Cherryville Food & Resources Resource Center News ECHO Presentation – Rural Approach to Compassionate Communities

ECHO Presentation – Rural Approach to Compassionate Communities

Check out this YouTube video presented by Meghan Derkach, Executive Director at Cherryville Community Food and Resource Society.

(1318) A Rural Approach to the Compassionate Community Model – YouTube

Bio: My name is Meghan Derkach, and I was born and raised in a rural community called Cherryville. I have always been an advocate for social justice and equity since a young age. When I was 18, I was having lunch with a group of older adults who were sharing their frustrations about having to leave the Cherryville community because there weren’t enough resources for them to live independently and I remember feeling absolutely broken hearted about it. That was the moment I realized I wanted to support Cherryville aging and pursued a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work with a Concentration in Aging. I was drawn to the aging-in-place model, community development and looked to age-friendly community literature. However, being rural has its unique challenges and many of the “making an age friendly community” infrastructure wasn’t relatable. Working with older adults I soon came to realize you cannot support aging-in-place without addressing access to health care as they are overlapping systems. I then pursued a Health-Focused Master’s in Social Work through University of Waterloo to better understand the complexity behind health care and how to better support rural aging in place.  During this time, I was volunteering at Cherryville Food Bank and started expanding its reach to include resources and services to all residents. In 2021 I assumed the Executive Director position after strengthening our organizational and financial health and obtaining multiple grants. 2021 we officially changed our name to include resources as we expanded our vision and mission to meet the needs of all rural residents. Fast forward to 2024, we have implemented a range of services and resources to support rural living for youth, low-income families, persons living with disabilities, older adults, and a variety of community engagement events. In early January, we started to focus on Cherryville residents who had complex health conditions and or living with life limiting illness to advocate for better access to health care within community. These conversations led us to BC Centre for Palliative Care Seed Grant as the Compassionate Community model aligned perfectly with our growing vision and mission. I am excited to share a little more about this grant and how it has unfolded in the Cherryville community.

Related Post

Employment Opportunity – FilledEmployment Opportunity – Filled

Job Title: Community Outreach Worker

Community: Cherryville

Status: part-time (15hrs per week) start May 15th, 2021 – May 15th 2022 (possibility for more hours depending on funding)

Position Summary

The Community Outreach Worker will work at the Cherryville Community Food & Resources building providing information and support to inquiring individuals. A focus on working with the aging population and volunteer recruitment and coordination is a priority. The Community Outreach Worker will work closely with our team to grow the organization and implement services that meet the unique needs of our community.

Education, Training, and Experience:

  • Bachelor of Social Work, Human Service Certification, or undergraduate degree in related field
  • Experience working in community, familiar with Cherryville area an asset
  • Knowledge and experience of working with aging population is preferred
  • Valid BC Driver’s License as well as a clear driver abstract and access to personal vehicle for work related purposes
  • Satisfactory Criminal Record Check with Vulnerable Sector
  • Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to build strong, collaborative relationships
  • Technical skills a requirement (computer savvy, able to use excel and word, etc.)

Work Performed

Duties and Responsibilities for this position include:

  • Providing information and referral through phone calls, drop-ins (once safe to do), and one-on-one appointments
  • Recruiting, screening, and coordinating volunteers
  • Tracking and reporting (maintain call log, compiling data, taking notes/records, etc.)
  • Checking in with ED on regular basis, give reports and provide data, discuss common needs/concerns of the community
  • Networking and facilitating/strengthening relationships with community partners and stakeholders
  • Pursue and support community development opportunities
  • Experience working in a setting where confidentiality is required
  • Must adhere to COVID-19 guidelines, policy, and protocols

Hours

This is a part-time position, consisting of 15 hours per week at 21.00/hour (includes MERCS). This position is secure for one year with the potential to continue depending on funding availability. Hours can be moved around to fit schedule of Community Outreach Worker.

Qualified applicants are invited to submit resume with at least two references by email to:

Meghan Derkach, Executive Director at meghan.derkach@hotmail.com

We thank all applicants for their interest in this position, please note only the applicants under consideration will be scheduled an interview.

 

Arts & CultureArts & Culture

Reflecting on our incredibly creative and fun year so far with our Cherryville kiddos! Huge shout out to Stephanie Bellows for making a huge difference in our Cherryville community and offering a range of engaging Arts & Culture sessions for our youth.

Explore the Continents (September-October): Discovering art from around the world! Cherryville youth explored traditional folk art techniques from Africa, South America, North America, Australia and more, working on cool multi cultural creations as they learn more about the world around them.

Elements of Art (November-December): Exploring all the elements of art! Line, Shape, Value, Form, Colour & Texture

Recycled City (January-February): Focusing on inspiring and encouraging students to use their imagination and work together with their peers in creating a masterpiece called Recycled City. Touching on the importance of recycling and find opportunities within these sessions to work on self esteem, inter-personal skills and relationship building. Focusing on effort and accomplishments, teaching positive self-talk, encouragement to try new things and setting goals.