WELCOME TO OUR BACKYARD
Let’s talk about what’s happening in our own backyard
At Family Services of Greater Vancouver, we walk alongside clients as they navigate life’s challenges. Our Backyard is where we come together to share stories, provide resources for the community, and create dialogue about complex issues such as homelessness, trauma, and poverty. There’s more to every story, so let’s dive in.
Stories
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Hiya’s Story: “I Believe You”
“I believe you.” These three words are the foundation of Hiya’s work. Hiya is a Victim Support Worker at Family Services of Greater Vancouver (FSGV). Her clients are child and youth survivors of violence. For these young people, Hiya provides…
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The Power of Play
A common experience trauma survivors articulate is that choice was taken from them; they didn’t get to choose what happened. This is as true for child survivors as it is for adults. And it’s why, at Family Services of Greater…
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Room to Learn about Yourself: Stories from the Directions Pre-Employment and Life Skills Program
Jennie from the Pre-Employment and Life Skills Program at Directions Youth Services (of FSGV) shares stories about what her program does and what the impact is for youth who attend her workshops.
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Respecting the Person Behind the Story: FSGV’s Client Story Philosophy
There’s no doubt: stories are powerful. In the non-profit sector, they help people outside of the work understand its impact, inspire community support, and bring complex issues to life. They put a face to the work, particularly when it’s a…
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Parent-Teen Mediation: Conflict Skills for Life
PTM supports families (of all kinds) who are experiencing interpersonal conflict between caregivers and teenage youth. Families are referred to our program by a social worker when they need a helping hand to improve their relationship. Our mediators have unique…
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In Their Own Words: Client Quotes from 2025
At Family Services of Greater Vancouver, we don’t often share client stories. It’s a balance of reasons which mostly comes down to prioritizing keeping people safe: sharing a story before you’re ready can be re-traumatizing and nobody owes us their…
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An Impact You Can See: Supporting Local
“You’re a local charity, I like that. I don’t have to turn on my TV to see what my donation is going to. Living downtown, I can just walk out my door and it’s all around me.” These words come…
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A Conversation with Mari, Trauma Counsellor at FSGV
Mari, a Trauma Counsellor at FSGV, is currently working toward getting her PhD in Expressive Arts. Last year, while working on presentations and sessions for her PhD, she was also completing training on Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) at UBC. “I…
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There’s More We Could Do: Stories from the Directions Art and Culture Program
“There’s so much more we could do. Art isn’t just healing, art can make you thrive,” says Josi, the Art and Culture Program Coordinator at the Directions Drop-In Centre. She recently shared some stories from the program, which she has…
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A Volunteer’s Story: Meet Shimna
We’re excited to introduce Shimna, a dedicated member of our Community Kitchens who has not only been an active participant but is now taking the next step to be a volunteer. Shimna’s journey with us has been a true reflection…
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There’s More to Brenda’s Story
Brenda Lochhead doesn’t particularly like the spotlight to be on her, however we’re sharing a bit of her work and advocacy today to celebrate what she has brought to the field of victim support, advocacy, and education about human trafficking and…
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A Family Day 2025 Pop-Up Wrap-Up
On Wednesday, February 12, 2025 Family Services of Greater Vancouver teamed up with Vancouver Public Library for a resource fair pop-up event to let the community know about supports available for families. Running from 10am until 2pm, coaches from Financial…