Welcome to the Federation of BC Youth in Care Networks’ website!

On this site, you will find information about who we are and what we do, as well as information about a variety of resources and opportunities for young people and those who work with and care for them.

Drop by our HOME page often for updates and announcements and while you’re here, check-out the Calendar of Events to see what’s up; visit the Gallery for pictures from our latest events; and stop by the Forum for a chat.

The FBCYICN is always looking for ways to improve our organization and the lives of young people in and from care. If you have any questions, comments or ideas about how we can improve this website, our provincial newsletter (Power Pages) or any other program or service we offer, please contact us at: info@fbcyicn.ca or 1-800-565-8055.

Job Posting – Youth Project Staff

The Youth Project Staff position offers an excellent opportunity to develop facilitation and leadership skills. The successful applicant will assist in the delivery of a workshop about children’s rights (Rights 2 Success) for young people and adult staff in youth custody centres, and a workshop about youth engagement. They will also be responsible for creating an education manual under the supervision of a staff member.

Download the Position Description

Your Life – Your Rights

Your Life – Your Rights: A Guide to the Rights of Young People in BC is a handbook that explains the rights of youth when they are accessing government services (including child welfare, youth justice and the health and mental health systems). With the support of the Ministry of Children and Family Development, this book was developed by the Federation of BC Youth in Care Networks in consultation with young people across BC, and replaces the out-dated Know Your Rights booklet.

Official News Release (December 9th, 2008)
Your Life – Your Rights (PDF version)

STEERING COMMITTEE MEETINGS...

Steering Committee Meetings (SCMs) are provincial conferences held by the FBCYICN three times each year, where young people in and from care between the ages of 14 and 24 come together with some pretty cool adults to network with each other, provide important input and build skills.

SCM #52

Dates: October 23 – 25, 2009
Location: Easter Seals Camp Squamish, Squamish BC
Cost: $300.00 (includes travel from / to FBCYICN office in New Westminster to / from Squamish, shared accommodation, meals and activities)
Subsidy & Registration Deadline: October 2nd, 2009

Please Note: To prevent disappointment, register early by faxing form to (604-527-7764) and verify receipt of registration information. Space is limited and on a first-come, first-served basis. Submission of registration form on or before the registration deadline does NOT guarantee participation. Do not make travel arrangements until registration has been confirmed by FBCYICN.

SCM #52 Flyer
Member Registration
Adult Registration
Photo Consent Form

Power Pages Needs you!

It’s Power Pages Time!

Power Pages, your FBCYICN provincial magazine, needs YOU to send us your updates, thoughts/opinions, ideas and creative stuff for the up-coming edition, which will be published just in time for our October SCM (Steering Committee Meeting).

This is a great opportunity to get your voice heard and your stuff seen by 5,000 young people, service providers and caregivers across BC (and Canada)!

Don’t forget, if you are a young person in or from government care, you can get an honorarium—that’s $$—up to $50 per magazine edition for your published work! Plus, it looks great on a resume and other applications.

Make sure you get your writing, artwork, photos or event information to us by MONDAY AUGUST 31ST (4:30pm).
You can get it to us by:

email: powerpages@fbcyicn.ca

fax: (604) 527-7764

Mail/drop it off in person: FBCYCIN office at 55 8th Street, New Westminster, V3M 3N9.

Feel free to get in touch with Lisa, Power Pages Consultant, via email (powerpages@fbcyicn.ca) or phone (604.527.7764 ×105) with any questions about contributing to the magazine—we can’t wait to see what you’ve got to say!

Check-out previous editions of FBCYICN newsletters.

Dream Fund

We are now accepting applications for the Reach for Success Bursary and the Education Achievement Bursary for the May (Summer), 2010 semester – the deadline for both is March 12th (4:30pm).

The application forms and an information page providing some background about the Dream Fund can be downloaded here or picked up from our office.

Dream Fund One-Pager [PDF 52KB]

Education Achievement Bursary [PDF 120KB]

Reach to Success Bursary [PDF 96KB]

For more information, please contact our office at info@fbcyicn.ca or 1-800-565-8055.

Network’s Network – the Lower Mainland ‘Local’

Are you a young person between the ages of 14 and 24 who is in or from care (eg. foster care, group homes, youth custody centres) or on a Youth Agreement living in the lower mainland? Are you interested in hanging out with other young people in / from care, having a voice about your needs, issues and ideas and most of all having FUN?

Bus tickets, daycare subsidies and food provided.

Please RSVP by the Monday BEFORE the meeting so we know how much food to order.

If you require a daycare subsidy, please let us know at least one week in-advance.

For more information about activities and to RSVP, please contact:

Colleen Danes
Administrative Coordinator, FBCYICN
info@fbcyicn.ca
(604) 527-7762

Member Engagement Consultation Project

We are finally ready to release the Member Engagement Consultation Project full report and ‘executive summary’ (the short version)!

Please take a moment to read all about what 55 individuals (mostly members, but some alumni, board and staff), had to say about member engagement in the Network! This report is both an assessment of where individuals in the Network feel member engagement is at right now at FBCYICN, as well as ideas about where we should be heading in order to ‘ramp up’ engagement to the next level. The full report is long, but packed with quotes directly from individuals who participated, and great ideas that they shared.

Please note that work is already underway to begin implementing the ideas in the full report. Staff have begun to take pieces of the report into their program areas, as well as our first ‘implementation’ day happened March 16th with members, staff and board represented.

FBCYICN Member Engagement Consultation Report – Executive Summary [640KB PDF]

FBCYICN Member Engagement Consultation Report [3.6MB PDF]

Agreements with Young Adults (AYA)

The AYA program is for young people between the ages of 19-24 who were either in Continuing Care (eg. CCO / Permanent Ward) or in a Youth Agreement on their 19th birthday, and it provides a total of 24 months of funding for young people who want to enroll in schooling and / or participate in some rehabilitative programming. This new initiative was launched by the Ministry of Children and Family Development on July 1st, 2008!

We are strongly urging our supporters to connect with former youth in care to see if they qualify for the AYA program.

Young people who qualify are advised to fill in the Application Form and take it in to their LOCAL MCFD office.

FBCYICN is doing our best to answer questions people have about AYA and we are available to support young people in the application process. If you are a young person requiring assistance with your AYA application, please contact:

Valerie Inglis
Transitions Program Manager, FBCYICN
transitions@fbcyicn.ca
In the Lower Mainland: (604) 527-7762 (ext. 111)
Toll Free: 1-800-565-8055

Please Note: local / regional AYA Contacts and program updates will be posted here on our website as they are identified.

MCFD staff can find AYA forms and related policy on MCFD’s intranet site at: http://icw.mcf.gov.bc.ca/provserv/yserv/index.shtm

YEAF & AYA Comparison

For more information or help with AYA, please contact our office or the Community Services Manager in your community / region.

What are ByLaws?

ByLaws are basically the official rules that the members have created to decide how big, important decisions will be made in the organization. These rules outline who will be members, what powers those members will have, how important meetings will be run, how to elect board members, etc.

All non-profit organizations like the FBCYICN are required to have their own set of ByLaws under the Society’s Act. ByLaws can only be changed at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) or a special extraodinary meeting.

FBCYICN ByLaws

Latest News

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