Princeton is one of 36 communities in B.C. called upon to roll out new models of community organization to tackle immediate and long-term issues of supports and services.
The provincial government announced the rollout of the Safe Community Situation Tables to Princeton with a $70,000 grant on April 12.
The situation tables will bring together frontline workers from public safety, health and social services sectors to collaborate in helping vulnerable members of the community get access to supports and services.
“Safe Community Situation Tables are a vital tool for putting people first in our approach to public safety,” said Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General.
“By uniting agencies and frontline workers, we’re not just preventing harm, we’re actively working to enhance the lives of individuals by providing timely access to essential services and supports necessary for a brighter, safer future.”
Previous communities that have rolled out these hubs for community collaboration include Surrey, Mission, Hope, Penticton and Kelowna.
Members of the Princeton table are expected to complete their training and onboarding in the coming months. The community partners will meet weekly to address important topics such as mental health and addictions, homelessness and poverty.
“The Town of Princeton is excited about this opportunity,” said Princeton Mayor Spencer Coyne. “Rural communities have been struggling with connecting individuals to services for the past 15-plus years.
“This funding shows that by working together with rural partners like Princeton, the provincial government is listening to us.”
In addition to providing a structured approach for responding to individual needs, the hubs will allow organizations to pool their knowledge together to provide more complete information to policy-makers on the issues facing their communities.
“Initiatives like Safe Community Situation Tables ensure that people in Princeton can quickly access the services they need to succeed, the people in the community keeping us all safe are well connected, and we all can work together to help make sure people don’t fall through the cracks,” said Roly Russell, MLA for Boundary-Similkameen.
“By empowering community agencies to work together, we’re not just addressing immediate challenges, but also supporting vulnerable individuals, promoting overall well-being and building a more connected society.”
Another eight situation and intervention tables have been funded but not yet implemented in communities across B.C.