AT-A-GLANCE
Immigrant and Refugees whose first language is not English, living in Surrey, Langley, Delta and White Rock.
Community Counselling Fund
What This Grantee Is Doing for Community Counselling
DIVERSEcity is a multi-service agency located in Surrey that supports newcomers to BC with a variety of free programs, including settlement services, employment programs, interpretation and translation services, LGBTQ2S+ newcomer services, and more. Working with immigrant, refugee, ethno-cultural, and racialized individuals and families, DIVERSEcity's team of clinical counsellors, case managers, outreach, and violence prevention workers aim to provide culturally-agile and competent care using a holistic lens.
First-language supports are available in English, Arabic, Cantonese, Mandarin, Spanish, Farsi, Urdu, Punjabi, and Hindi. Individual, couples, and family counselling services are available, as well as outreach and case management support in some programs. Group therapy and group support are also available. Most counselling is offered virtually during this time.
CAI's Community Counselling Fund supported DIVERSECity to streamline their intake and data management systems, which resulted in the creation of an Intake Coordinator position, lower administrative barriers for clients, and greater capacity to anticipate and support the needs of community.
Quote
"For our clients and communities we serve, we have seen enhanced transparency and communication as a result of this funding. We can finally tell client how long our waitlist truly is, when and what kind of service they can expect, as well as obtain valuable information from them at the outset of intake and screening to ensure we are in fact the 'right' service for the client. Before this funding, our referral process was not streamlined and not centralized. As a result of this funding, every single client on our waitlist is going through our new intake and screening process, which allows them to share their concerns , reasons for seeking counselling, and ask about other resources available to them. The impact on our organization and staff is significant. We have entirely revamped our intake, screening, and service plan approach with the enhanced capacity at the management and leadership level. Staff have expressed feeling more engaged in the process and having more ownership over the forms and processes to ensure they are value-based, trauma-informed and client-centered. While we have seen a significant strain on our leadership team and staff due to COVID, the increased management staffing has led to more support for them overall."