by BCGEU President Stephanie Smith - 26 February 2015
“March is Community Social Services Awareness Month” is a province-wide public awareness campaign.
I want to acknowledge, with deep appreciation, the skills, dedication, and valuable work our 8,000 BCGEU Community Social Service workers do in community living, women's services, family services, child care, aboriginal services, and in so many more areas across the province.
The Province of British Columbia will officially proclaim March as Community Social Services Awareness Month in the B.C. Legislature next week.
This important campaign is an opportunity to shine a spotlight on the vital role this sector plays in our lives and in building safe, healthy, and caring communities across B.C.
I think we need to advocate for the sector, straight from the front lines: We need community social service workers’ to tell their stories, and I know the best stories come from you, the people who do the work each and every day. We want to hear from you about making a real difference in people’s lives.
We want to hear about community living workers empowering the individuals you support. We want to hear about those of you who help women find their way out of dangerous or unhealthy domestic situations. About the counsellors supporting families through difficult times. We want to hear about how you assist our children to become the very best that they can be.
We need to hear: what do you do, what does a typical day look like, what is your best story of making a difference at work? And we need a picture of you in front of your workplace!
To gather these profiles and stories from across B.C., we are currently revamping the “Community Social Services Matter” website at http://communitysocialservicesmatter.ca/
Throughout the month of March, I will be doing Community Social Services worksite visits in the Northwest and Haida Gwaii, through parts of Vancouver Island and the Fraser Valley. More visits will follow.
Before the month is out, I hope to share more news about how your union wants to give back to you because Community Social Service members give so much each and every day. Stay tuned for details!
Until then, happy Community Social Services Awareness Month!
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The original blog post is posted on the BCGEU website here.