MY HELP BOOK BC is directory of key community resources and information to help BC residents and visitors find new opportunities and/or help with life's challenges. Organized by topic, 1000+ listings cover every important community and government resource on a national, provincial and local level. Because the listings are carefully curated by a human, and not a massive database, relevant and key information and sources of information can be found quickly. Also included are bonus sections for life's unexpected events: what to do if you’ve lost your ID, how to advocate for yourself, fraud prevention tips and other checklists. Currently the full versions of My Help Book BC (Vancouver and Victoria editions) are only available in print editions, however, full digital edition will be available next year. In the meantime, check the blog for expanded articles on various topics covered in the print edition. And be sure to support My Help Book BC sponsors and advertisers if you are able.
My Help Book BC has been independently produced by 3PennyPublishing.com and is not associated with, or funded by, any non-profit, charity, foundation, or local/ provincial/ federal government body.
Publishing history: The first Victoria edition was published in 2014, the second in 2016, and the first Vancouver Edition was published January 2017.
My Help Book BC has been independently produced by 3PennyPublishing.com and is not associated with, or funded by, any non-profit, charity, foundation, or local/ provincial/ federal government body.
Publishing history: The first Victoria edition was published in 2014, the second in 2016, and the first Vancouver Edition was published January 2017.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Why is My Help Book BC needed?
Community resources and opportunities can be life-changing but only if you can find them. Finding help or information quickly and easily with issues like unemployment or divorce can be crucial. Letting people know their rights and entitlements, including monetary benefits, housing, health, harm reduction and legal information can make the difference between people being overcome by problems, or being able to prevent and surmount them.
Those wanting to volunteer to give something back to their community, to start a business, or to find learning opportunities can all benefit from knowing about community and government resources. Despite the masses of online information, many useful resources remain hard to find.
The public needs to know of the many publicly funded resources available to them. But people can't search for something if they don't know it exists. It is always a problem for non-profit community resources to promote themselves as they have little to no funds for advertising since most of their funding goes towards direct service. The result is that those who are vulnerable and most in need of assistance - the impoverished, elderly, disabled, and newcomers to an area - stand the greatest risk of missing out. This is especially true for people who are facing a new problem or have a sudden unexpected drop in income.
No one expects to find themselves in crisis situations and especially for people in need of urgent help, the Internet can and does fall short - assuming those in need can even get online. This is commoner than you think: with Canada's telecoms services among the most expensive worldwide, 27% of people with incomes under $30,000 yearly in Victoria lack Internet access.
Even having good online access does not mean that relevant information will be quick to find. Searching online resources is a skill in itself - many elderly people, or those with sight or literacy problems, lack computer skills or are technophobic. Often contact details for organizations are buried in a small corner of a bewilderingly large or intricate website.
Because of problems with finding relevant online information, the British Columbia Ombudperson's Office reports* consistently high numbers of phone calls from people trying to find help with a life problem ––phone contact is the most popular method of contact over email and filling out online forms.
Unfortunately for those needing help, even though community resources exist, too many people remain unaware or unable to reach out. My Help Book BC aims to help remove some of these barriers.
Why publish a printed guide and not just a digital version?
Many people still have problems and barriers to doing online research for various reasons:
Aren't there many community resource guides already?
My Help Book BC does not duplicate any existing guides as it contains key curated resources (it is not a massive database of every community resource or program). By focusing on key resources, people are then also able to find more specific resources. Nor is it aimed at a specific demographic such as seniors or youth. It is an general guide for anyone who wants to quickly find opportunities, help or information for themselves or others and it has been extremely useful to anyone, paid or unpaid, who is a community helper.
*January 13, 2016, OAP meeting Victoria BC
Updated Feb. 2017.
My Help Book BC Terms of Use & Disclaimer: 3PennyPublishing.com and MyHelpBook.me does not warrant or make any representations regarding accuracy or results of information, links, or any third party within My Help Book BC. Links and listings do not indicate endorsement of any organization, business, or service by the publisher, advertisers, or sponsors. Listings are only intended to guide you to professional help if any is available. If you are unable to find help, contact your elected representatives and/or seek professional legal advice.
Why is My Help Book BC needed?
Community resources and opportunities can be life-changing but only if you can find them. Finding help or information quickly and easily with issues like unemployment or divorce can be crucial. Letting people know their rights and entitlements, including monetary benefits, housing, health, harm reduction and legal information can make the difference between people being overcome by problems, or being able to prevent and surmount them.
Those wanting to volunteer to give something back to their community, to start a business, or to find learning opportunities can all benefit from knowing about community and government resources. Despite the masses of online information, many useful resources remain hard to find.
The public needs to know of the many publicly funded resources available to them. But people can't search for something if they don't know it exists. It is always a problem for non-profit community resources to promote themselves as they have little to no funds for advertising since most of their funding goes towards direct service. The result is that those who are vulnerable and most in need of assistance - the impoverished, elderly, disabled, and newcomers to an area - stand the greatest risk of missing out. This is especially true for people who are facing a new problem or have a sudden unexpected drop in income.
No one expects to find themselves in crisis situations and especially for people in need of urgent help, the Internet can and does fall short - assuming those in need can even get online. This is commoner than you think: with Canada's telecoms services among the most expensive worldwide, 27% of people with incomes under $30,000 yearly in Victoria lack Internet access.
Even having good online access does not mean that relevant information will be quick to find. Searching online resources is a skill in itself - many elderly people, or those with sight or literacy problems, lack computer skills or are technophobic. Often contact details for organizations are buried in a small corner of a bewilderingly large or intricate website.
Because of problems with finding relevant online information, the British Columbia Ombudperson's Office reports* consistently high numbers of phone calls from people trying to find help with a life problem ––phone contact is the most popular method of contact over email and filling out online forms.
Unfortunately for those needing help, even though community resources exist, too many people remain unaware or unable to reach out. My Help Book BC aims to help remove some of these barriers.
Why publish a printed guide and not just a digital version?
Many people still have problems and barriers to doing online research for various reasons:
- Information overload –there is simply too much information to sift through; this can be time-consuming and overwhelming;
- Paper preference: some people find it easier to browse information on paper rather than on a screen;
- Unaware of what to look for (e.g. if you don't know about a specific resource, you can't search for it);
- Digital divide: lack of reliable internet or computer access (a very real barrier to finding help, information, and applying for jobs and benefits).
- Literacy barriers;
- Vision problems or lack of reading glasses.
Aren't there many community resource guides already?
My Help Book BC does not duplicate any existing guides as it contains key curated resources (it is not a massive database of every community resource or program). By focusing on key resources, people are then also able to find more specific resources. Nor is it aimed at a specific demographic such as seniors or youth. It is an general guide for anyone who wants to quickly find opportunities, help or information for themselves or others and it has been extremely useful to anyone, paid or unpaid, who is a community helper.
*January 13, 2016, OAP meeting Victoria BC
Updated Feb. 2017.
My Help Book BC Terms of Use & Disclaimer: 3PennyPublishing.com and MyHelpBook.me does not warrant or make any representations regarding accuracy or results of information, links, or any third party within My Help Book BC. Links and listings do not indicate endorsement of any organization, business, or service by the publisher, advertisers, or sponsors. Listings are only intended to guide you to professional help if any is available. If you are unable to find help, contact your elected representatives and/or seek professional legal advice.