Nov
12
James Bay Community School
By Darcy Topinka
Since 1977 the James Bay Community School Society (JBCSS) has successfully promoted the ideals of community education through a community school model that has been emulated throughout the province. The JBCS was one of two schools to be first designated a Community school in BC. Community schools have extended hours, extended services, and extended relationships. They bring the community into the school and they also serve the community. They are elementary or secondary schools with a special emphasis on the value of community involvement. (Ace-BC)
Community schools are an important cornerstone in building healthy engaged communities. The JBCSS has a proven track record, delivering three decades of community development and engagement. Examples of our categorical involvement over the past three decades include early learning, afterschool and summer programs, family support, supporting school goals, enhancing student learning, community, and continuing education, and finally, allowing for community use of the school. Our longevity and success is because all levels of government recognize our important contribution to the community. James Bay and Victoria residents have also become loyal consumers of our diverse programs and services. Our unique model allows families to meet their child care needs, and for people of all ages to engage in recreational and leisure pursuits.
These days news bites are filled with economic gloom and doom, all of which take a toll on even the most stable family; bleak economic forecasts do little to boost confidence in spending. Global and local economies are in constant flux, growing one year, shrinking the next. The forever changing political landscape, coupled with outgoing and incoming policy makers, leaves not-for-profits dangling in a precarious position. Many executive directors might be asking the question, is this the year we are deemed unnecessary, irrelevant, cost prohibitive? It would seem that the JBCSS has been tested over the years and this year is no exception.
Thankfully operating grants and subsidies have remained available to the organization. Although competition for shrinking dollars has risen we continue to make a strong case for the ongoing need for funding community initiatives within the school and centre. From year to year we see sources of revenue diminish and other opportunities for revenue generation occasionally appear. As we approach our 40th year of building partnerships there is much to be proud of, much to celebrate, and as always within the context of the not-for-profit realm of program and service delivery, there is much to be cautious about.
So what keeps us going? Why are we still here? The organization's viability and strength to move forward is found in the residents of James Bay who, as members of our society, support us in so many ways. We are indebted to our amazing volunteers who fortify our ability to deliver programs from week to week. Dedicated employees who care about the people they serve and the quality of the work they perform collectively provide a framework for success. The added support from the business community and our community partners who work along side us in serving our clients is critical to our success and survival. The joint efforts and contributions from the City of Victoria and School District #61 gives that added boost to strengthen the facility operationally and fund key staff positions.
You may or may not be aware of the fact that municipal and school tax dollars support community centres in the form of grants and subsidies. On a daily basis I witness the positive outcomes of this support, through community engagement, and connecting people to their neighborhood by providing a place to gather and to be supportive of each other. As all these layers of support come together we are left with a safe nurturing place for all, a place where children grow and learn, a place where even three-year-olds recognize they belong.