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bc211: Connecting People With the Help They Need

Connecting services and resources to people in our community

United Ways across British Columbia are working to bring bc211 to our province early in 2017. bc211 is a free, multilingual, confidential service accessible 24/7 to anyone in our community. The information and referral service is operated by the 211 British Columbia Services Society, a charitable non-profit organization funded by United Ways. Services will include an informational and referral website which will also be optimized for mobile devices and feature live web chat capabilities.

In British Columbia, 211 (phone/text/website) is currently available in the Metro Vancouver, Fraser Valley, Sunshine Coast and Squamish Lillooet Regional districts, which represents 60% of the province by population. Plans are underway to expand the bc211 website to the remaining 40% of the province by the first quarter of 2017.

Individuals and families looking for assistance often do not know where to turn. bc211 will connect people to information about:

Basic human needs such as housing, food banks, shelters, clothing depots

Services for children, youth and families such as childcare

Mental health and addiction services

Assistance for seniors and people with disabilities

Employment support

Services and resources for newcomers to Canada

Why People Call 211 - example of a caller story

Lonely Senior Finds Great Programs in Her Community

A senior women is looking for activities to keep her busy. Her husband died a couple years ago, the children live in Ontario and she is often lonely and bored. The 211 Specialist looked up social groups for seniors in her community and referred the senior to a local senior's support service drop-in centre that organizes activities and social events for seniors.