The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is spreading globally and there have been growing instances of COVID-19 spreading in communities in British Columbia and across Canada. As a result, Canadian public health authorities have escalated measures to slow the spread of the COVID-19.
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses found mostly in animals. In humans, they can cause diseases ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). The disease caused by the new coronavirus has been named COVID-19.
Essential information
- MPSSG COVID-19 Victim Services and Violence Against Women Support Fund (Aug 5) – Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General
- Temporary Pandemic Pay for Victim Service and Violence against Women Programs: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) – Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General
- UPDATE – B.C.’s Temporary Pandemic Pay Program (July 8) – BC Government
- B.C. COVID-19 Temporary Pandemic Pay (June 11) – BC Government
- Community social services (non-residential) and COVID-19 safety – WorkSafe BC
- Community social services (residential): Protocols for returning to operation – WorkSafe BC
- Women’s Shelters Canada Receives Historic $4.5 Million Donation from the Rogers Family
- Pandemic pay supports front-line health, social service workers – BC Government
- COVID-19 Safety Plan Checklist – WorkSafe BC
- Offices: Protocols for returning to operation – WorkSafe BC
- In-person counselling: Protocols for returning to operation – WorkSafe BC
- BC COVID-19 Go Forward Strategy (May 6, 2020) – BC Government
- Go Forward Strategy Checklist (May 6, 2020) – BC Government
- Go Forward Strategy Technical Briefing (May 6, 2020) – BC Government
- Go Forward Strategy: COVID Recovery Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation (May 5, 2020)
- BC COVID-19 Self-Assessment Tool – BC Government
- COVID19 Financial Government Support
Funding opportunities
- COVID-19 Emergency Support for Community Organizations – Canadian Red Cross (Application Deadline Aug 31)
Resources for Housing Providers
- Supporting people who use substances in shelter settings during the COVID‑19 pandemic – Canadian Research Initiative in Substance Misuse
- COVID-19 and People Experiencing Homelessness: Challenges and Mitigation Strategies – Canadian Medical Association Journal
- COVID-19 Return to Work Planning Guide – BCNPHA
- BC Restart Plan Summary (May 15, 2020) – BCSTH
- Pandemic Intake Assessment Flow Chart Template – BCSTH
- Intake Process During Pandemic Template – BCSTH
- Resident Information During Pandemic Template – BCSTH
- Quarantine Protocol for Residents Template – BCSTH
- Hotel Stay Guidelines Template – BCSTH
- PPE in Shelter Isolation & Quarantine Settings – Canadian Alliances to End Homelessness
- Promising Practices for Transitional Housing Programs Responding to a Pandemic – BCSTH
- Using Shared Laundry Facilities During the COVID-19 Pandemic – National Collaborating Centres for Environmental Health
- COVID-19 Precautions for Multi-unit Residential Buildings – National Collaborating Centres for Environmental Health
- Guidance for providers of services for people experiencing homelessness in the context of COVID-19 – Government of Canada
- Infection Prevention & Control Resources for Homelessness Service Settings – City of Toronto
- Privacy Emergency Kit Sharing information during an emergency – Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
French Resources
- Plan en cas de pandémie
- Plan de continuité des services en cas de pandémie des maisons d’aide et d’hébergement lavalloises
- Plan de continuité des services des maisons en cas de sinistre
Resources for Anti-Violence Workers
- Yoga + Grounding Resources for PEACE, Outreach and Transition House program staff (anti-violence workers) – BCSTH
- BC Restart Plan Guidance for PEACE Programs – BCSTH
- Coercive Control during COVID-19: New Tactics – Battered Justice Women’s Project
- Resources on Gender-Based Violence and the COVID-19 Pandemic – VAW Learning Network
- Free COVID-19 Resources – CTRI
- Parliamentary secretary’s statement on safe spaces for people leaving violence – BC Government
- Interim Guidance to Social Service Providers for the Prevention and Control of COVID-19 in their Facilities (April 4, 2020) – BC Ministry of Health
- Staying Safe During COVID-19 – National Domestic Violence Hotline
- Feminist Resources on the Pandemic – Centre for Feminist Foreign Policy
- Access to Childcare for Essential Service Workers During COVID19
Resources for Children & Youth
- Promising Practices – Examples for PEACE Programs Responding to Health Crisis – BCSTH NEW!
- Activities for Virtual and Socially Distanced PEACE Counselling Sessions and Summer Camp Ideas – BCSTH NEW!
- 12 Free picture books about Coronavirus – Decoda Literacy Solutions
- Youth Homelessness: Mental Health and Substance Use During COVID-19 – Canadian Institutes of Health Research
- Power and Social Control of Youth during the COVID-19 Pandemic – Leisure Sciences
- Example of setting up for a remote PEACE session
- Delivering PEACE Program Support Groups Online During Covid19
- Dice Game
- Information and Resources to Support PEACE Counsellors during Covid19 (Updated June 2020)
- 6 Trauma-Sensitive Yoga & Mindfulness Tools to Support Youth
- 3 Tools for You and Your Children & Teens to Manage Anxiety
- Keep Children Safe from Online Sexual Exploitation & Abuse During the Pandemic – VAW Learning Network
- Guidelines for Parenting During COVID-19 Health Crisis – Rise Women’s Legal Centre
- Information and Resources to Support PEACE Counsellors during Covid-19
- Information and Resources to Support Parents during Covid-19
- Mental Health, Substance Use and Grief & Separation Resources for Children and Youth
- Visual for coping in a pandemic
- Samples of minute to win it games
- Maintaining Connections and Facilitating Access for Children, Youth and Families – MCFD
- PEACE Program Home Package [Word Doc]
Resources for Indigenous Communities
- First Nations Health Authority
- Metis Nation BC
- BC Aboriginal ChildCare Society: Resources for Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care – Navigating Covid-19
- Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Indigenous Women and Girls in Canada – FAFIA & Dr. Pamela Palmater, Chair in Indigenous Governance at Ryerson University
- Resources for Children and Youth – First Nations Child & Family Caring Society
- Resources and Supports for First Nations, Metis and Inuit Families During the Covid 19 Pandemic – BC Council for Families
- COVID19 Resources for Indigenous Peoples – Indigenous Climate Action
- Traditional Indigenous Kinship Practices at Home: Being Child-Centered During the Pandemic – Indigenous Motherhood
- Think Indigenous – Online Indigenous Education K-8
Tech-Safety Resources
- Seeking Help Online: Safety and Privacy Considerations for Women Experiencing Violence – BCSTH
- BCSTH PEACE Program Template: Informed Consent for Digital Support Services – BCSTH
- Use of Digital Services Technology to Support Program Participants During a Public Health Crisis – BCSTH
- Digital Services Communication Platforms: Comparison Chart for BC’s Anti-Violence Programs – BCSTH
- Digital Services Toolkit – BCSTH
- NNEDV: Using Technology to Communicate with Survivors During a Public Health Crisis – Technology Safety
Legal Resources
- Family law cases addressing the COVID-19 pandemic – JP Boyd
- COVID-19 and Family Law Video – JP Boyd
- COVID-19 Legal Questions – BC Government
- Guidelines for Parenting during COVID-19 Health Crisis – Rise Women’s Legal Centre
- Covid-19 Resources for British Columbians – Clicklaw
- COVID19 Legal Resources – BC Government
- Your Existing Family Order During the Covid-19 Pandemic – YWCA Legal Education Program
- Overview of Legal Aid BC, LABC, online and remote services available in response to Covid-19
Webinars
Upcoming
- Aug 13 CRA One-time payment to Canadians living with disabilities Canada Revenue Agency NEW!
- Aug 19 CRA One-time payment to Canadians living with disabilities Canada Revenue Agency NEW!
- Aug 26 CRA One-time payment to Canadians living with disabilities Canada Revenue Agency NEW!
- Sep 1 CRA One-time payment to Canadians living with disabilities Canada Revenue Agency NEW!
Recorded
- Mar 18 COVID-19 and Indigenous Communities – Indigenous Climate Action & Idle No More
- Mar 18 Preparing homelessness services for coronavirus – Canadian Network for the Health and Housing of People Experiencing Homelessness
- Mar 19 Coronavirus Outbreak Health and Safety in the Shelter Context – HSABC
- Mar 24 Tackling Your Top Concerns About Coronavirus – HRDownloads
- Mar 25 Coronavirus and Women’s Shelters: Planning, preparation and response to the COVID-19 pandemic – GNWS and the Asian Network of Women’s Shelters
- Apr 3 Q & A from WTHSP Webinar with Minister Robinson and Parliamentary Secretary Mitzi Dean
- Apr 8 Using Technology to Support Victims During a Public Health Crisis – GNWS
- Apr 15 Using Technology to Support Victims During a Public Health Crisis – GNWS
- Apr 17 Consideration for Anti-Violence Programs Using Technology During the COVID-19 Pandemic – BCSTH
- Apr 22 Serving survivors with COVID-19 — sharing success stories and challenges from around the world – GNWS
- Apr 24 Considerations for Anti-Violence Programs Starting An Online Chat Crisis Line – BCSTH
- Apr 28 Family Law During COVID-19 for BC’s Anti-Violence Workers – BCSTH
- Apr 29 Supporting Women at a Distance During COVID-19: Updates from Australia and New Zeland – GNWS
- May 1 Delivering Peace Program Support Sessions Remotely During Covid-19 – BCSTH
- May 1 Burnout and Overwhelm: Leadership Tools for Staff Wellness During the Coronavirus Crisis – HSABC
- May 5 COVID-19 – Refusal of Unsafe Work – BC Government
- May 8 Yoga, self-care and grounding practices – BCSTH
- May 12 Implications for Fundraising for VAW Shelters during COVID-19 – WSC
- May 15 Women’s Transition Housing and Supports Programs Update – BCSTH & BC Housing
- May 22 Delivering PEACE Program Support Groups Remotely During COVID-19 – BCSTH
- June 9 Going Forward: Protection Orders, Peace Bonds and Access to BC Courts During COVID-19 – BCSTH & Legal Aid BC
- June 17 Going Forward: Reopening Thrift Stores Inline with BC’s Restart Plan and WorkSafe BC – BCSTH
- June 22 Building Resiliency During Uncertain Times – BCSTH & Turning Point Resolutions
- June 26 Cedar Blankets and Providing Support During Pandemic Times – BCSTH
- June 29 Online Communication Training for Anti-Violence Workers – BCSTH
- Aug 12 Allocation of COVID 19 Supplies (Slides) – COVID19 Supply Hub NEW!