Felicia Chan

PLEA Community Services Society of BC

PLEA is an accredited*, not-for-profit, charitable community services agency that has operated throughout BC for more than 30 years. We deliver residential and non-residential services to children, youth, adults and families facing significant challenges in their lives. We continually adapt our programs to suit each individual's diverse strengths, needs and circumstances. As a result, we have a strong reputation for helping those we serve overcome the challenges they face and lead fulfilling lives in their communities. Our origins are in youth justice where we were one of the first agencies to offer young people a community-based program as an alternative to custody. We have expanded on this original program and are recognized as one of the provincial leaders in non-custodial youth justice services. We have also designed, developed and delivered many other programs in keeping with our core mission. Our work now spans child welfare, addictions, health, justice and community living systems. Our focus ranges from preventative – helping children and youth at-risk make good choices under challenging circumstances – to intensive – providing specialized residential services to youth, and adults who are unable to live on their own. We have more than 160 employees, 150 family caregivers and 230 volunteers. We are known for creative program development, effective service delivery and strong community roots. The number of lives we directly touch every year is counted in the thousands. *Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities and Imagine Canada Standards Program