Space to breathe: Measuring what really matters
It starts with a conversation
It doesn’t start with data. It starts with a conversation.
A senior sits across from a Community Connector at Oak Bay Volunteer Services (OBVS), unsure where to begin. Maybe they’ve been managing on their own for too long. Maybe this is the first time someone has asked not just what they need but what’s really going on.
And for the first time in a while, they pause. They breathe. “That’s when we see the shift,” says Kara, CEO at Oak Bay Volunteer Services. “When someone realizes they don’t have to rush. They can just be honest.”
Looking beyond the service
For nearly 50 years, OBVS has supported adults 19+ with rides, home visits, and small repairs. But at its core understands that these services are only part of the story.
“We serve about 500 people a year through our core services,” explains Kara. “But what those numbers don’t capture is the relationships behind them; what people actually experience when someone shows up.”
That understanding deepened when OBVS joined Project Impact Healthy Aging (PIHA), an eight-month program that helps organizations better understand and strengthen their impact.
Asking better questions
Instead of focusing only on what was delivered, the team began asking something different. They started to ask the seniors they served, “What changed for you?”
Through the Greater Victoria Community Connector program, a social prescribing model that supports seniors across many aspects of life, answers emerged. Participants spoke about relief. About feeling heard. About having a space where they didn’t need to explain or justify themselves.
“Yes, people want help finding resources,” Kara explains. “But what stood out most was the relationship. That sense of safety, that’s what made the difference.”
A place to breathe
Some participants come once. Others return for months. What brings them back isn’t just support; it’s how they feel while receiving it.
“They tell us it’s the only place they don’t feel rushed,” says Kara. “They can finally just breathe.” In a system often defined by time limits and urgency, that kind of space matters.
Because in that space, people begin to sort through what’s overwhelming them. They reflect. They regain a sense of clarity and, sometimes, a sense of control.
Measuring what matters
Through PIHA, these experiences became more than moments, they became insight.
OBVS began tracking change across three areas: Connection, Belonging, Honour.
“Honour is about how someone sees themselves, and how they’re treated,” Kara explains. “As people age, that can shift in quiet ways.”
Over time, patterns became clear. It was connection, a sense of relational safety, where the deepest change happened. Belonging wasn’t a bonus; it was foundational. And honour, the feeling of being respected, was what gave that connection its strength. Kara further explains, “The resource piece matters. But the real impact? That’s the relationship. That’s our superpower.”
Growing with intention
In its first year, the program supported around 80 seniors. The focus wasn’t rapid growth—it was building something meaningful.
Now, demand is increasing. With expanded capacity and stronger partnerships, OBVS is reaching more people and helping them navigate available supports.
“Sometimes the issue isn’t that resources don’t exist,” they explain. “It’s knowing where to go. We help people make sense of that.”
Where it begins
In the end, the work isn’t about programs or metrics. It’s about that first moment when someone realizes they don’t have to rush. That someone is listening. That they don’t have to do it alone.
“That’s where everything begins,” says Kara excitedly. And from there, connection follows one conversation at a time.
Sharing the learning
On June 10, 2026, OBVS will share its experience at the Project Impact Healthy Aging Showcase, alongside organizations from across BC.
Join us at our PIHA Showcase where we hear the learnings from our recent Community-Based Seniors’ Services (CBSS) sector cohort from across British Columbia, each sharing the outcomes of their participation in United Way BC’s Project Impact Healthy Aging initiative.
Wednesday, June 10 – 5pm-7:30pm
Collingwood Neighbourhood House Annex
Register: United Way BC – Project Impact Healthy Aging Showcase