Indian Residential School Survivor Society is a 1-star charity with a below-average results reporting score. It is not financially transparent and has overhead costs outside Ci's reasonable range.

Founded in 1994, the Indian Residential School Survivor Society (IRSSS) works with First Nations people in British Columbia. The charity works with residential school survivors, their families, and Indigenous people who are experiencing inter-generational trauma. 

IRSSS reports a breakdown of expenses by six programs: Indian Residential School Health and Elder Support, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG), Indian Day School Support, Urban Indigenous Emergency Fund, 24-Hour Crisis Line, and Other. 

In F2022, IRSSS allocated 46% of program spending to Health and Elder Support. The charity provides emotional and cultural support through therapy, crisis counselling, community support, and cultural activities. In F2022, the charity introduced a Trauma-Informed Care Team which is trained to understand trauma and its impacts.

In F2022, IRSSS allocated 15% of program costs to MMIWG. When a First Nations person goes missing, the charity helps the family to file a missing person report and provides grief and loss support. IRSSS also provides safety workshops and school presentations.

The charity allocated 13% of program spending to Indian Day School Support. In F2022, a team of five people visited 50 First Nations communities to help them apply for the class action lawsuit to seek compensation for harm suffered by students who were forced to attend Indian Day Schools.

IRSSS allocated 8% of program costs to its 24-Hour Crisis Line. The charity provides support to people through its trained crisis line team. In F2022, the charity received more than 19,400 calls.

IRSSS spent 4% of program costs on Urban Indigenous Emergency Fund and 14% on Other programs. In F2022, the charity hosted 40 workshops on the history of First Nations people and communities. Additionally, in F2022, its Qwum Qwum Xxii Xxaa program provided 30 young people with counselling, mentorship, and other support.

Indian Residential School Survivor Society is not financially transparent. Its audited financial statements are not posted on its website nor provided when requested. Charity Intelligence's financial review uses the F2022 audited financial statements. This is the most recent information we have received from the Charities Directorate from our request for information.

In F2022, IRSSS received $17.7m in donations, up from $86k in F2021. The charity also received $8.6m in government funding, representing 33% of total revenues.

Administrative costs are 3% of revenues and the charity does not report any fundraising costs. This results in total overhead spending of 3%. For every dollar donated, 97 cents go to the cause, which is outside Ci’s reasonable range for overhead spending.

The charity has reserve funds of $22.6m which could cover almost five years and two months of annual program costs.

This charity report is an update that has been sent to Indian Residential School Survivor Society. Changes and edits may be forthcoming.

Updated on July 27, 2023 by Kiara Andrade.