Strive is aware of the risk of COVID-19 and is taking heightened precautions to prevent the spread of this virus, while protecting our employees, service recipients, and the community.
We wish to acknowledge and to extend sincere gratitude for the loyalty, commitment, and strength demonstrated by all Strive employees, volunteers, home share providers, foster parents, and our Board during this time. We also wish to extend our heartfelt sympathies to all those who have been negatively impacted and/or lost a loved one to this virus.
Strive and its teams are doing their best to adapt services, provide support, and keep everyone safe. We are gathering information from various reputable sources hour-by-hour each day and making prudent decisions for the protection of all stakeholders and the community.
Strive is taking the following actions at present:
- Disinfecting work sites regularly and thoroughly. Employees and individuals are reminded to wash their hands often using proper techniques.
- Air purifiers with HEPA filters and UV sanitization boxes are available throughout our program sites and head office for staff to use.
- Communicating updates to our employees and ensuring that proper safety protocol is followed. Information is derived from reputable sources. Strive has created detailed Safety Plans, complying with WorkSafe BC’s guidelines as well as a Covid-19 Policy.
- Signage indicating appropriate social distancing, correct hand washing/ sanitizing, and mask use has been introduced at all Strive locations. Strive requires that all of its personnel wear masks when not able to appropriately social distance.
- Meetings, interviews, and social interactions are taking place using technology as much as possible. Visitors are limited.
- Employees are reminded to practice universal and standard precautions, and stay at home when sick. Employees are expected to self-isolate and monitor for symptoms if they have traveled upon their return.
- Mandatory COVID-19 vaccination for all Strive employees. By March 2022, all staff members must provide proof that they have received their second dose by this date.
At this time we are unable to predict how long these service changes will last, but our teams will keep everyone informed. These decisions were made with the health and safety of our employees, individuals, and the overall community in mind. Strive is doing its best to cope with the situation we are all facing collectively, while preventing the spread of the virus. We know that this is a critical time that requires decisive action in order to flatten the curve.
Strive’s Ongoing Response
Strive will continue to pay close attention to and make decisions based on the information and guidance being shared by reputable organizations, including the World Health Organization, Canadian and British Columbian government Health Officers, Fraser Health, Vancouver Coastal Health, Ministry of Children and Families, Community Living BC, and our Program Directors.
For more information for individuals and families, check out CLBC’s website on COVID-19 here. Strive will continue to update our site regularly as more updates become available.