and continually adapting to meet community needs. Accreditation and Quality Assurance

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Who We Serve

lives were touched in 2015-2016 100,000 more than

39,858 c alls to F raser H ealth C risis L ine

19,572 visits to F amily R esource P rograms

17,411 W halley E mployment R esource R oom visits

23,554 C hild C are and S ubsidy R eferrals

3,775

accessed I mmigrant S ervices

2,038 childcare providers CCRR Lending Library

562 individuals Stopping the Violence

713 individuals Mental Health / Housing

3,755 individuals Immigrant Settlement

601 children/families Counselling Services

217 volunteers Crisis Line Training

536 vulnerable pregnant women Healthiest Babies Possible

17,411 drop ins 1,902 case-managed Employment Services

923 people sheltered 1,161 outreach contacts Hyland Shelters / Outreach

Top 9 Languages accessing mainstream programs

English Chinese Punjabi Korean Farsi

Spanish Tagalog Hindi

Arabic

Other

19.5% 9%

6% 3.5% 1.5% 1.4% 1.4%

1%

0.5% 56.2%

Surrey’s population is expected to increase by over 300,000 in the next 3 decades. Our community is extremely diverse in country of origin, religion, culture, language, education and income level. Options is committed to ensuring services are relevant and meet the changing needs.

Join Us

Volunteer – you’ll be glad you did

OCS Needs You

Fraser Health Crisis Line

Every year, hundreds of peo- ple donate their time and skills to OCS programs through activities such as: • supporting families, youth and newcomers to Canada • assisting with reception, clerical and IT-related tasks • cooking, teaching, painting,

No experience is needed, as extensive training and ongoing support is provided. If you are interested in this rewarding and challenging opportunity, please visit options.bc.ca for information about: • qualifications • tasks • responsibilities • how to apply

IT’S GRATIFYING TO KNOW THAT YOU HAVE HELPED IN SOME WAY.

IT HAS BEEN THE MOST REWARDING VOLUNTEER POSITION I’VE HELD.

THE KNOWLEDGE I HAVE GAINED HERE IS INVALUABLE .

building playgrounds, helping with special projects, and more

THANK YOU to our donors

Our donors make a difference to everyone that we serve in so many ways. All gifts, big and small, matter. Some examples of how donated dollars are used include: • developing new and innovative programming • providing families with needed household supplies • building playgrounds and providing opportunities for children/youth to go to camp

Call: Email: To learn more about how you can make a difference :

Janice Boyle, Director of Development, at 604.584.5811 ext.1342 janice.boyle@options.bc.ca

Early Years Programs

92% babies born with optimal birth weight

Healthiest Babies Possible Provides pre-postnatal support to vulnerable women to assist them in having healthy birth-weight babies.

536 women served

1,899 attended Children the Heart of the Matter Conference 96% provide better quality child care after training

Educates and trains childcare pro- viders. Helps parents locate quality childcare. Child Care Resource & Referral

808 attended a parenting workshop

Minimizes impact of trauma on the growth and development of very young refugee children and their caregivers. First Steps

80% report program had a positive influence on their children

Growing Together Assists young moms to finish high school while raising healthy children.

Employment Services Centre

Whalley Employment

Services all available at no cost. Specialized Employment Services Career Planning Assessments Self-Serve Resource Centre

Services Centre is committed to helping people succeed in their job search.

Job Search Workshop Employment Counselling

Financial Support

Self-Employment

Job Coaching

Skills Training

WESC is an all- inclusive employment centre funded by the Government of B.C. to help job seekers around the Central City/Whalley area find work.

99% needs and goals addressed

900 found employment

1,900 received one-on-one support 3,400 attended workshops

VERY PROFESSIONAL, GOOD SERVICE, GOOD EXPLANATION OF EVERYTHING. I FELT RESPECTED AND COMFORTABLE.

FAST, FRIENDLY AND KNOWLEDGEABLE STAFF. GREAT ATMOSPHERE AND GREAT RESOURCES.

17,411 visits to resource room

Family and Children’s Intervention Services

OCS offers many programs and groups to assist families experiencing crises in their lives.

Quick Response Short-term, intensive supports for families in immediate crisis and at risk of abusing or neglecting their

Support to Parents of Young Children Builds better communication and positive interactions between parents and children. Teaches effective responses to challenging behaviours.

Family Counselling Masters-level therapists

help families build healthy relationships, work through anxiety/depression, learn coping skills and resolve conflicts.

children. Assists families to learn new strategies.

333 families supported

44 specialized groups held

8,000 hours of counselling

I AM SO PLEASED TO HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS PROGRAM. THE PAST SIX WEEKS HAVE BEEN SUCH A RELIEF IN KNOWING AND LEARNING ABOUT ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AND SUPPORTS.

Supervised Access Supervised visiting for parents whose children are in the care of MCFD.

100% parents report learning new parenting skills

Family Strengthening and Development/Family Support Outreach Enhances children’s safety by providing support and new skills to parents of children in Surrey.

I HAVE

I WAS ABLE TO

LEARNED A LOT OF EFFECTIVE, POSITIVE PARENTING SKILLS.

DISCUSS MY CONCERNS AND ISSUES AND NOT FEEL JUDGED.

99% of clients using more community resources to meet family needs

83% of families

experiencing less crisis in their lives

Specialized Services to Children and Families

I NEVER THOUGHT MY CHILD WOULD CHANGE

246 children served

Opportunities for children (age 3-18) with special needs (developmental disability and/or autism) to participate fully in the community, experience meaningful friendships and learn new skills.

UNTIL HER WORKER CAME INTO HER LIFE.

Homeless, Housing and Mental Health

Hyland Newton and Cloverdale Shelters and our Homeless Outreach team offer a continuum of services designed to break the cycle of homelessness.

4,763 clients were advocated for and connected with appropriate services

Mobile outreach to people living on the streets

Outreach

Hyland Newton

Hyland Cloverdale

Emergency Shelters 2 co-ed 55 beds total

20 units Transitional

Housing Supports Assisted Living

900 + housed by Hyland Shelters

200 + rent supplements

Shelters: Temporary accommodation and services to meet immediate needs for shelter, food and security, and connections to services such as health care and employment. Shelters are truly a gateway to stable housing and independence.

Mobile Outreach : Our team provides a wide range of supports. They: • address immediate needs, such as food, warm clothing and a place to stay • connect people with housing, income support and health services • link people to other services in the community

4,763 people received services from Shelter and Outreach programs

813 people housed

2,637 were homeless

103% occupancy at shelters

Homeless, Housing and Mental Health

Clubhouse Programs OCS’s clubhouses offer a supportive environment to adults living with mental illness. We provide vocational, educational, recreational, emotional and physical wellness services to support our Members in living their most fulfilling lives.

Supported Community and Independent Living

I HAVE NEVER FELT SO MUCH CARING OR SUPPORT, AND NOW KNOW THESE RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE.

SCL and Supported Independent Living (SIL) provide persons living with mental illness affordable, self-contained living units and/or a variety of support services in the communities of White Rock and South Surrey.

83% report quality of life has improved 100% would recommend programs to friends/family

92% report an overall improvement in health and wellness

100% report improved lifeskills

Fraser Health Crisis Line

FHCL provides a free 24 hour service, 365 days a year for people throughout the Fraser Health Region – from Burnaby to Boston Bar and everything in-between. The Crisis Line, operated by OCS, also supports callers throughout the province through the provision of 1800SUICIDE and the 310Mental Health Support Line (310-6789).

> 20,500 volunteer hours

calls taken 39,858

4,046 were seniors

increase over past 5 years 30%

Stopping the Violence Programs

OCS provides several services to assist women, children and families to find physical and emotional safety and break the cycle of domestic violence.

Transition Houses

Threshold Multicultural Outreach

Children and Youth for Domestic Peace

for children and youth between the ages of 3-18 who have been exposed to abuse and/ or violence. Provides group or individual in-office and school- based counselling.

for women and their children fleeing abuse, including information and supports for de- cision-making, short- term shelter or hous- ing, referrals to other services and links to affordable housing.

support and court assistance for women who remain with their abusive partner, or are in the process of becoming independent.

93% report an increase in child’s ability to name and express feelings

STAFF HELPED ME FIND MY VOICE AGAIN!

100% report an increase in child’s self esteem

Services for Immigrants

Immigrant Settlement Program ISP at OCS employs 25 staff representing 12 languages to provide support, including: • Orientation Support • Employment-related Settlement • Community Connections Activities to immigrant and refugee newcomers (permanent residents, naturalized citizens, temporary foreign workers, international students with work permits, and refugee claimants).

Top 8 identified countries of origin

98.9% report a better understanding of Canadian systems and culture as a result of Immigrant Service Programs

China South Korea India Somalia Iraq Syria Philippines Vietnam

23% 20% 13% 10% 09% 09% 06% 04%

Moving Ahead Program MAP provides comprehensive support for vulnerable im- migrants and refugees who have survived extreme loss and trauma, and currently face many challenges. Top service languages in MAP Arabic, Karen, Somali, Dari, Pushtu, Spanish and Farsi.

179 received services

93% reported developing social connections and feeling less isolated

Youth and School-Based Services

Youth Supported Independent Living The YSIL Program provides housing and supports to young people living with a mental illness.

STARR Out-of-school, group-based activities to help kids develop leadership and relationship skills. 1,245 children served 367 caregivers served

Youth and School-Based Services

Surrey Youth Independent Housing Program

Options for Schools OFS is a partnership program with Surrey School District 36. Youth in need of support are identified and provided with specialized services to ensure they can stay in school.

SYIH serves homeless youth between the ages of 16-24 who want to pursue their educational or vocational goals.

83% of clients are between the age of 13-19 years

150 children and youth actively receiving services

Suicide Prevention Education and Counselling SPEAC provides risk assessment, crisis intervention and counselling to youth

Sexual Abuse Counselling SAC provides support to children and youth from Surrey where sexual abuse has either been disclosed or is suspected.

affected by, thinking about or having attempted suicide. Suicide prevention workshops are also provided.

THE COUNSELLORS ARE VERY SENSITIVE TO MY DAUGHTER’S NEEDS. SHE ALWAYS CAME OUT SMILING AND LAUGHING

WHEN SHE CAME IN UNHAPPY OR SAD.

Financials

Revenue for the Year Ending March 31, 2016

Provincial

76.5%

Federal

6.5%

Municipal

0.2%

United Way

1.9%

Other Funding Agencies

7.9%

Donations

0.3%

Client Rent/Rentals

3.2%

Sales and Fees

1.6%

Miscellaneous

1.83%

Highlights The Society’s 2015-16 total revenue, before internal allocations, increased year-over- year by approximately $1.16 million, to $25.88 million. This represents an increase of approximately 4.69% over the previous year .

Expenses for the Year Ending March 31, 2016

Wages and Benefits

64.9%

Building Occupancy

7.4%

Office

2.8% 6.3%

Program Costs/Training Food Service & Supplies

1 %

Fees to Clients

5.9% 0.3%

Bank Charges & Interest

Contracted Services

5 %

Client Housing

6.5%

Highlights T otal expenses, before internal allocations, increased year-over-year by approximately $2.0 million, to $25.21 million. This represents an increase of approximately 8.59% over the previous year. The increase in revenues and expenses produced a net decrease in operating surplus of approximately $155 thousand, or 10.37% under the comparable sur- plus amount in the previous period. Once again, OCS had a very good financial year and remains in excellent financial condition.

MAIN OFFICE : 9815–140 Street Surrey, British Columbia V3T 4M4 Tel: 604.584.5811 Fax: 604.584.7628

NEWTON OFFICE: 13520–78 Avenue

Surrey, British Columbia V3W 8J6 Tel: 604.596.4321 Fax: 604.572.7413

www.options.bc.ca

“ The greatest test of true service ... is to light the way for others while weathering any storm.”

Author Unknown

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Options gratefully acknowledges the commitment and support of government and private funders who made a significant financial contribution to our programs. For a complete list of our funders, community partners and supporters, please visit options.bc.ca.

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www.options.bc.ca

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