Family & Community Support Services (FCSS)

In Okotoks, FCSS supports the following partnerships and programs:

• Okotoks Family Resource Centre
• Volunteer Resource Centre
• Local Non-Profit Organizations through FCSS Grants
• Community Access Program (subsidized transportation)
• Healthy Okotoks Coalition
• United Way/Okotoks Partnership
• Life Skills Programs (offered through Community Programs)
• Okotoks Youth Centre
• Okotoks School Age Care Centre
• Foothills Regional Interagency
• Community Consultations on Social Issues  

Local municipal governments and the provincial Ministry of Children & Youth Services provide provincial funding that is matched with local tax dollars on an 80/20 share basis. The funding is then used to support and develop locally-driven preventive social services initiatives.

The programs depend on community resources, often involving volunteers, and are intended to help individuals adopt healthy lifestyles to improve their quality of life and build the capacity to prevent and/or deal with crises should they arise.

Each municipality determines how the dollars they receive should be allocated to meet the needs of their community best, so FCSS programs are unique to each community.

Various funding opportunities exist for both social agencies and residents to access and/or support social services in our community. 

Agencies

Various grants and funding are available for non-profit community organizations and social service groups who are involved in the delivery of preventive social services to residents in Okotoks. The following page is set up to help organizations learn more about funding opportunities, how to apply, grant timelines, criteria and requirements.

Learn more

Individuals

The Okotoks Family Resource Centre (OFRC) is the best place to start for getting connected with community financial support services and resources. OFRC also offers several financial support programs throughout the year.

Find out More

Working with the Social Wellness Framework Steering Committee, a consultant developed a framework to guide the Town in building a safe, connected, caring, and creative community.

Social wellness is one of three components of community sustainability, integrating and overlapping with economic and environmental sustainability. The Town of Okotoks has embraced a commitment to a sustainable future, which is embodied in its Vision Statement.

The results include:

• A set of indicators that may be tracked over time to monitor and report on the state of social wellness in Okotoks.
• A framework for action on social wellness that includes recommendations to address the issues and concerns related to social wellness.
• A clear understanding of community values with respect to the aspects of social wellness identified.
• A map of programs and services offered in Okotoks that have an impact on social wellness, including the nature and extent of unmet demand for programs and services.

View the framework

In January 2010, the Town of Okotoks embarked on a process to develop a Social Wellness Framework.

FCSS Committee Meetings are open to the public and are held the first Wednesday of each month from 7  to 9 p.m. Please contact FCSS if you are interested in attending a meeting.

View meetings and agenda

Foothills Regional Interagency group is hosted by Okotoks, High River, Turner Valley, Foothills County and Black Diamond FCSS and is for regional representatives from agencies, organizations, and businesses that provide services to individuals and families.

These monthly meeting offer service providers an opportunity to network, discuss important local social issues, develop partnerships, avoid duplication of services, and resource sharing.

Please contact us to be included on the newsletter distribution list, or to have information included in the next agenda package.

Get the Word Out! We help you promote your volunteer opportunities

Does your business, agency, group, organization or non-profit need volunteers? If your organization relies on volunteers we can help! Learn more about the services and support the Volunteer Resource Centre provides.