What we do together makes the difference

Our H.E.A.R.T. is our difference


We endeavour to ensure the safety and well-being of children by working with and supporting all Indigenous families while respecting their cultural diversity.

While we operate in the Stó:lō territory, we work with Indigenous children and families residing in the Fraser Valley. Our programs help provide stability, cultural learning, development, and community.

We must be able to respect ourselves if we are going to live a good and decent life. If we do not respect all our ancestors among the people and the other creatures, then we do not respect ourselves and we cannot feel the heartbeat of all the life around us. When we feel the life around us, we respect the past and the present and we can live in a humble way, as equals among all the creatures. This is how we understand the wonderful but fragile cycle of life and death on this Earth. It is our duty to pass on this understanding and to hope that our grandchildren will pass it on to others.


– Rene Point Bolton, Xwelίqwiya,
The Life of a Stó:lō Matriarch

Fraser Valley Service Area

FVACFSS operates in conjunction with 17 member communities.

Geographic Service Region

Our Geographic Service Area (GSA) covers Yale to the East, Langley/Surrey Ministry Fraser Region boundary on the West (196th Street), Maple Ridge/Mission Ministry Fraser Region boundary on the North (Wilson Street) and the Canadian/US border to the South, including the communities of Member First Nations, and does not include the communities of non-Member First Nations, as set out in the map.

WHAT WE DO

Fraser Valley Aboriginal Children and Family Services Society (FVACFSS) is a fully delegated Indigenous child welfare agency providing culturally appropriate and holistic services through prevention, community development and child welfare programs to Indigenous (Status, Non-Status, In Community, Out-Of Community, Stó:lō and other First Nation, Inuit, and Métis) children, youth and their families residing throughout the Fraser Valley.

You may hear us use the terms FVACFSS and Xyólheméylh interchangeably. FVACFSS has established programs guided under the name “Xyólheméylh,” which is a Halq’eméylem word that was given to us that describes the special relationship between someone who requires care, and someone who provides care. It describes a relationship based on CARING, RESPECT and LOVE.

Our programs and services are created and executed with a special attention on strengthening culture and identity. We focus on keeping families together, reintegrating children back with their families, and discovering and strengthening cultural connections.

Xyólheméylh is a non-profit service delivery organization incorporated under the Societies Act and governed by a Board of Directors comprised of nine individuals elected by members of our Stakeholder communities. We are a public society, and you can become a member if you are an Indigenous person over the age of 18 and reside within one of our 17 member communities or an urban area within our geographic service area. To join, just download the form below, fill it out, and return it to us!

OUR MANDATE

Xyólheméylh provides culturally appropriate and holistic services through prevention, community development and child welfare programs to Indigenous children, youth and their families residing within one of our 17 member communities or an urban area within our geographic service area.

Our
Vision

Healthy and safe families.

Our
Mission

We support Indigenous families and communities to ensure the safety and well-being of children while respecting cultural diversity.

OUR CORE VALUES

Honour

We honour generations of diverse traditions and cultures.

Engage

We engage and foster safe family ties and cultural connections in the best interests of the child.

Accountable

We are accountable to children, families, communities, stakeholders, and each other.

Respect

We respect our roots in xaxa témexw te Stó:lō

Trust

We trust in the ability of our children and families to grow and develop in a healthy way.

THIS IS OUR HEART

Our H.E.A.R.T values are based on the 7 Sacred Teachings (also called the 7 Grandfather Teachings) and are at the core of our values and how we approach every situation, every day.

Our vision is to advance our inherent right to provide a healthy, safe and nurturing environment for all our indigenous children within our Stó:lô xaxa temexw. Our H.E.A.R.T values help us realize this vision.

 
Salish Turtle
Honour S’olhstexw
We honour generations of diverse traditions and cultures.
Salish Whale
Engage Lexws’ó:les qas Yóyestel
(Be willing to do one’s work) (Working together)

We engage and foster safe family ties and cultural connections in the best interests of the child.
Salish Raven
Accountable Telómelthet
(Acknowledge)

We are accountable to children, families, communities, stakeholders, and each other.
Salish Bear
Respect Ólhet
(Respect someone)

We respect our roots in xaxa témexw te Stó:lō
Salish Wolf
Trust Q’élmet
We trust in the ability of our children and families to grow and develop in a healthy way.