Orange T-Shirt Day and our first Day of Truth and Reconciliation

September 30th has been introduced as a National Day of Truth and Reconciliation. This day recognizes the time of year when Indigenous children were taken from their families and sent to residential schools. It’s a time to come together to acknowledge the atrocities and ongoing legacy of residential schools, past and present experiences of colonialism, to honour Indigenous peoples, families and communities, and to listen with open ears to their stories.

We wore orange at BeConnected on September 30th to honour the survivors of residential schools, to remember the children who never returned home, to observe the residential school experience and its impact past and present, and as a small act demonstrating our commitment to decolonization and reconciliation.

Phyllis Webstad, who attended a residential school in British Columbia in the 1970s, is credited for starting Orange Shirt Day. Phyllis was initially excited to go to school and went shopping with her granny to pick out a new outfit for school; she chose a shiny orange shirt. That shirt was taken away from her when she arrived at school and was never returned to her. The slogan for Orange Shirt Day is “Every Child Matters.”



BSS Cultural Competency Committee (CCC) joins The Federation of Community Social Services' Reconciliation Book Club

Our CCC has committed to reading one book by Indigenous authors each month. By exploring Indigenous literature, we hope to find ways to honour truth and reconciliation for those who suffered from Canada's harmful history. This month we will dive into A History of My Brief Body by Billy-Ray Belcourt.

Click here to learn more about this beautiful book and author.

BeConnected’s Be Social Committee had a great time at the BC Lions game, staying overnight in a hotel, and shopping in Vancouver in October.

Forrester House is ready for Scary Season

Spending time with the people that make it all possible

The holidays are a time for warmth and giving, and for showing appreciation for those you care about. Our Holiday Friends and Family Lunch follows the same theme. We appreciate the opportunity to show how thankful we are for all the wonderful people we support and for the lovely folks that support them.

The Friends and Family Lunch creates a space for us to gather and catch up, share a delicious turkey lunch, and also a chance to get a quick word in with Santa before the holidays!

Gathering with gratitude

This year we were fortunate enough to be able to get together to show our appreciation for employees and contractors who have provided support through the years.

The personnel in the photo have been with BeConnected for 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 years in service!  

Resouces for refilling your cup

The following memo was distributed by the Joint Occupation Health and Safety Committee. BeConnected has onboarded LifeWorks, an online resource centre for mental health and wellness. We strongly encourage employees to take advantage of this free and confidential service.

Take care.

Bort meeting

The BSS Outbreak Response Team met with Augustus Kops on September 20 for a webinar that reiterated the importance of proper PPE usage. Augustus shared near misses from other companies within our sector that avoided an outbreak by using proper mask coverage and frequent hand washing.

December 21st, 2021: As COVID-19 infections are increasing we are ramping up our infection control measures at all program locations. As a reminder for everyone:

·        Visitors to BeConnected program locations must provide proof of full vaccination prior to entry;

·        If you are experiencing symptoms of illness, please do not visit until you are better;

·        Upon entry into BeConnected homes, everyone (persons residing, staff, visitors) must immediately wash their hands at the identified wash station; everyone is encouraged to sanitize their hands regularly;

·        Deep cleaning and disinfecting of surfaces are being completed regularly;

·        Masks must be worn by all staff and visitors in BeConnected homes and vehicles

·        Everyone is asked to be following BC Public Health Officer’s orders and recommendations at all times – at work and at home.

PHO for CLBC service providers regarding COVID-19 vaccines

The CLBC policy requires CLBC funded service providers and their staff to comply with the PHO Order to prove they are fully vaccinated or have an exemption before January 14, 2022. The CLBC policy also provides guidance for any required workforce adjustments.

The CLBC policy is posted in a new “PHO Vaccination Order” section of our website that also includes a FAQ (frequently asked questions) document that will be kept updated and an email address for any additional questions. You can find that section here.

Link to CLBC Policy