NIȽ TU,O was featured in Seaside Magazine!
by Deborah Rogers | photos by Janis Jean Photography –
I remember the empathetic family support worker who came to visit me when I had a three year old who wouldn’t eat anything and a three month old who would not sleep. I was exhausted and convinced I couldn’t cope. She listened to me, told me I was doing okay, and made small, practical suggestions. She was a voice of experience at a time when everything I was facing was brand new.
Every new parent needs a person like that to back them up with wise words and kindness. Meeting Michelle at the NIȽ TU,O Child and Family Services Society brought that memory back. For 18 years she has been that guiding hand for new families in the community. She’s part of an expert team that includes social workers, support workers and administrators.
We met on my tour of the NIȽ TU,O Centre. You will have driven past the beautiful building at Mount Newton Crossroad many times. They’ve been there for over 20 years, but three years ago extensive renovations gave the Centre a refreshed look and created spaces within that are culturally appropriate and rooted in an Indigenous approach to safety. But what do they do behind the magnificent basket weave frontage? NIȽ TU,O Child and Family Services Society supports the seven Coast Salish First Nations to manage their own child services. As a Delegated Aboriginal Agency (DAA) they offer both delegated and non-delegated services to their clients. These services are delegated from the Ministry of Child and Family Development and include: guardianship and care; voluntary support services; voluntary care or special needs agreements; recruitment, training and support for caregivers; youth agreements; and respite services. As well as these delegated services they offer a wide range of support services for families and youth.
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