Children &

Youth

Services

Chilliwack Society for

Community Living

MATHIESON CENTRE

45195 Wells Road Chilliwack, BC V2R 1H6

Phone: 604-846-7777 Fax: 604-858-6087

E-mail contacts for CYS Department: Julie Unger (Director—Children’s & Community Development) - 604-846-218 OR julie.unger@cscl.org

Natalie Karam (Manager—Youth & Transition Services) - 604-846-2015 OR natalie.karam@cscl.org

Margaret Castle (Manager—Children’s Services) - 604-846-2016 OR margaret.castle@cscl.org

Karen Pedersen (Manager—Children’s Community Respite) - 604-846-2017 OR karen.pederesen@cscl.org

Chilliwack Society for

Community Living

Mission Statement

The Chilliwack Society for Community Living in partner-ship with community provides quality, individualized

supports to enhance the lives of adults with developmen-tal disabilities, children and youth with special needs and

their families.

CYS Vision

Statement

Children & Youth Services (CYS) will strive to provide fully integrated programs for Children & Youth with

special needs to experience social and creative oppor-tunities that will guide them to reach their full poten-

tial.

The CSCL’s Child & Youth Services will provide quality, individualized service to children & youth with special needs through Community Respite Care, Kidz Club Pro-grams, Summer ’Scapes Program, Summer Teen Pro-grams, Child & Youth Care workers, Teen Club Programs & BRIDGE Service. We believe that the direction of the child’s family is vital in the provision of these services.

How to Access

Programs in

Children’s Services

You need a referral from the Ministry of Children and Fam-ily Development—Children & Youth with Special Needs (MCFD-CYSN), to access any of our Children and Youth services. MCFD-CYSN determines if your son or daughter is eligible, and then sends us a referral. Our programs are in high demand, and you may be placed on a waitlist. Once we get your referral, we will be in touch to arrange to start what we call the application and intake process.

This includes:

Meeting you and your child or youth to provide you with general information about CSCL;

Gathering information about your child’s physical and support needs;

Discussing what services and resources you need, and compatibility with what CSCL has to offer;

Providing a tour or overview of the services you are interested in;

Completing an application/intake form, care plan, and completing relevant consent forms.

Goals & Objectives

Transition Phase

Once your application has been accepted, we enter what we like to call the transition phase. This looks different depending on which programs you will be using, and the age and needs of your son or daughter. It will include an orientation session. It might also include short visits with the Respite Caregiver; working up to longer unsupervised vis-its. It might mean a tour of our Kidz Club or Teen Club Programs and a chance to talk with other kids and families already participating.

Starting a new program or Respite arrangement is a big change. It means new places, new people and new routines. It can be exciting, but can also cause anxiety and concern-both for your child or youth, and for your family. We are flexible about the length and nature of the transition phase, and committed to making the change as fun and stress free as possible-for you and your son or daughter.

The team of committed staff, with ongoing training and support, will provide opportunities for growth and development in the areas of recreation and leisure, so-cial and life skills enhancement, and community in-volvement. Our objective is that through the facilitat-ing efforts of the staff, and participation in a wide vari-ety of activities, the children will broaden their horizons and expand their existing social networks. Children and youth are encouraged to make choices and deci-sions in their daily activities, developing the self-confidence necessary to achieve their personal goals.

Programs We Offer…

Kidz Club (Monday—Friday) (6-12 Year Olds) * After School Program (recreational).

* Attend 1 day/week.

Saturday Kidz Club (6-12 Year Olds) * Recreational program held on Saturdays.

* Attend 1-2 days/week.

Summer ‘Scapes Program (6-12 Year Olds) * Fully integrated Summer Program.

* Attend 2-3 days/week.

Teen Clubs (13-18 Year Olds) * Wide variety of programs (ie: lifeskills, recreation).

* Attend 2-3 days/week.

Summer Teen Program (13-18 Year Olds) * Wide variety of programs (ie: lifeskills, recreation).

* Attend 2-3 days/week.

One to One Support Contracts * typically staff work 4 hours/week with child/youth.

BRIDGE Transition Service (15-18 Year olds) * Building Resources & Independence while

Developing Goals & Employment.