Camrose and District Support Services

"FCSS in Action"

Camrose and District Support Services (CDSS) is the Family and Community Support Services Program (FCSS) for nine municipalities - City of Camrose, Camrose County, and the Villages of Bawlf, Bittern Lake, Ferintosh, Hay Lakes, New Norway, Edberg, and Rosalind. FCSS is a joint municipal and provincial project that supports preventive social services and individual, family and community development.

The CDSS Mission Statement: "CDSS is a partnership between the province and nine participating municipalities committed to supporting local preventive social initiatives to enhance the well-being of individuals, families and the community."

Provincial FCSS Regulations require the following-

An FCSS program MUST:

1. Promote, encourage and facilitate the involvement of volunteers,
2. Promote efficient and effective use of resources,
3. Encourage and facilitate co-operation and co-ordination with allied service agencies operating within the municipality,
4. Promote, encourage and facilitate the development of stronger communities, and
5. Promote citizen participation in planning, delivery and the governance of the program and of services provided under the program.

All FCSS services MUST:

1. Be of a preventive nature that enhances the social well-being of individuals and families through promotion or intervention strategies provided at the earliest opportunity, and
2. Do one or more of the following:
   1. help people to develop independence, strengthen coping skills and become more resistant to crisis;
   2. help people to develop an awareness of social needs
   3. help people to develop interpersonal and group skills which enhance constructive relationships among groups;
   4. help people and communities to assume responsibility for decisions and actions which affect them;
   5. provide supports that help sustain people as active participants in the community.

FCSS Programs MUST NOT:

1. Provide primarily for the recreational needs or leisure time pursuits of individuals;
2. Offer direct financial assistance to sustain and individual or family;
3. Be primarily rehabilitative in nature;
4. Duplicate services that are ordinarily provided by a government or government agency.

Camrose and District Support Services is governed by an autonomous Board of Directors appointed by the member municipalities comprised of two City Council representatives; two County Council representatives and one member representing the seven villages.

Board Members for 2007-2008: Harvey Benke, Ron Gritten, John Howard, Max Lindstrand and Doug Lyseng.

Each fall the CDSS Board receives proposals from a variety of programs and organizations for funding for the upcoming calendar year. The CDSS budget for 2008 is about $681, 545 of which 80% comes from the province of Alberta and 20% is the amount of matching funds required from the municipalities. Most CDSS-funded programs raise additional funding (for example, the total "global budget for 2008 exceeds $2 million) and rely on volunteer support to supplement grants received from CDSS.

CDSS operates a wide variety of programs and projects including:

• Information and Referral
• Home Support (Homemaking and Meals on Wheels)
• OSCAR (Out of School Care)
• Camrose and District Pre-school
• Volunteer Centre of Camrose and District
• Family Violence Action Society
• Family Resource Centre and Indoor Playground (A Parent Link Centre)
• Rural Community Programs (including Summer in the Park in the villages)
• Help Book (Community Resource Guide)

CDSS funds services provided by other partners:

• Boys and Girls Club (a partner of the PACE Outreach School)
• Big Brothers Big Sisters
• DARE (County and City)
• Open Door (Street Youth Outreach / Life Skills/Shelter)
• Hay Lakes Play School
• Seniors Services, such as Service Options for Seniors

The CDSS Director and/or other program directors are also active on a variety of collaborative community initiatives and working groups. Some of these have a lengthy history with formal structures; others operate temporarily to address specific needs as they arise. Current ongoing committees include:

• Child Youth and Family Services Committee
• Family Violence Response Council
• Interagency
• Seniors Coalition
• Social Planning Advisory Committee
• Stop the Violence Working Group

Hours: CDSS office hours are from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, Monday to Friday. Programs may operate a variety of hours including evenings and Saturdays. Call for information.

A directory of human services in Camrose and area, as well as rural associations within the County of Camrose and municipalities therein. For a list of associations located in the City of Camrose, contact the Camrose Chamber of Commerce.
Table of Contents

Offers Meals on Wheels and Homemaking services. Refers to private service providers where appropriate.
More Info
Table of Contents

Provide a nurturing and stimulating atmosphere to promote the use of a child's most important learning tool - that of meaningful play. Through such play, the child will gain increased self-esteem, as well as healthy growth in the areas of social, physical, intellectual, creative and emotional development.
More Info

The Outreach Program Co-ordinator organizes crafts and information sessions, newsletters, resource centre and promotes self-help and social ization. The CDSS supported "Wise Owl" program also operates from the Senior Centre.

Offers education and support programs to address concerns of parents, youth, children and strengthen the ability of families to nurture their children.
More Info
Table of Contents

Promotes the free exchange of information, concerns and solutions among human service organizions. Facilitates collaboration among members with common goals.Camrose Senior Coalition and the Child Youth, and Family Services committees operate as sub-committees of Interagency.
Table of Contents

The Community Program Director and the Rural Community Worker are available to work with communities and organizations to develop programs to meet the specific needs of groups within the communities. Some of the programs and organizations include:

• Katimavik
• Safe Park
• Volunteer of the Year Award
• Yellow Ribbon Suicide Awareness

Table of Contents

The D.A.R.E. program is instructed to Grades 3,5,6 & 8 students by members of the Camrose Police Service and RCMP. The program is designed to teach students skills to resist temptations to use drugs, and to help them solve problems without resorting to violence. More information is available from the Camrose Police Service web site.
Table of Contents

Group intervention for people experiencing family violence
More Info
Table of Contents

Provide a nurturing and stimulating atmosphere to promote the use of a child's most important learning tool - that of meaningful play. Through such play, the child will gain increased self-esteem, as well as healthy growth in the areas of social, physical, intellectual, creative and emotional development.
Table of Contents

CDSS provides information and referrals to a wide range of services.
Table of Contents

A not-for-profit youth club that provides a wide variety of programs and services for youth. Camrose Boys and Girls Club includes teen programs and Skills for Work. Camrose Boys and Girls Club is also in partnership with PACE.
Table of Contents

A special outreach ministry whose focus is to creatively and credibly respond to the needs of youth who find themselves "at risk", whether physical, psychological, emotional and/or spiritual, in an atmosphere of caring and support, in order that reconciliation may be made with families and respective communities.
Table of Contents

The OSCAR Child Care Society is an out of school care program that provides affordable, quality child care from school dismissal until 6:00 p.m..
This program is available at Jack Stuart, Chester Ronning, Sparling Schools and also serves Saint Patrick and Sifton School children.
Table of Contents

The Volunteer Centre of Camrose and District fosters a caring and connected community by promoting volunteerism, building capacity for effective local volunteering, providing leadership in the sector, and connecting people with opportunities to serve. We strive to create an even more engaged and interdependent community in which we recognize the value of one, and the power of many. Volunteer Centre of Camrose and District ... Growing Communities ... One Volunteer at a Time.

	City of CamroseWelcomeVisitorsCommunityAdministrationLeisureEngineeringProtective            We welcome your feedback Updated January 10, 2008