Family Support Workers
NIȽ TU, O offers a variety of services to support the families, children and youth affiliated with our seven member nations.
Select a program to learn more
About Us
Nutsumat Shqwaluwun (Working Together With One Mind) has guided NIL TU,O Child and Family Services Society since 1997. As a Coast Salish–led organization, NIL TU,O is dedicated to strengthening the families and communities it serves. All services are designed with the purpose of keeping Coast Salish children connected to their families, their culture, and their community.
Who can ask for help from a family support worker?
Family Support Workers are here to help any child, parent, Elder or family member from our member communities who asks for support.
Our primary goal is to prevent children from going into care.
Types of Support
NI. TU,O provides support to children, parents and families by helping you find transportation or file your taxes, from providing culture and ceremony to connecting to mentors.
You can easily access:
- Parenting Programs
- Life Skills Programs
- Support for Youth
- Support for Young Adults
- Groups and Workshops
- Inalvidual support for your needs
- Support to Caregivers Caring for Children from their Extended Family or Community
- Sweet Dreams, Safe Sleep Progroms
- Support with food banks
- Referrals to external supports and service providers
Connection
NIL TU,O Family Support Workers help you stay connected to your culture, language and community through individual attention and outings and participating in activities.
Our workers will also connect you to any resources that you need.
If you are a youth or a parent of a youth who could use more support, please contact us.
Support for individual needs
Our Family Support Workers are able to support in many ways from grocery shopping, cooking and budgeting, to less common and more challenging tasks including, but not limited to:
- Support for new parents and one-on-one youth support
- Work with the FNHA
- How to file your taxes
- Connecting with legal aid or navigating the legal system
- Getting your driver’s license or applying for your status card
- Connecting to counselling
- One-to-one youth support
- Connecting to ceremony and culture
- Support in navigating child welfare system
- Assistance with sleep hygiene including new beds, bedding and pillows
Support to Families Responding to Child Protection Concerns
Responding to a child protection concern or complaint can be overwhelming and scary. Don’t go it alone. Contact NIȽ TU,O to obtain assistance with meetings with MCFD and work with you to get or keep your child(ren) home.
Many child protection concerns are rooted in the systemic and situational experiences of colonialism and ongoing racism. The resulting trauma, housing shortages, and other challenges make raising happy healthy children even more difficult than it already is.
When you contact NIȽ TU,O for support responding to a child protection complaint, you’ll be paired with a supportive and understanding Family Support Worker to help identify your family’s challenges and needs.
From there, your Family Support Worker will help your family connect with a variety of resources such as:
- Counseling and mental health supports,
- Cultural supports,
- Housing,
- Parenting programs,
- Daycare services,
- Workshops,
- Income programs,
- Vocational programs,
- Specialized services as needed.
Contact us for more information
Telephone: 250-544-1400
Support to Families to Enhance Family Life
Support to Youth
If you are a youth or a parent of a child that could use more support, please contact us.
We offer numerous programs dedicated to supporting youth, depending on what is needed.
- Staying connected to culture, language, and community, through individual attention and outings and participation in recreational activities.
- Providing skills, training, and support to cultivate independence.
- Help youth with their mental and emotional wellbeing through counseling, cultural events or assessment services.
Each youth is partnered with a Family Support Worker to help them move toward independence by supporting them in job readiness, life skills development, and the tasks necessary to successfully transition into adulthood.
Contact us for more information on programs available for Youth
Telephone: 250-544-1400
Support for Young Adults
Young adults who are 19-24 years of age and have been involved in our programs previously have the opportunity to access ongoing support to make successful transitions to adult life.
Our Family Support Workers will continue to offer one-to-one support to help young adults navigate life, as they seek out jobs, access post-secondary vocational or academic training, address barriers to success, and build the life skills they need to enjoy success in early adult life.
Contact us for more information on support available for Young Adults.
Telephone: 250-544-1400
Support to Maintain Connection
This program provides a Family Support Worker to help support parents in maintaining access to their children when their children are temporarily in the care of MCFD. The goal of the program is to support parents to maintain the connection and build a positive relationship with their child(ren) while they’re in care.
Contact us for more information on support available for parents with children in the care of MCFD.
Telephone: 250-544-1400
Support to Caregivers Caring for Children from their Extended Family or Community
NIȽ TU,O supports members of the Coast Salish communities that we serve who are temporarily caring for children of family members or of other community members, while parents resolve problems and issues that have impacted their ability to parent their children.
Our Family Support Workers provide support to family caregivers who have stepped up to provide care.
Counselling Services
NIȽ TU,O can connect you with counseling support.
Contact us for more information on services available for those who need support related to domestic violence.
Telephone: 250-544-1400
