What does FCSS do?

We provide the following services to over 200 FCSS Programs across Alberta:

1. Strengthen and maintain a structured system of networking and sharing of information and expertise amongst communities, boards and staffs.
2. Investigate and pursue common issues and concerns affecting municipal preventive social programs and those boards duly appointed by a local authority to administer such programs.
3. Advocate on behalf of local communities and programs to the general public, municipal governments, regional service/government bodies, provincial agencies and authorities and national agencies and authorities.
4. Provide orientation and education to individuals, communities, boards and staff via conferences, training events, newsletters and information included in the Resource Bank.
5. Provide, where possible, assistance regarding concerns or issues of a local or regional nature, and when specifically requested, to individual FCSS boards or other boards to be appointed by local authorities to provide preventive social programs.
6. Develop critical tools to assist communities and programs to meet local mandates and needs.

The FCSSAA is an incorporated non-profit society.  It receives its income from membership fees and a grant from the Ministry.  In 2019, 185 of the 206 FCSS programs in the province are members of the FCSSAA.

A 14 member Board of Directors oversees the operations of the FCSSAA:

• President, elected at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in November every year;
• 10 Regional Representatives; 1 from each of the 8 FCSS regions (Calgary-Bow River and Edmonton-Evergreen have 2 regional representatives each), elected at fall regional meetings prior to the November AGM;
• Up to 4 staff representatives from the Directors’ Network, appointed annually at the September Directors’ Network business meeting.

The FCSSAA Executive Committee is comprised of the President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer.  The Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer are elected at the first meeting of the new Board in January.

The FCSSAA office is located in Edmonton, and includes a large reference library, known as the FCSS Resource Bank.  An Executive Director, Project Coordinator and Executive Assistant support the FCSSAA Board, and local FCSS program staff and advisory board members.

The FCSSAA vision statement is “FCSS is the leader in preventive social support programs in Alberta”.  Its mission statement is “The FCSSAA unites and strengthens the FCSS community by representation and advocacy on behalf of member boards”.

The role of the FCSSAA Board is:

• to listen to its members;
• to identify common concerns and issues related to FCSS;
• to communicate those issues to other members and to the provincial government, along with proposed solutions;
• to support communities by developing tools which will meet local needs and mandates.

The FCSSAA has created a strong network of FCSS programs for sharing information, providing province-wide direction and problem solving, and ensuring that the value of FCSS resources, and the FCSS “way of working” is well understood by all levels of government.

Some of the work the Association has done on behalf of FCSS programs –

• Represented FCSS programs on the design team that developed the FCSS funding allocation model in 1997, and review of the model in 2000 and 2006.  The Association was instrumental in achieving a $15.5 million increase to the provincial FCSS Program in 2002.
• Maintains the FCSSAA web site at fcssaa.org
• Co-hosts the annual provincial FCSSAA conference with one of the FCSS regions.
• FCSSAA members are eligible for a reduced rate to attend annual conferences; smaller, remote FCSS Programs that are members of the FCSSAA are eligible to apply for a subsidy to assist with covering the costs to attend the conference.
• Initiated discussions and preliminary plans for the development of an FCSS Growth Strategy in 2005.
• Worked with the Ministry to implement strategies to address recommendations of the FCSS Review in 2006-2007.
• Coordinated input into the Ministry’s annual business planning process through consultation with FCSS programs at spring regional meetings.
• FCSSAA Board members and the Executive Director sit on provincial committees addressing topics that impact FCSS.

Through province-wide promotion and education about FCSS, special projects, and acting in an advisory capacity to the Minister of Community and Social Services, the FCSS Association plays an integral role in helping to make all FCSS Programs stronger.