About Big Bear Child & Youth Advocacy Centre
How We're Helping
Mult-disciplinary Team working together to collaborate our response to child/youth maltreatment investigations and making children and youth our top priority.
Our Mission
As we continue to develop the Child & Youth Advocacy Centre we are guided by:
Our Vision - To have a community where all children & youth are respected and heard and maltreatment is not tolerated.
Our Mission - To provide a collaborative response to child maltreatment through advocacy, intervention and continued support in a child-friendly environment.
Thank You
Whether you help through monetary donations, volunteering your time, or spreading our mission through word-of-mouth, thank you. We couldn't accomplish our goals without the help of supporters like you.
Big Bear Child & Youth Advocacy Centre
Why the name: 'Big Bear' ?
Different animals and their Indigenous meanings were presented to several children and youth (who represented a diversity of cultural/ethnic/gender/age backgrounds). 100% of the children and youth liked the meaning of THE BEAR: strength, confidence, standing up against adversity & having a healing spirit. They also liked the fact that bears are often seen in our communities. One youth suggested a name for the CYAC as 'The Big Bear Centre' - it was 100% unanimous - all the children and youth loved this name.
So...The Big Bear Child & Youth Advocacy Centre it is!
The Big Bear Child & Youth Advocacy Centre will provide a coordinated approach with child maltreatment investigations. This centre will provide a child-friendly environment and a mult-disciplinary team that works collaboratively to ensure the child/youth is seen as most important.
The Big Bear Child and Youth Advocacy Centre will strengthen collaboration between agencies, bridge the gap of communication between agencies and will enhance referrals for ALL children and youth who have disclosed being maltreated while honouring their unique healing needs through the many amazing services that Kamloops has to offer!
BC Provincial CYAC Network
Photo: BC CYAC Steering Committee at Provincial Roundtable Jan/18
BC CYAC Steering Committee:
- Big Bear CYAC (Kamloops - in development) * Tara Ettinger
- Vernon Oak CYAC * Brooke McLardy
- Kelowna CYAC (in development)
- First Nations CYAC - Carrier Sekani Family Services (Prince George - in development) * Mary Teegee, Mabel Louie, Tracey Michell
- Victoria CYAC * Sandra Bryce
- The Treehouse CYAC (Vancouver) * Leah Zille
- Sophie's Place (Surrey) * Judy Krawchuk
- Safe Kids and Youth Coordinate Response (SKY - West Kootenay) * Lynda Dechief
- Alisa's Wish CYAC (Maple Ridge/Pitt Meadows) * Colette Madsen
* AND - Community Safety and Crime Prevention Branch
Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General
Community Forum
On October 5/17 we held a Community Agency Forum
We would like to acknowledge and thank: City of Kamloops Social Planning Grant and venue, Nicole McCurdy (TRU 4th yr. Nursing Student) for helping with coordinating the forum, Dr. Heather Price (TRU) and Jocelyn Barratt (SCAN) for their informative presentations, Dr. Price’s TRU Psychology Research Team for facilitating the Working Groups, and Frick & Frack for the great food and service!
A special thank you to Leona Thomas for the beautiful Opening & Welcoming Prayer, Brooke McLardy from the Vernon Oak Child Advocacy Centre for coming to Kamloops to present on your CYAC model & to all the guests - thank you for attending and providing such valuable feedback and support towards the development of the CYAC!