Vancouver & Lower Mainland
Multicultural Family Support
Services Society

Who are we?

We are a non-profit organization offering free and confidential services in over twenty languages. We serve the population of clients in the entire Lower Mainland. Our Head Office is located in Burnaby, B.C. (near Metrotown) and our Branch Office is located in Surrey, B.C.

We provide culturally sensitive services to immigrant, visible minority and refugee women and their families who are experiencing family violence.

We are immigrant, visible minority and refugee women helping other immigrant,visible minority and refugee women by providing:

• Free and confidential services
• Advocacy, counselling, & support through our bi-lingual, bi-cultural workers continuity of support

Our History

The Vancouver & Lower Mainland Multicultural Family Support Services Society was formed in September 1991. The Ministry of Social Services (now known as the Ministry for Children and Families Development) accepted a proposal submitted by Immigrant and Visible Minority Women of BC to set up a new organization to serve immigrant and visible minority women and their families experiencing family violence.

Our Mission

We provide a safe and non-judgemental environment for women and their children in their own language and culture. Individual counselling is provided at the office, out of the office and over the phone. We also provide group counselling and support and counselling to women victims of sexual assault and to adult survivors of sexual abuse, emergency interventions and referrals to appropriate resources. Our approach is to empower women in dealing with their issues, help them to develop coping skills, assist them in self-exploration, and to support them while they go through the different stages of rebuilding their lives at their own pace, in a culturally sensitive environment. We promote awareness and understanding of the dynamics of family violence within the multicultural perspectives to professionals working with immigrant families. We offer educational programs within the multicultural communities about the dynamics of family violence and alternative models of treatment.

Our Funders

• Province of British Columbia: Ministry of Community Services
• Victim Services and Crime Prevention Division, Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General
• Ministry of Children and Families Development
• Public Health Agency of Canada-CAPC

Project Funding

• Canadian Heritage
• United Way of the Lower Mainland
• Vancouver Foundation
• Ministry of Education, Gender Equity Branch
• We accept donations