Services

Big Water Society fulfills its mandate of "community wellness and healthy youth activities" in three significant ways:

• we maintain a contract with a well-qualified professional who provides counselling services to anyone in the community
• we provide a local liaison and justice worker to provide consistent court followup and support in the community
• we maintain a welcoming and safe gathering centre for teens and provide supervised youth activities

Counselling Services

Confidential, professional counselling services are available to anyone in the community of Atlin, at no charge.  For an appointment, call 250-651-2189.

Our Community Counsellor, Rick Newberry, MSW, has over 15 years experience as a psychotherapist and has a broad range of skills to bring to each client’s situation. 

Mr. Newberry’s expertise includes treating emotional, physical, sexual, and residential school trauma.  He also provides treatment for depression, anxiety, substance abuse and addictions, and abusive relationships. 

The Counsellor’s Office has recently relocated to the Taku River Tlingit Social Programs building next to the TRT band office at the south end of town. Parking is available.  Confidential phone: 250-651-2189.

This full-time position is funded via the Northern Health Authority and complies with BC's Northern Health Authority requirements regarding service standards and professional certification.

In addition to the local full-time counselling services, NHA sponsors a professional psychiatrist's consulting visits two times during the school year. Dr. Ainsworth has many years of experience in his own private practice and is also a part of the Health Care Team at BC Children's Hospital. He is a certified Child Psychiatrist and provides consulting services via Atlin School. For more information on Dr. Ainsworth's visits to Atlin, contact the Atlin School office at 250-651-7525.

Liaison & Justice Services

We have recently added Probations Liaison/Aboriginal Justice Worker services. This contract will provide consistent local probation support and liaison with BC's Community Corrections Branch. The goal is to assist in ensuring the best achievable outcomes for both those on probation and for the health of the community. Messages for the Probations Liaison person, Stephanie Town, can be left at 250-651-2460.

Youth Services

Big Water Society was very pleased to receive the Solicitor General Service Club Award in October 2008, recognizing the success of our services and programs. Big Water Society’s mandate includes “healthy youth activities”.  With no designated Teen activity site outside of school, this was difficult to fulfill.  In 1998, BWS began mobilizing resources to remedy this situation.  The resulting Atlin Teen Centre opened in 2003.  The 30X50 foot building includes an office, washrooms, utility room, the open Hall and storage for activity-related materials and supplies.

We are very proud of our Teen Centre Activities Program, which operated on a volunteer basis until Fall 2005.  "Teens" include youth 10-18, with the majority of activities geared to age/friendship groupings of 10-13 and 14-18.  Although the BWS administers the building and the Program, it was only in 2005 that we were able to implement a year-round youth program.

Vancouver Foundation, Mounted Police Foundation, BC Hydro, and BC Gaming Commission have generously contributed funding that has supported our Teen Activities Program during the last 7 years.  Our Activities Program Coordinators share responsibilities for indoor, outdoor, winter and summer activities and excursions. The contact number at the Teen Centre office is 250-651-2178.

To create a warm and welcoming atmosphere, many items of furniture, along with games and puzzles, were donated by the community.  There are cozy couches, fragrant house plants, a fridge, convection oven and 2-burner stovetop for snack preparation, a music system, facilities for Movie Night, tables and chairs for conversations or meetings, and reference books.  A unique mix of donated magazines include Smitsonian, National Geographic, Canadian Geographic, Snowboarder, New Scientist, Time Magazine, outdoor-oriented articles, and teen health information.  Whether a teen is looking for quiet personal time, challenging games or exciting excursions, Atlin Teen Centre has something to offer. 

Youth activities have included Cross Country skiing, canoeing, Pool, Ping-Pong, artwork, games and puzzles, sewing and crafts, nature walks and hiking, decorating GingerBread Houses, Movie Nights, and quiet conversations.

The Teen Centre hall is available as a rental venue for community events as well as youth activities.  Rate: $10 per hour.  Minimum-$10. The revenue from hall rentals is used to pay for heating, water and septic services, cleaning and maintenance. The barrier-free access ramp has been a welcome addition and we appreciate the care Bob's Contracting took to work around our Teen Program schedule. We are very pleased to offer a space that is as convenient as possible for community meetings and events.

We were proud to support the Recycling Program while it was operating. The program provided a number of fund-raising opportunities for the Teen Centre, Rec Centre, and Atlin School, as well as raising community awareness about waste disposal issues.

Big Water Society also assists in promoting, funding and presenting an annual award for civic leadership, the Brett Milos Memorial Award.  This award includes a modest bursary and a plaque with the names of all recipients which is displayed at the Teen Centre.  The Memorial Award celebrates the life of Brett Milos, who died tragically at age 19.  He was a good friend, a good leader and model for other youth.  The award emphasizes modeling good personal standards, community spirit and civic responsibility rather than focusing only on academic achievement.  The ninth award was presented in 2009. This year's award nominations are still open. As always, we greatly appreciate the positive support for local youth that Mrs. Milos and the trustees provide through this award.

Glacier trip, June 2006. Photos by Eugene Hoyano

©2006 Big Water Societybanner photo by Diana Thayerdesigned by Aerobic Design