Ayás Mén̓men
Child & Family Services
Office & Contact Details
Phone: 604-985-4111
Email: ayasmenmen_reception@squamish.net
Address: Unit 2, 380 Welch Street, West Vancouver, BC V7P 0A7
Mailing Address: PO Box 51570, 911 Park Royal South, West Vancouver, BC V7T 1A0
Director
Tanya Brown
Director
Hannah Rushton
The philosophy of Ayás Mén̓men is to enhance the lives of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh children, their families, and the community by providing a caring, supportive, and vital community service. We walk alongside families in their journey, providing restorative, holistic, and culturally-grounded family services.
Ayás Mén̓men equips children, youth, and families with life skills, supports, education, and training to be able to live a healthy life and to walk with guidance, confidence, support, and identity in the life they choose. Through a safe, fun, holistic, and cultural approach, our goal is to ensure that every child has safety, protection, security, love, guidance, spirituality, healing, and respect in their lives.
In support of the long-term objective to create a generational shift towards wellness defined by Sḵwx̱wú7mesh values, Ayás Mén̓men offers holistic supports for prenatal, early years, youth, families, and community. The department supports family capacity-building to help families take responsibility to care for each other, assists families with advocacy, emotional support through crisis, and prevention so that Nation Members are able to support and empower one another.
Ayás Mén̓men could be interpreted as ‘peace to our children’, which reflects a fundamental element of our mandate and vision. The name was given to us by our Elders in 1993.
Nation Updates
Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw History Book For Sale
We are excited to announce that tiná7 cht ti temíxw (We Come From This Land) will be published in early January 2024! The book is intended to be a snapshot – a collection of some of the multi-faceted stories and histories that are held by the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh People and a starting point for future conversations.
Squamish Strong Protocol Agreements Signed
As a part of the celebrations of the 100-year anniversary of the Amalgamation of Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw, we are pleased to announce the Nation is signing a Wa Iyí̓m ta Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Protocol Agreement with the City of North Vancouver, District of Squamish, and the City of Vancouver respectively.
New Squamish Nation Residential Tenancy Regulations for Sen̓áḵw
Today, the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw announces that the protections in the British Columbia Residential Tenancy Act (BCRTA) will be in place for the Sen̓áḵw development and for future on-reserve housing developments.