SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Amy Leigh : a pioneer social worker in B.C. interested in public welfare PERIOD COVERED: 1913-1963 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1973-03-30 SUMMARY: Amy Leigh was born in 1897 and discusses her immigration to Canada from England in 1913; Girl Guides; childhood; recollections; early jobs as a secretary; probation work; training at the University of Toronto School of Social Work; various social work jobs. TRACK 2: Jobs: Director of Welfare, Vancouver. Discussion of the Depression and radicalism. Canadian National Institute for the Blind. Director of Welfare, Vancouver, 1937-1943: decentralization; South Vancouver Experiment; Japanese evacuation. Assistant Director of Welfare for the province. Comments on social work. Retirement in 1958. Other jobs: teaching public welfare, University of Washington; Welfare Department in the Yukon; CNIB, Winnipeg and Ottawa, 1960s. General comments on public welfare: role of government; limits of financial aid.

SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Crisis centre and health care RECORDED: Vancouver (B.C.), 1976-04-08 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Personal background; got interest in crisis centre in 1969 as trainee; had worked at Oakalla from 1966 to 1969; worked as a phone helper for a year then went on the flying squad; 1972 hired by doctor at VGH to initiate Safer program to follow up suicide failures; 1972 took registered social worker courses at night and summer school; been director at crisis centre since 1975; how crisis centre came into being in Vancouver; 1 July 1969; fund raised through mental health organisation; junior league, and churches; initially was 24-hour line for people in crisis; funded now by United Way and the government, VRB and donations; youth line set up in 1970; senior line set up for homebound older people; youth line now disbanded; youth bus traveled around to rock concerts etc., involved with post partum counseling first before it was taken over by VRB; present staff 8 people in main office; publish directory of community social services and 7 people work there; directory is sold; approximately 100 volunteers; training program designed; 600 calls per month first year; peaked at 3,000 calls and gone down to 2,500 per month; information line gets 1,000 calls per month; keep lists of calls as to type, i.e. alcohol or drug abuse; depression calls, lonely calls, few crank calls; language barrier problems. TRACK 2: Feels there is a need for multilingual centre; function as crisis prevention, has emergency beds, flying squad LIP; not controlled by centre but may become so when grant runs out; Vancouver highest suicide and alcohol problem; reasons for this; other crisis services available in Vancouver; state of crisis services in Vancouver; recommend integration; would try to alter by increasing telephone lines, attempted suicide counseling team; emergency night counseling; flying squad to keep going; face to face counseling should be available; boarding homes available; try to keep ahead of community needs.

CALL NUMBER: T0211:0001 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Martha Moscrop : a social worker cannot be a Socialist RECORDED: [location unknown], 1973-04-11 SUMMARY: Martha Moscrop was born in 1907 and was an adopted child. She attended Normal School and discusses sports; girls groups leading into social work; early Kitsilano; Joe -- English Bay lifeguard; WWI; chores; a tomboy; outdoor summers make child self-assured; never felt unequal to a man; reasons for not marrying; teaching in Alberta; teaching kindergarten at Japanese United Church; Rotary fresh air camp; teaching Pender Harbour Japanese fishermen; church camp leader; teaching in Kaslo and Invermere; putting on "The Mikado" in a community; Invermere; social work course at UBC; Family Welfare Bureau; integration of social work departments; evacuation of Japanese; services in Vancouver; social workers.

CALL NUMBER: T0211:0002 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Martha Moscrop : a social worker cannot be a Socialist RECORDED: [location unknown], 1973-05-24 SUMMARY: Martha Moscrop discusses the evacuation of the Japanese; administered by General Motors men; some examples of her work; some good in the evacuation; disposal of their assets, etc.; terrible -- but no political involvement; Social Welfare Department of B.C. training supervisor; social welfare legislation; social workers in-service training programs in B.C., Malaya, Hong Kong; England and Israel; presently (1973) writing a book on adult education.

SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Mary Hill : Vancouver social worker PERIOD COVERED: 1920-1973 RECORDED: Vancouver (B.C.), 1973-04-19 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Mary Hill was born in 1920 and discusses childhood experiences and education; studying social work at U.B.C. and Columbia University (New York School of Social Work); one of the first psychological social workers in New York City. TRACK 2: Mary Hill discusses her social work in Vancouver; children's foundation; family life; teaching at U.B.C.; views on social work, past and present.

CALL NUMBER: T2013:0001 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Health care and social assistance PERIOD COVERED: 1928-1960 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1976-02-20 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Brief personal introduction with a description of UBC in 1928 and the decision to go into nurses training at VGH in 1929; includes a description of courses, hours, and discipline; job shortages of the Depression years and the decision to study public health at McGill from 1931 to 1933; work in Family Services in Montreal; description of service; religious divisions, problems in Griffintown; juveniles and comparison with Vancouver; job offers and the return to Vancouver; out-patients at VGH in 1936, with a description of buildings, patients, dental clinic, staff, volunteers and cup of soup; joined the City Relief Department in 1937 and describes the staff under the direction of Dr. Jack Muscovitch. TRACK 2: Social workers and the medical section with mention of responsibilities and services; effects of the Depression on people, allowances, violent attitudes; reporters; unique service of medical section; doctors services and medical histories; post-war years; employment on the Sea Wall; mental assessments; placement program growth out of VGH overcrowding; problems in regulating; lack of staff; numbers of clients; anecdotes on persuading people to enter boarding homes; atmosphere at placement institutions; night school courses; private homes, problems associated with uprooting and adjustment of elder clients. CALL NUMBER: T2013:0002 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Health care and social assistance PERIOD COVERED: 1935-1976 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1976-02-20 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Conclusion of anecdote; role with alcoholics and Salt Spring Farm; hospital; drunk tank; need for a cleansing station; social life in boarding houses; sitting room regulations; recreation and; the role of volunteer organisations; effects of the Second World War and the reduction in staff; changes in public attitude; rise in young people on relief; increase in professional social workers; involvement in rationing and accompanying anecdote; changes in the services; dental plan; appliances; caseloads; increases in allowances; clothing allowances; nutrition services; referral resources; relationship with the Metropolitan Health Department; consultation, referrals, overlapping interests; geriatrics. TRACK 2: Gradual acceptance of geriatric centres; trends in services; attitudes of staff and public; customer orientation of building and furniture; medical aspects of the social assistance program; 60% of clients; promotes health problems; problems of single men; staff experiment living on an allowance; effects on social assistance and trend to younger people in the 1960s and 1970s; lessons learned about human nature with examples of New York and Sweden and the nature of Canadians; summary of medical program; services; abuse; payments.

The file consists of publications, correspondence, clippings, photographs and biographical information of Amy Leigh collected and created by Amy Leigh between 1943 and 2001. The file includes a copy of a report written in 1943 by Leigh about Japanese welfare under the British Columbia Security Commission.

CALL NUMBER: T2012:0001 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Aid to the handicapped PERIOD COVERED: 1914-1960 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1976-02-25 SUMMARY: TRACKS 1 & 2?: Personal background; came to Montreal in 1914, Toronto in 1920, Vancouver in 1927, Hamilton in 1932, Toronto again in 1934 and Vancouver again in 1942. Early education including business courses; working in the business world; working with war service committee from 1940 to 1944; set up first Red Cross unit in church setting; West Vancouver war service committee; encountered working with the handicapped for the first time; started war service committee 1944 to 1946; national employment service contacts; work with handicapped civilians; went to council for the guidance of handicapped from 1946; evolution of the Council for the Guidance of the Handicapped; Vancouver group formed about 1943; Guidance for the Handicapped Council chartered 1946; definition of handicapped person, rehabilitation, community councils and organisations; objectives of the Council for the Handicapped; structure of the council; involvement with the Community Chest and Councils 1952; move to social planning; move to consider whole province, not just Vancouver; objectives. CALL NUMBER: T2012:0002 SUPPLIED TITLE OF TAPE(S): Aid to the handicapped PERIOD COVERED: 1945-1976 RECORDED: [location unknown], 1976-02-25 SUMMARY: TRACK 1: Change from city to provincial focus; problems that still needed to be solved; SPARC dealt mainly with health and the aged. Council projects: handicapped day at the PNE; scope and limitations; of agency services; registration of handicapped persons to identify their needs; retail outlet for home handicrafts; problems encountered by the handicapped; by-laws, etc.; public educational meetings; collecting material for workshop use; publicity; consulting services; newsletters; yearly boat trips; indoor sports club. The briefs and the studies conducted by the Council: architectural barriers; to the handicapped; vocational rehabilitation/service coordination; vocational training/placement of blind students; camping program; study for city centre for the handicapped; consulting committee on vocational rehabilitation; screening applicants (until C.E. Bradbury took over provincially, 1958); adult hearing centre; report on advancement for the deaf; study of disabled allowance; educational and vocational needs of the handicapped; employment of the handicapped; social and employment problems of epileptics. In 1956, dealt with the gasoline tax and motor vehicle taxes (law passed in 1959); report on health services, 1961; reviewed report on neurological facilities. 1965 was the 21st year of the Council. TRACK 2: Reference to the brief that Rhona has compiled over the last 30 years on the history of the Council; brief on handicapped housing ; guide for handicapped housing, resulting in facilities in public buildings; world conference in London, 1957; recreation, working closely with Parks Board; adult handicapped registry expanded in 1960; the basis of voluntary organizations. Projects that the council is still trying to solidify: film on architectural barriers; handicapped housing; brief on orthotics, prostheses, etc.; services directory; vocational needs study re: sheltered workshops and homecrafts. Elements of rehabilitation. Member of the Order of Canada. Closing.

This series consists of the records of the Supervisor of Psychiatric Social Work. Includes subject files, personnel files, correspondence and other records.