About Us
Who we are?
Castlegar Community Services Society is a registered Not-For-Profit with BC Societies and registered Canadian Charity Registered S0017930. We offer a wide and diverse range of people with various programs, from long-range counselling to short- term groups. We work primarily in Castlegar with some programs stretching beyond and into outlying areas and districts.
Our History
Established in 1979, the formally known as Castlegar and District Community Services Society, now called Castlegar Community Services Society (or Castlegar Community Services, CCS) has grown into a key local non profit agency delivering a wide range of essential social support programs across the Castlegar region. Over the decades, CCS has expanded services to include counselling, women’s and youth supports, housing advocacy, Safe Home shelter programming, Seniors “Better at Home,” the West Kootenay Volunteer Driver Program, Sexual Abuse Intervention, and more—serving vulnerable populations including survivors of violence, isolated seniors, families, and youth. In 2024, after over 30 years at its North Castlegar site, CCS relocated its head office to 1695 Columbia Avenue, near Safeway, aiming for greater accessibility and improved service delivery in the community.
Mission
Guided by our commitment to safety and inclusivity, we strive to improve the quality of people’s lives by working collaboratively with others, advocating for social change, and by providing a range of supports and services that build resilience, safety, connection, knowledge, and well-being.
Our Values
What we stand by in our day to day operations.
1.
In working for social change and a healthy environment – that preventing problems is as important as addressing them
2.
That diversity brings richness to society – that all persons should be treated equally and without prejudice
3.
That all people should live free from violence
4.
That when facilitating change, working from strengths is more effective than simply working on problems
5.
That our clients can reach their potential as vital members of the community
Vision
We envision a safe, inclusive, compassionate, and proactive community where everyone has access to services and supports that are coordinated and delivered with dignity and respect. People feel a sense of belonging to their community and have opportunities to engage in civic life and connect to their culture.
Service
Philosophy
In carrying out our work, we will:
1.
Provide our services in a client-centered, strengths-based, timely, well-coordinated and professional manner;
2.
Respect each person’s inherent dignity, choice, and their right to confidentiality and informed consent;
3.
Work towards accessibility, reducing barriers to service, and developing and organizing services to meet the needs of a culturally diverse community;
4.
Working intentionally with other individuals and groups to achieve success by forming networks, coalitions, partnerships and collaborating on a local and regional basis.
Leadership Team
Reidun Rosi
Executive Director
Christy Peters
Finance Manager
Zoë Dowdall
Manager of Administration & Systems
Tanya Makasoff
Property Manager
Sandi McCreight
Manager of Seniors Services
Deb McIntosh
Manager of Shelter & Street Outreach
Strategic Plan
1. Organizational Stability & Sustainability
To create a foundation of stability in the areas of finances, human resources, and service delivery that will provide people with a sense of confidence, security, and optimism during times of change; and to prevent the depletion or degradation of resources so that a sufficient supply is there to meet the organization’s mission in the long-term.
2. Organizational Accountability
To create organizational systems that demonstrate how the organization is taking ownership of its outcomes as well as how it is working towards improving future outcomes.
3. Prioritize Current Programming Obligations
To focus the organization’s efforts on exploring all of the opportunities for excellence in service delivery within the current programming obligations before engaging in new areas of growth or development.
4. Establish Four Pillars of Expertise for Service Delivery
To focus our expertise and service delivery in the areas of housing for safety and security, counselling and supports for trauma, services that promote a sense of belonging and inclusion, and services that connect people through relevant information and referrals.