About Big Water Society

The Big Water Society is a community-based volunteer organization founded in March of 1996 to establish community counselling and child advocacy services in the community of Atlin, BC.

The Society was jointly founded by the Taku River Tlingit First Nation (TRTFN) Health and Social Programs, RCMP, Atlin School, child advocates, and concerned community members in order to fulfill the need for full-time locally-based community services.  Funding was originally provided by several different BC health/family Ministries funneled through the Ministry for Children and Families conduit. Over the years, the provincial contract has passed to various Ministries for administration.  Currently, the community counselling portion of our Society operations is funded via a contract with Northern Health Authority.  We in turn contract with a professional counsellor to maintain the community counsellor services.  Though the Big Water Society office is located in the Courthouse, the Counsellor has a separate office nearby to assist in maintaining client confidentiality.

Big Water Society is proud to be one of the 12 charities selected to receive a portion of the Citizens Bank of Canada 2006 Shared Interest Grant.

Big Water Society thanks The McLean Foundation for their recent generous donation.

In October 2008, Big Water Society was presented with the 2008 Solicitor General Service Club Award. This award is based on the value of services to the community for activities that increase individual skills and wellness, and help prevent or reduce crime.

Big Water Society’s mandate includes “healthy youth activities”.  With no designated Teen activity site outside of school, this was difficult to fulfill.  Under the able direction of then-Chair Bob Couchman, BWS began a campaign to build a youth centre.  Bob was successful in obtaining BC Spirit funding and along with Community support, expertise, energy and donations was able to bring the vision into reality.  All this community-based work resulted in Atlin Teen Centre being constructed (1998-2003) and opened in January of 2003.  The cheerful full house at the opening event was confirmation that teens were happy to have a place of their own to get together and community members were pleased have their teens participating in safe supervised activities.

See Services for Current Community Counsellor, Liaison/Justice, and Teen Program Services.

BWS Staff:  Nan Love, Executive Coordinator | Office phone/fax  250-651-2460
Office location:The Society office is located in the Judge's Chamber of the original Courthouse, 170 2nd St, near 2nd & Pearl Streets in downtown Atlin.

Administers society operations including community and youth activities and liaison, office support, and tasks as directed by the Board. See Directors for the current Board of Directors.

As part of our youth-oriented services, BWS offers Junior Canadian Rangers limited use of the BWS office for communications and event planning.  Junior Canadian Rangers offers a structured and cooperative environment for winter camping activities and wilderness survival, as well as other training such as sharpshooting, where all youth can gather and learn exciting new skills. The Junior Rangers often gather at the Teen Centre for meetings and non-wilderness events.  See Services – Youth Services for more information about Atlin Teen Centre.

Photo by Hein de Vries

The BWS also supports Atlin Arts and Music Festival by offering limited use of our office for event organization and planning. The entire courthouse is the venue for the Atlin Artists Gallery during the Festival. This annual event draws over a thousand music- and art-lovers to this small community for an unbeatable weekend of dancing, strolling, hiking, boating, and internationally-known artists and musicians.

BWS maintains an interest in the community-wide family support worker service which came into existence in 2000 via a joint TRTFN/BWS proposal.  This position is administered by Taku River Tlingit First Nation Health and Social Programs.