Who We Are

Mission Statement: Family Service Saskatoon offers programs, services and leadership, which develop and support individuals, families and communities to have safe, healthy and respectful relationships.

We Value

• Accessibility of our services to all people on an equitable basis without regard to race, religious belief, sexual orientation, age or financial status.
• Individuals, families, communities, and our focus is to promote their health and growth through innovative, diverse and high quality services.
• Client entitlement and empowerment using a holistic, collaborative and gender sensitive approach in the provision of services.
• Our professionalism, the high ethical standards it demands, and the related commitment to professional development of staff and students.
• Cooperative partnerships with other non-profit organizations, public sector agencies and business for the purpose of fulfilling our mission.
• The role of volunteers in our organization and are committed to their training, supervision and support.
• A working environment that is non-hierarchical, collegial, and family friendly.

Our History
2011 marks the 80th Anniversary of Family Service Saskatoon. Founded in 1931, Family Service Saskatoon is a non-partisan, non-profit organization governed by a volunteer, community-based Board of Directors. We are accountable to our clients and to the community.

In 1930, the Canadian Welfare Council undertook a survey in Saskatoon to "ascertain to what extent the needs of families and individuals in trouble were being met by various organizations attempting to deal with them, and to suggest of type of machinery to meet the needs more effectively". One of the recommendations was the establishment of a Family Welfare Association to co-ordinate the work of the various agencies, to establish a social service exchange preventing duplication of services and to provide professional social work services to families with a focus on prevention.

A board was selected, and in 1931, the Saskatoon Family Welfare Association was formed with Mrs. C.K. Langford as president. She was the first women in Canada to preside over a Family Welfare Society.

The first trained social worker, Miss King, was employed and as a birthday gift to his wife, Dr. C.K. Langford paid for Miss King's salary for the first year. Rotary, Kinsmen and Kiwanis Clubs as well as private citizens gave donations to cover the first year of operations, a $3,000 budget. In 1961 the agency changed its name to the Saskatoon Family Service Bureau and in 2001 it was changed again to Family Service Saskatoon.

In its early days, the agency brought together heads of other agencies and interested citizens to discuss the establishment of a Community Chest (now the United Way). The Family Welfare Association became its first member. It also undertook the development of a "Social Service Exchange" to "prevent the duplication of services and to promote cooperation of various agencies". Today, we are an active collaborator in many networks, coalitions and partnerships and remain an active member of the United Way. Our partnership in the development of the Saskatoon Community Service Village highlights the continuation of the agencies leadership and cooperative nature.

In its early years, the Saskatoon Family Welfare Association worked closely with the City of Saskatoon in its relief work, starting a kindergarten for deprived children and developing parenting classes for young mothers on public assistance. The agency has continued to work closely with municipal and provincial governments and we often provide services or collaborate on service delivery on their behalf. Now, as then, the agency is seen as a competent, responsible and a cooperative partner.

In the thirties, several Social Work Educational institutes collaborated with the Family Welfare Association in the education of their students.

University of Toronto Social Work students came to Saskatoon for their practice and the agency reviewed applications for social work training for the University of Winnipeg. Today, we have students from as many as 12 professional education institutions from four provinces. We also provide courses on counselling for other human services providers, provide supervision, training and coaching, host conferences and provide other training opportunities. Now, as then, we are committed to supporting quality education and professionalism in the human services.

In 1947, the agency joined in an action by the Canadian Welfare Council to respond to the "decontrolling of rents by the dominion", by supporting the maintenance of rent control for another year to give poor families an opportunity to adjust. In recent years, the agency, often in conjunction with Family Service Canada, has supported the anti-poverty campaign of 2000, supported the development and expansion of quality day care in Canada and supported the end of corporal punishment of children. Now, as then, the agency considers it part of its mandate to advocate on behalf of families and children.

In early years, the executive established a committee to ensure quality control. Today Family Service Saskatoon is accredited by the Canadian Family Services Accreditation Program. Now, as then, high standards and quality service are core values of the agency.

Over the years, the agency launched the Home Care Program, Meals on Wheels and Spadina Day Care (the first co-op day care in Saskatchewan). In recent years, the agency helped seed Grandparents Involved Full Time (GIFT) and have launched the very successful Performing Arts for Youth Program brought the Families and Schools Together Program (F&ST) to Saskatoon in cooperation with Catholic Family Services and continues to expand the services offered in the area of Domestic Violence. Now, as then, the agency continues to develop new initiatives.