Family Caregivers of BC is a provincial, nonprofit organisation that exists to uplift, inform, and support the more than one million people in British Columbia who care for family, friends, and neighbours in need of assistance due to illness, disability, or aging. With a focus on emotional well-being, system navigation, and self-advocacy, FCBC serves as both a compassionate anchor and an educational guide for caregivers across diverse cultural, linguistic, and familial contexts.
Purpose
To ensure that every caregiver in British Columbia has access to the recognition, resources, and relationships necessary to sustain their role with dignity, clarity, and resilience—and to advance a culture in which caregiving is seen as a vital part of the health care ecosystem rather than a private burden to be quietly shouldered.
Roles and responsibilities
- Emotional support: Provides direct emotional and peer support through its Caregiver Support Line, peer groups, and one-on-one coaching that helps caregivers feel seen, stabilised, and resourced.
- Navigation and advocacy: Offers workshops, webinars, and system navigation tools to help caregivers interact with the health and social care systems, while strengthening their own confidence and capacity to advocate.
- Public education and awareness: Elevates the visibility of caregiving through storytelling, policy engagement, and campaigns that challenge invisibility and affirm the value of unpaid care.
Key activities
- Operates a toll-free Caregiver Support Line (1-877-520-3267) staffed by trained support personnel who listen deeply, offer practical strategies, and connect callers to appropriate services.
- Facilitates caregiver support groups and learning circles—including condition-specific and culturally specific sessions—available both in-person and online.
- Develops online learning materials, including toolkits, tip sheets, and recorded webinars that cover topics such as boundary-setting, accessing respite care, managing burnout, and navigating complex systems.
- Leads provincial advocacy and awareness initiatives, often in partnership with health authorities and community organisations, to embed caregiver perspectives in policy and care planning.
Governance and structure
Family Caregivers of BC is a registered nonprofit society governed by a volunteer board of directors and staffed by a team of program coordinators, system navigators, and peer support facilitators. Its work is supported through public funding (including from the BC Ministry of Health), project grants, and partnerships across the health and community sectors.
Focus on equity and inclusion
FCBC acknowledges the diverse ways caregiving is shaped by gender, culture, language, income, geography, and disability—and works intentionally to reach underserved and equity-denied groups. Their programming includes culturally adapted resources, multilingual access points, and a commitment to trauma-informed, relational service that respects the full emotional range and lived complexity of caregiving.
