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ESSA Training Status Report

The Emergency Social Services Association of BC (ESSA) was informed by the Provincial Emergency Program (PEP), that due to budget cuts, PEP would not be funding ESS training for the 2009-2010 fiscal year. ESSA Board of Directors decided it was imperative that ESSA assist in the short-term, to ensure that ESS training would be available. ESSA applied for and received funds from the BC Direct Access Grant. All of the scheduled provincial ESS training provided by the Justice Institute of BC (JIBC) from May 16, 2009 - March 31, 2010 is funded courtesy of ESSA.

When ESSA applied for another Direct Access Grant for the 2010-2011 training, our application was denied. This means that ESSA will no longer be the funder of ESS training beyond March 31, 2010. ESSA is a non-profit association with the mission of support and advocacy for ESS practioners in BC, therefore is simply not in a financial position to carry ESS training without direct access gaming funds. ESSA anticipates that other ESS stakeholders will use the coming months to address the need to fund ESS training and to ensure that valuable ESS Volunteers will continue to have access to ESS training. This may provide some new initiatives and opportunities to improve the way ESS courses are administered. We/ESSA will monitor the situation and send updates as we receive them regarding the ESS funding issues.

Thank you very much,

Bernadette Woit, ESSA President

Janine Aussem, ESSA Executive Director