Sunshine Coast Community Services Society

Serving the community since 1974

Strengthening individuals, families and our community
through leadership, innovation and support.

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When the first group of citizens met in 1973 to plan a new society (later incorporated in 1974) the pressing needs of the Sunshine Coast were clearly in the area of services for seniors and transportation for the elderly and disabled.

By the end of 1975 seniors' services included the TelephoneTree, taped books for the blind (Audio Books), SPICE (a forerunner to Meals on Wheels), Homemakers, and a crafts program. Getting information out to the public was also an important part of the fledgling society, as was the newest service,a Tot-Lot which opened in Gibsons in November, 1975.

Educational needs were also a priority in those early days and the society administered child care workers in the alternate schools throughout the School District, and also co-sponsored a Wilderness Camp, the result of a collaboration between the Wilson Creek Family Centre, the Sechelt Indian Band and the Wilson Creek Community Association.

A Planning Committee was established as an “ear” for the society, a place where citizens could bring their ideas and needs as a first step towards gaining our support or coming under our umbrella with all the benefits that it could bring, such as access to funding and administration. The Volunteer Bureau also took form in the late 70’s.

As the needs of our community have changed Community Services has evolved in order to offer help where it was needed. For example, in 1981 the women’s Transition House came under the umbrella of the society and by the end of 1982 the purchase of the first house was underway.

In 1983 Food Banks in Gibsons and Sechelt were established in response to the immediate needs of those who were seriously affected by the days of restraint; we still operate the Food Bank in Sechelt today. The first Family Drop-In, later to become the Parent-Tot Drop-In, began in 1984 as did Special Services to Children.

By 1986 it became clear that seniors’ services had grown so much that it was advisable to establish a new society for them alone, hence the founding of the Sunshine Coast Home Support Society. This left Community Services in a better position to pursue its new directions in helping children and families.

Through the 80’s and early 90’s Community Services brought to the Sunshine Coast:

Project Parent (now Family and Youth Services);
Women’s Counselling Service;
Children’s Sexual Abuse Treatment Program;
Bridges: paediatric occupational and physical therapy programs;
Infant Development Program;
Second Stage Transition Program ;
Children Who Witness Abuse;
Child Care Resource and Referral Program;
Variety Sunshine Coach to transport children with physical challenges;
Support groups for women;
Supported Child Care (now Supported Child Development).

By its purchase of the building at 5638 Inlet Avenue, Sechelt, Community Services has ensured that there is a central and stable home for all its programs. In 1997, thanks to the Town of Gibsons, we acquired a lease for the old Gibsons Library and opened Gibsons Family Place, bringing our programs closer to home for Gibsons residents.

As we entered the new century Community Services continued to grow, adapting to changing community needs and responding to new accountability requirements from the provincial government. Since 2000 we have established new programs or taken on existing programs as the need arose:

Family Violence Support Services (formerly with Action Society);
Police-based Victim Services (formerly with Action Society);
Bellies and Babies, (Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program);
Success by Six;
Sechelt Visitor Info Centre.

As our programs expand, so have our needs for space. In 2004 Community Services purchased the old Sechelt Library, now known as the Trail Place Resource Centre, and in 2005 a permanent location in Gibsons was established with the purchase of the Little Angels Daycare on Farnham Road.

We have “incubated” many other programs: we sponsored the contract leading to the establishment of the Women’s Resources Society (and the Women’s Centre); we nurtured the Rainbow Pre-school for more than a decade until it was ready to stand alone; we kept Audio Books under our wing until the library system on the Coast was able to take it on; we have also seen the little Minibus service grow into Sunshine Transit and move to its new home with the Regional District; and for more than 20 years the Volunteer and Information Centre, as it is known today, has helped numerous organizations get started, develop and change to meet new challenges.

Thousands of volunteers have come to the Centre as the first step in their volunteering “careers” and have been referred to the more than 450 local organizations who have come to the Centre to find volunteers or to use the many resources available to them.

Hundreds of volunteers have been involved on the Board of Directors, in planning and financial management, policy development, fund-raising, and evaluation. Today a position on the Board of Community Services is a job requiring a very high degree of commitment, skills and the courage to be innovative.

From the beginning, the volunteers with the vision to guide our society have seen the need for qualified staff to bring their ideas to fruition. We have established comprehensive governance and personnel policies that support our commitment to a healthy workplace. Together we work for all residents of the Sunshine Coast, and look forward to the challenges ahead.

Sunshine Coast Community Services staff and volunteers
uphold our mission, guiding principles and values with respect,
caring, honesty and responsibility.