For COVID-19 updates please click here…
Beacon opens new childcare centre in Langford
After several construction delays, we were thrilled to welcome families to Before School and Pre-School care at our new Langford childcare centre.
Natasha, Colleen, Stacy and Maya were excited to welcome children to the morning programs at our new childcare centre.
Hosted at the new PEXSISEN Elementary school, our Beacon Nature Club (for PEXSISEN Elementary students) and Beacon Little Stars (for 3- to 5-year-olds who live in PEXSISEN’s catchment area or whose parents/guardians work at PEXSISEN or Centre Mountain Lellum Middle school) provide licensed quality childcare services that emphasize nature-based learning and play. Children have happily settled into the beautiful new space and our team is enjoying getting to know each of them.
We’re also looking forward to providing Beacon Nature Club After School care for the elementary school’s students as soon as we can; the After School program’s opening date has not yet been finalized. Registered families will be provided with more information as it becomes available.
Interested in sharing your talents with our amazing childcare team?! Check out the career opportunities on the Join Our Team section of this website.
Interesting in having your child attend our pre-school or Before School program at PEXSISEN? We are still accepting registrations. Please click here for an application form. Email your completed form to pexsisenregistration@beaconcs.ca
New mural for Beacon’s Victoria administration office
Andrea Fritz’s eye-catching mural. Andrea did a lot of the painting while faaaaaarrrrr above the ground, in a mechanical scissor lift.
We’re celebrating a beautiful new mural that was created especially for Beacon’s main administration office at 2723 Quadra St!
Designed and painted by talented Coast Salish artist Andrea Fritz as part of the Quadra Village Mural Project, the artwork was in collaboration with the Alter Arts Society and our next door neighbours at the Victoria Academy of Ballet, with funding assistance from the City of Victoria’s Great Neighbhourhood Grants program.
Beacon prepares for flu season
Michael (from our Maintenance team) is one of many Beacon team members to ‘get the jab’ during October flu immunization clinics.
To help keep our team safe and healthy (and able to serve our community!) we hosted flu vaccination clinics for Beacon volunteers and staff in October and November.
We were also pleased to offer ‘at home’ immunization for residents at Beacon Assisted Living and Long Term Care homes.
Out of the Rain youth shelter is open
If you’re aged 15-25 and need a warm place to sleep, please come by our seasonal cold weather shelter. Until April 15, the Out of the Rain Youth Shelter will open at 8:30pm each night: 1450 Elford St., in Victoria. Pets are welcome.
Wheels of love go round…
Please honk to say hello when you see Beacon’s spiffy ‘new to us’ bus! Residents from Beacon’s care homes may be enjoying a fun outing — or clients from SHOAL Centre or another Beacon program could be settled in the vehicle’s comfortable seats, on their way to a get-together or riding to local shops and services.
A bus was on our wish list for a long time. We look forward to being on the road, connecting people with activities and services!
Covid-19 health, safety & service at Beacon sites – NOVEMBER UPDATE
Please see below for covid-19 service updates on….
Assisted Living & Licensed Dementia Care
We are delighted to be able to welcome all visitors to Beacon’s Assisted Living and Licensed Dementia long term Care homes!
However, to help keep everyone safe and healthy, all visitors must be fully vaccinated against COVID and clear an on-site health check (for Licensed Dementia Care homes, this includes presentation of a rapid point of care COVID test).
Free Employment Services available,
We’re happy to welcome ‘walk-in’ visitors to our Sidney and Salt Spring Island WorkBC centres and Beacon Community Services’ Employment Services offices!
Please note: many visitors may have invisible vulnerabilities or for other reasons prefer to wear a mask and/or follow physical distancing protocols. Thank you for respecting their important health and safety needs!
Centres are open as follows.
- At 9860 Third Street, in Sidney: Monday-Friday, 8:30-4:30. OPEN MONDAYS UNTIL 7:00pm. Walk in traffic is welcome. We’re also open for virtual services or for pre-booked appointments as staffing allows.
- At 268 Fulford-Ganges Rd, on Salt Spring Island: Tuesday and Thursday 9:00-12:00pm; Wednesdays 9:00-4:00pm (closed 12-1pm for lunch). At other times, we are open for service virtually or by booked appointment as staffing allows.
To arrange an appointment: for Saanich Peninsula services, call 250-656-0134; email info-sidney@workbc.ca For Salt Spring Island centre, call 250-931-7687 or email centre-fulford-ganges@workbc.ca
SHOAL Community Centre & Volunteer Services
Things are hopping at SHOAL!
Check out our What’s Happening at SHOAL page or read the current TideLines newsletter for more information.
Need more info, or want to register for a class or program? Need assistance with something? We’re happy to help! We offer many supports and services: please call 250-656-5537.
Please respect SHOAL’s health & safety protocols:
Many SHOAL visitors may have invisible vulnerabilities or health concerns and SHOAL also houses an Assisted Living home. We ask you to kindly respect their needs.
- Masks are mandatory while in the centre’s common areas (e.g., halls, elevators, washrooms). They’re also recommended while exercising.
- Physical distancing is recommended (7 square meters of floor space per person when exercising; 6 feet if in group settings)
- Proof of vaccination status is no longer required for visitors to SHOAL Community Centre.
As always, if you are unwell, please do not come to SHOAL.
Thank you for following simple steps to provide for the safety and comfort of our visitors, volunteers and staff!
Eating at the SHOAL
Drop by our SHOAL tuck shop for a tasty treat and a “hello” from a friendly Beacon volunteer! Now open Monday-Friday, from 9:00 am-1:00 pm.
Our dining room is not yet re-opened to the public for-in person dining. For the time being, we welcome you to order tasty take-out meals from our SHOAL kitchen! If you want a lovely lunch after your class at SHOAL, you’re welcome to order from our Tuck Shop and enjoy your meal at one of the bistro tables in the lobby area.
Child Care
We follow strict cleaning and sanitizing processes and monitor health and safety at all our licensed childcare centres and we support children to follow appropriate protocols for their age and stage of development, with our assistance.
Families: please remember we spend a lot of time outdoors, and children need to be equipped for the weather.
Early Years Programs/Peninsula Early Years Centre
We’re thrilled to be welcoming families to several Early Years programs — and ask everyone to remember that not all young children have yet been vaccinated: masks, sanitizing, and other measures can be an important part of helping keep vulnerable families safe and healthy at our programs. Please respect other families.
Please click here for details about the programs scheduled for November. StrongStart, Toddler Time, You and Your Baby and many other fun, educational activities are running!
Thrift Shops & Shop Donations
All Beacon Thrift Shops are open Monday-Saturday, 9:00am -5:00pm (excluding stat holidays). 6 shops are also open Sundays, 10am-4:00pm.
Click here for a thrift shop & shopping hours near you!
Some customers, volunteers or staff may have invisible vulnerabilities or for other reasons prefer to wear a mask and/or follow physical distancing protocols.
Thank you for understanding if they do so! We’re grateful for everyone’s respect and kindness, and welcome everyone to shop for amazing bargains in our stores.
Counselling Services
Counselling Services continue to be available through one-to-one in-person appointments at our office, virtually, or by meeting in community. Thank you for understanding that appointments must be scheduled in advance. Please call 250-656-0134 for further information.
United Way Services
Beacon is very proud to be the anchor, or hub, agency in the CRD for the United Way’s Safe Seniors, Strong Communities initiative. The BC-wide initiative is a partnership between the United Way’s Better at Home program, bc211, and the Province of BC, launched in response to the Covid-19 emergency. The United Way selected Beacon as the anchor organization to coordinate Safe Seniors, Strong Communities services for seniors/volunteers across Greater Victoria and on the southern Gulf Islands.
Are you a senior who needs a friendly check-in call or volunteer help with grocery shopping or prescription pick up? Or a volunteer who wants to help? Please call or text 2-1-1 or register at bc211.ca We’ll work with our partner agencies to help get the help you need, or connect you with a suitable volunteer opportunity.