'West Side Family Place' and Ecological Theory

The second Theory is called Ecological Theory (ET), which explores the impacts of the environment on one's development and opportunities in society. ET assumes that humans depend on the outside environment to meet our needs (1). This environment includes other humans we are social with and depend on, which means we need human connection for survival and development (1)! In our environment, we have layers that all directly affect each other and impact one's experience. Looking at families under an ecological approach, we can identify that their microsystem consists of parents, child(ren), schools, care centres, workplaces, and places of worship (1). The mesosystem is how the interactions within the microsystem affect a family (1). This means that one family is impacted by how all members are doing, the state of schools, care centres, places of worship and other resources within their microsystem. ET tells us that family experiences are distinct because of a combination of things impacting at once. With the emergence of the pandemic, families' microsystems were limited, putting responsibility and stress on immediate family members only. With this knowledge, we are aware that to address the issues of isolation and lack of resources, we must address all areas of impact within the microsystem, which is unique to every family. In addressing basic needs, like food, housing, and medical support, we find that some families still need additional help than just primary areas. For example, some families may lose their places of worship and suffer spiritually because they struggle with practicing their religion due to covid restrictions. WSFP already helps these unique families during covid by providing them with places to connect with others from their religion safely. Future assistance WSFP can provide is by strengthening families' exosystems and macrosystems. Exosystems are institutions that indirectly affect development through government, agencies, school boards, and those that affect how the microsystem resources play out (1). Macrosystems are beliefs, customs, policies and laws that affect familial life in society through institutions (1). WSFP can provide knowledge and support for families to connect with outside religious sources and group events outside their microsystem. WSFP can also teach parents through programs about the policies, laws, and decisions that affect and protect their religion in social institutions, so parents can access these when necessary. For example, some workplaces offer work leave for specific religions and respect holidays that parents are unaware of if they are new to Vancouver. Families can also have the chance to understand how agencies and school boards address things to prepare their children for society. 

In knowing everything that impacts a family’s resources and perceptions, WSFP can create comprehensive lists that ask parents questions about their cultural background, socioeconomic status, familiarity with Vancouver, child health and well-being, and parental health and well-being. Questions can be weighed using a scale from 1-5, and parents can report on the severity of their mental health and their child's health and check off and rate the issues they are facing, such as food insecurity. Questionnaires should be made accessible online and confidential between families and WSFP. This detailed questionnaire will allow WSFP employees to gather detailed research about families and address specific issues depending on the level of severity. The cultural background knowledge also lets employees know what underlying issues these families face against racism and discrimination in institutions. In addressing the needs of isolation and lack of resources, WSFP can learn from ET that it is vital to understand each family's unique microsystem and to help strengthen all their systems. 

In addressing isolation and lack of resources, the combination of FST (ABC-X Model) and  ET helps create solutions to provide wrap-around care for families. The ABC-X Model teaches us to focus on strengthening families' resources and perceptions of stressors, which is part of WSFP’s goals.  ET teaches us that when attempting to enhance these resources and perceptions, we need to know a family's microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, and macrosystem. Only then will WSFP and others be able to address families' needs fully of isolation and lack of access to services in the community.

I hope you learnt about some of the pressing issues families face in our community and how Theory and WSFP help understand and provide solutions to these issues!

Once again, if you have any questions, comments, experiences, or memories that you would like to share, please comment below! 

Thank you! 

References:

1. Alexander, A. (2023). Ecological Theory [PowerPoint slides]. UBC Canvas. 

Retrieved April 19, 2023, from https://canvas.ubc.ca/courses/109981/files/25220527?module_item_id=5428441