At Family Services of Greater Vancouver, we’ve been here for our community since 1928.
At our roots, we support people to create positive change in their lives. Our staff— including experienced counsellors and support workers—help unhoused youth, families and children impacted by trauma, survivors of domestic violence, and others in need with a client-centered, evidence-based, and trauma-informed approach.
In 1927, a survey of child welfare services in British Columbia was conducted by a team of social workers. Two of its major recommendations were the establishment of a family agency and the re-establishment of a social service exchange. Mary McPhedran was hired as the first Executive Director of the agency, then known as the Central Welfare Bureau, and stayed in the role for 27 years. Over the decades, FSGV has evolved its service offerings but always with a focus on social good and empowerment.
WHAT WE DO
Youth Services
FSGV operates services for children and youth with support needs, provides employment and education supports, and runs Directions Youth Services for homeless and at-risk youth (with an outreach team, overnight shelter, two safehouses, and more).
Family Supports
Family Supports includes counselling, mediation, and parenting groups. These programs operate on a foundation of compassion and respect. Participants deepen their connections to their families, build new skills and knowledge, and redefine their relationships.
Trauma Counselling
We have Trauma Counselling programs for children, youth, adults, and seniors who have experienced sexual abuse, family violence, intimate partner violence, and other traumas. With compassion and respect, we meet survivors where they’re at with supports they need.
Victim Support Services
Victim Support Services provides compassionate, trauma-informed support to victims and survivors of all ages—from children to seniors—impacted by violence. Our approach is client-led so that, with us, each person defines their situation, needs, and next steps.
Financial Empowerment
Financial Empowerment helps people build confidence with money so they can make empowered choices for themselves and their families. We provide accessible one-on-one coaching, community workshops, and support for filing taxes and navigating benefits.
Employee & Family Assistance Program
FSGV supports employees and families from across BC and the Yukon through FSEAP. Organizations can personalize services such as short-term counselling for employees, critical incident response, crisis response, work/life services, workplace training, and more.
Our Impact
Stories from Our Backyard
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FSGV 2026 Recommendations to the Standing Finance Committee
At the beginning of June in 2026, leadership from Family Services of Greater Vancouver spoke to the Standing Finance Committee of BC to give recommendations for investments to support British Columbians.
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Hiya’s Story: “I Believe You”
“I believe you.” These three words are the foundation of Hiya’s work. Hiya is a Victim Support Worker at Family Services of Greater Vancouver (FSGV). Her clients are child and youth survivors of violence. For these young people, Hiya provides…
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The Power of Play
A common experience trauma survivors articulate is that choice was taken from them; they didn’t get to choose what happened. This is as true for child survivors as it is for adults. And it’s why, at Family Services of Greater…
CAMPAIGNS & ADVOCACY
Walking with survivors,
every step of the way.
Family Services of Greater Vancouver is walking with survivors, every step of the way.
With a trauma-informed, client-led approach, FSGV provides supports and counselling to victims and survivors of violence, exploitation, trafficking, and other abuses. Each year, for Victims and Survivors of Crime Week, we run an awareness campaign to highlight these programs so that people know: FSGV is here for survivors.
