South Comox Valley

Royston, Union Bay, Fanny Bay

The Building Connections for Valley Families Project

Moving the project into the South Comox Valley

The South Comox Valley, which represents a vast geographic area including Denman and Hornby Islands, Fanny Bay, Union Bay, Royston, and Cumberland, was the logical next step in expanding the work of the Building Connections Project. Overall, the region is largely rural, and apart from Cumberland residents, many families are reliant on transport to access services, supports, and programming for their young children. With our learning in the North Comox Valley fresh in our mind, the Connections Project began work to better understand the parent and child experience in the Southern parts of the Comox Valley (as defined by HELP’s geographical regions).

Connections Research follows the Social Innovation Lab Process

Phase 1:
Data Collection & Community Engagement

2020-2022

Working with South Comox Valley-based parents and community service providers, we conducted parent surveys, focus groups, program visits, and individual conversations to gather information about the experience of raising young children in South Comox Valley.

During the South Comox Valley community engagement and data collection phase of the Connections Project, it become obvious that families in Union Bay, Fanny Bay and Royston have a distinct experience from those living in Cumberland. Similarly, Denman and Hornby families had an understandably unique experience from the other families’ in the other South Comox Valley areas. At this stage of the project, the South Comox Valley was further separated into three “neighbourhoods”.

1. South Comox Valley Area 1: Denman/Hornby *

   *Through conversation circles with parents and engagement with the community, it was learned that Denman and Hornby Island demonstrate strong community capacity to support early years families. The resilient capacity of Denman and Hornby is evident in how challenges are addressed and how existing supports and services collaborate to create opportunities for families. The communities have built a foundation on which to address the challenges identified by parents. Overall, Denman and Hornby are great examples of communities that create an environment for healthy children and connected families.

   With these learnings, Connections made the decision to focus its innovation efforts in the other South Comox Valley neighbourhoods (Royston-Union Bay-Fanny Bay and Cumberland).

2. South Comox Valley Area 2: Royston, Union Bay, Fanny Bay

   Union Bay and Fanny Bay lack year-round meeting places and programs integral to creating early years community support. This means families wanting to participate in early years programs need to access available programs in Royston and Cumberland, or travel further into Courtenay and Comox. Just as in the NCV area, the geographic barrier this puts on families can be isolating and travelling to other neighbourhoods for programming doesn’t tend to support connections between families within a neighbourhood.

3. South Comox Valley Area 3: Cumberland (click to visit Cumberland webpage)

   Cumberland is a relatively small geographic area, centered around a central Village. Through Cumberland-based organizations, there are many high quality offerings for early years families close to home. With an exploding population of young families, our data collection phase focused on determining Cumberland’s strengths, identifying barriers and gaps, and better understanding the unique context that Cumberland families exist within. Full details on the Cumberland page.

Detailed Data from the South Comox Valley

• Data Maps of the system that supports child well-being; South Comox Valley Current System & Future System

• View the South Comox Valley Summary Reports

• Browse the Human Early Learning Partnership (HELP) Early Development Instrument (EDI) Data Dashboard.

Phase 2:
Analysis of Data and Plan Development

September 2022

Working with residents, researchers, service providers and local leaders, we are now working to develop a realistic plan to increase and enhance innovative supports for families with young children living in South Comox Valley regions of Royston, Union Bay and Fanny Bay and Cumberland.

South Comox Valley Systems Summary

Phase 3:
Implement, Evaluate, and Adapt Neighbourhood Level Innovations

Royston/ Union Bay/ Fanny Bay Early Years Pop-Up Events

The Building Connections Project has been busy planning our first "innovations" in the South Comox Valley rural area, to support early years families living in Royston, Union Bay and Fanny Bay. These initial events are in partnership with the Healthy Families program (CV Family Services Association).

Throughout 2023, we have hosted three free drop-in events for early years families that live in South Comox Valley areas of Royston, Union Bay, and Fanny Bay.

Our goals for these events are:

• Provide fun events to gather South Comox Valley families 

• Connect families with families 

• Model how Community Halls are important community hubs for early years families

• Gather additional information from South Comox Valley families about their specific needs 

• Connect & educate families about resources they may not know about 

• Get the South Comox Valley excited about the Building Connections Initiatives! 

  
  Through collaborative partnerships, plans are underway to have a new weekly drop-in program beginning for families in Fall 2023. More information to come.
  
  Questions? Contact the South Comox Valley Family Connector at southcv.connections@gmail.com

Past South Comox Valley Early Years Pop-up Events

South Comox Valley Gallery

For more information about the Connections Project or to learn how you can participate, please contact earlyyearscollaborative@gmail.com

Key Funders

The Building Connections for Valley Families Project is made possible with generous support from: