Image Credit: Kent Simmonds / CFJC Today

By Dylana Kneeshaw

BIG BEAR CYAC

Big Bear Child & Youth Advocacy Centre collecting donations in final push for October Month of Giving

Oct 25, 2021 | 4:28 PM

KAMLOOPS — Big Bear Child and Youth Advocacy Centre’s (CYAC) Month of Giving fundraiser is about to wrap up, but the supportive work they’re fundraising for needs to keep growing.

Tracy Scott is a clinical nurse specialist with Interior Health and is also the co-founder of Big Bear. She says the organization is trying to raise money to further help youth and families involved in child abuse investigations.

“We’re working towards full scope for a coordinator for all of our things multi-agency wise, we’re wanting to expand our mental health services, we have an advocate program to support children and families — not only through the process but after as well.”

Big Bear CYAC is a child-friendly place for multiple disciplines to work out of while investigating abuse. Co-founder and executive director Tara Ettinger says this includes organizations such as law enforcement, child protection, mental health counselling and others.

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The all-in-one format aims to minimize trauma experienced by children while disclosing abuse by reducing the amount of times a story has to be told and the amount of places victims need to go.

“What Big Bear is essentially all about is that one place that the children and families can come to instead of having to go to the police station, to the health clinic to child protection,” Ettinger explains. “All of the professionals come here and the families and children come to Big Bear and are supported at the onset.”

Scott says the need for the centre’s services is great. Since opening in the spring, hundreds of youth have come through its doors. And according to Big Bear’s data, there are far more children out there who haven’t disclosed abuse.

“If we look at the Interior Health region for example we’ve got approximately 133,000 children. If you did the stats, that would recognize at least 47,000 children impacted by violence in our region annually,” explains Scott.

The next phase of the centre’s opening plan would see the Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect Clinic that operates out of Royal Inland Hospital move to the less-clinical feeling space at Big Bear. Ettinger notes they’ve already noticed the benefits of having the singular service building, and hope to raise money so they can expand on it.

Big Bear’s month of giving will be an annual fundraiser, and the inaugural event was kickstarted by a $10,000 donation from local philanthropist Ralph Warner of Warner Rentals.

“It’s just been so beautiful to watch children and families coming to Big Bear,” Ettinger notes. “First initially feeling nervous, absolutely, and then once they enter Big Bear and see the decorations and see how it’s all set up Big Bear style, it’s wonderful having them come in.”

With that need in mind, Big Bear is hoping to complete its fundraiser on a high note. The organization will be hosting an appreciation event in November to celebrate youth and remind the community who they’re working for.

Scott says Big Bear’s fourth annual Bright Lights for Our Children and Youth event will be held November 5 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Riverside Park.

“Its just a really good opportunity to thank our public, our community for supporting these children and really to just celebrate children of all backgrounds that are coming, no matter why they’re coming to us, just to really celebrate our young ones and our youth.”