Social & Community Services Organizations in Vancouver

Our mission is to improve the health, safety and well-being of women who are involved in Vancouver’s street-based sex trade. Our vision is for every woman to have access to opportunities to make free, healthy and positive choices.Women who engage in sex work are some of the most vulnerable in our society. Those who engage in street-based sex work are even more at risk of social stigma, violence and health crises. WISH Drop-In Centre Society provides support to women who work in the street-based sex trade—60 percent of whom are homeless, and half of whom are Indigenous. In the face of this trauma, WISH offers a range of services to support women who are often denied both their basic needs as well as a sense of dignity and self-worth. We host a nightly Drop-In Centre open 365 days per year, providing a safe place to rest, have a hot meal, shower and connect with community. We check the safety of women working on the streets, and offer harm reduction supplies, through our Mobile Access Project (MAP) Van which drives across the city every night. We also provide far-reaching opportunities designed to enable longer-term support, such as our Learning Centre, Supportive Employment Program and Music Therapy Program. Women in the WISH community—while they face incredible challenges— are resilient, intelligent and strong. They survive, create and care for each other in a society that routinely denies them a voice and discounts their humanity. In a place of compassion and trust and without judgement—a place where all women are valued—sex workers can begin to make healthier, more positive choices to enhance the quality of their lives. WISH is such a place.

Children are the future of the nation and the future of the world. The healthy growth of adolescents and children is a key factor in the development of a country. But there are still 1 billion people living below the extreme poverty line in the world, tens of thousands of children are homeless and unable to attend school. WE ARE THE WORLD are a organization that are donating money for School In a Box, a activity UNICEF made to let more kids who don’t have the opportunity to go to school, get the chance to receive their education. WE ARE THE WORLD are going to help those kids by raise funds through various methods such as charity sales, charity performances, fundraising, and public fundraising.

WCDWA is a non-profit community legal clinic in its 30th year of operation. WCDWA provides legal assistance and community support to live-in caregivers and temporary foreign workers in British Columbia. WCDWA is also engaged in public legal education, advocacy and law reform initiatives. For more information, see: www.wcdwa.ca

Our Vision A Vancouver community that supports and empowers older adults to live involved, healthy and fulfilling lives. Our Mission To enhance the quality of life of older adults by providing social, recreational, educational and supportive programs and services that foster connection and inclusion in the broader community. Our History On August 15, 1979, a meeting was held at the local office of the Provincial Ministry of Human Resources, comprised of representatives of government, the Vancouver Health Department and West End older adults. In this meeting, they examined the findings of a field-study conducted by the undergraduates of UBC’s School of Social Work on the needs of senior citizens. As a result, the West End Seniors’ Council selected an executive body to discuss and find solutions to the current needs of this community. Funded by a Federal New Horizons Program grant, an Information and Referral Centre was opened in 1982, operating 3 days a week and staffed by older adult volunteers with support from a paid, part-time Coordinator. West End Seniors’ Network become an incorporated society in BC in October 1982, and has been a registered charity since July 1984. Currently, there are over 950 members of the Network, 15 paid staff members and more than 250 active volunteers who contribute over 20,000 hours a year. The West End Seniors’ Network now operates from three different locations. In Denman Place Mall we run a thrift boutique, Clothes and Collectibles, and an Information and Referral centre, Kay’s Place. WESN’s main offices are located in Barclay Manor, a space dedicated by the City of Vancouver for older adults, where we work co-operatively with the West End Community Center Association to provide a variety of programs and activities.

About Westcoast Family Centres (WFC): Westcoast Family Centres Society is a multi-service community-based non-profit organization delivering child-centered, evidence-based, family-focused programs, and services since 1984. At WFC we strive to support a diverse demographic of clients within the Lower Mainland offering strength-based and family-centered programs and services to help strengthen the relationships of parents, caregivers, and their children.

The Westside Seniors Hub brings together local seniors and 17 Partner organizations serving seniors to ensure that Westside neighbourhoods are places where seniors can thrive. It serves as a ‘hub’ for sharing information and promoting collective action. It provides leadership for identifying gaps in service delivery and generating community support for seniors’ issues.

The Westside Seniors Hub brings together local seniors and 17 Partner organizations serving seniors to ensure that Westside neighbourhoods are places where seniors can thrive. It serves as a ‘hub’ for sharing information and promoting collective action. It provides leadership for identifying gaps in service delivery and generating community support for seniors’ issues.

The Women CyberSecurity Society (WCS2) is a registered nonprofit founded in the spring of 2018 in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Lisa Kearney, a long-term industry veteran, founded the organization after several conversations with female colleagues about a lack of support and the barriers facing women throughout the industry. To address those needs, Lisa started by creating local meetup events that grew into an international organization within the first year. As word spread, the demand grew. The development of programs and services provided support to the community and enabled us to achieve the objectives of our mission to advance and retain marginalized groups for a more diverse and inclusive community within the cybersecurity industry. From the onset, our focus is on the lifecycle of a career. We understand needs are different when starting your career, changing roles and responsibilities, obtaining certifications, training and advancing into leadership positions.

Our mission is to transform our cities to work for all women and girls, through community engagement, inclusive policies and equitable representation. Our vision is to live in cities where all women and girls have real social, economic and political power. We educate, promote awareness and take action on issues such as affordable housing, violence against women, leadership, electoral reform, aboriginal women’s priorities, and the environment. We examine the impact different public policies will have on women and girls using an equity/intersectional lens that includes sex, race, gender, and income. We want women and girls to be engaged as decision makers, as elected officials, workers, planners, mothers and informed citizens to transform our cities to be more equitable and democratic for all. We ask: what changes can cities make to improve the lives of women and girls?

Working Gear is a registered charitable non-profit society. We are run by volunteers and have been operating in Vancouver, British Columbia since 2007. We assist low income unemployed men in their return to the workplace by providing work appropriate clothing at no cost. These men are seeking jobs in a wide range of industries and we provide them with everything from boots to suits.

WHAT IS WAI? World Awareness Initiative is a global movement that focusses on using dialogues to bridge divides and create a more inclusive world. We host workshops to develop practical communication skills and create safe spaces for young leaders to practice those skills. We encourage young leaders to look beyond the superficial and explore 'WHY' something is happening by organizing dialogue based events. Through our worldwide network of chapters and partnerships, we hope to raise awareness and inspire change through communication. We invite you to join our conversation!

About the YMCA of Greater Toronto The YMCA of Greater Toronto is a dynamic charity offering opportunities for personal growth, community involvement and leadership. Our 2010-2020 strategic plan Strong Start Great Future calls upon our Association to invest in young people across their life stages to deliver on our vision of ensuring our communities will be home to the healthiest children, teens and young adults. This community health strategy includes a significant role for adults and older adults. Mirroring the region’s diversity, the YMCA offers a variety of programs responding to the needs of the community, including employment and essential skills, education, newcomer programs, youth outreach and intervention, fitness, sports and aquatics, international programs, child care and camps. Program Description: Next Stop Canada (NSC) is a program that provides online settlement support, learning opportunities, and mentorship to pre-arrival clients who are destined for Canada. This online program helps individuals overseas prepare for immigration to Canada by providing them with the information, knowledge, and resources needed to quickly adapt and integrate into Canadian society.