Tag: Equality

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Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver: Mentorship that Empowers

A mentor in a child’s life can not only encourage them to reach their full potential, but also create a positive impact in their community. However, for disadvantaged youth, mentors are not always easy to come by. 

Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver draws on the 100-year-old ethos of now-international organization Big Brothers, connecting children and youth with mentors in the Greater Vancouver area. We chatted with Development and Marketing Manager Mandy Wong about Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver’s history, mission, and goals.

Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver

Tell us about Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver’s mission. 

At Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver, our mission is to enable impactful mentoring relationships where children and youth can discover their power and potential, in collaboration with our local communities. Our vision is that all children and youth are empowered to reach their full potential through mentorship.

What inspired your founders to start Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver? 

On July 4, 1903, a Cincinnati businessman named Irvin F. Westheimer started a movement that would grow to affect millions of lives around the world through child and youth mentoring.

When the young professional saw a boy rooting through a garbage can, he took him under his wing and became his “big brother.” He encouraged his friends to do the same with other boys and young men from father-absent homes. Before long, the Big Brothers movement was born.

Fast forward ten years to a growing delinquency rate in Toronto and the need for an innovative solution. Several businessmen became aware of what was happening in the United States to combat the same problem, and after seeing the positive effect the program had for our neighbours to the south, Big Brothers came to Canada.

Four decades later on March 8, 1957, five businessmen met in the boardroom of a bakery at the corner of Boundary and Kingsway for the first meeting of Big Brothers of British Columbia.

With a strong desire to support the children and youth in the Lower Mainland, founding board members Cecil S. Walker and well-known men’s clothier, Murray Goldman, got involved with Big Brothers shortly after the mentoring movement came out west. Goldman was introduced to the idea when one of his clients, former Executive Director Donald Waring, joked that he would agree to buy a suit from him in exchange for his participation.

Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver was established in 1978. We now run our strength-based mentoring programs in Burnaby, Delta, Surrey, New Westminster, the North Shore, Richmond, the Tri-Cities, and Vancouver. We have a broad service area for a diverse group of individuals. Today, young people who need a mentor come from all walks of life.

Although the Big Brothers movement was born out of a need to combat a growing delinquency rate, our mentoring programs now serve a much broader purpose. The notion of our strength-based mentoring programs remains the same, but the driving force behind the concept has evolved. 

We recognize that the mentor-mentee relationship is a shared, meaningful experience for both the child and the volunteer. Everyday experiences mean big impacts for the child, the volunteer, and the community at large.

What were some of the challenges you encountered? 

The COVID-19 pandemic has had an immeasurable impact on the lives of the young people that we support. A breakdown of usual routines, schooling, social opportunities, and many other activities has had a profound effect on so many children, the effects of which we likely won’t fully understand for some time. 

At the same time, health and safety guidelines drastically impacted our ability to deliver most of our programs, with some switching to virtual delivery, while others were postponed. As a result, we faced huge obstacles to provide young people in Greater Vancouver with programming and support, just when they needed it the most. 

Funding for the programs became unpredictable with economical impact around the world, and at one point, we weren’t sure if we would be able to keep our agency going.

Other than volunteers, our agency is in need of funding to maintain our programs so we can serve as many children and young people as we can through mentorship.

What do you consider Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver’s biggest success? 

Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver has been serving local communities for over 40 years. Our teams and mentoring coordinators are trained to serve long-term friendships and provide guidance on mentorship. We believe the knowledge and history we have at Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver has led to our success.

What makes your organization unique, and how do you feel Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver makes the world better? 

Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver believes that when our children are emotionally, socially, and physically healthy, everyone in the community benefits. With over 40 years of serving Greater Vancouver communities, we have worked with numerous community stakeholders to develop a variety of essential mentorship programs to meet the needs of children and families. 

We believe that by providing a mentor to young lives, we will in turn encourage them to live to their full potential and contribute to a better community’s future. We strive for innovative ways of mentoring that meet the changing needs of our children, families, and communities, while maintaining the highest standards of program delivery.

We are committed to the values of diversity and inclusion. We respect and welcome participation of all individuals. We believe that the diversity of our volunteers, families, and staff allows us to collectively strengthen our organization to intentionally support the communities we serve. 

Every child referred to us comes on the basis that they will benefit substantially by forming a continuing bond with a caring mentor. Many children we serve are from low income, single parent households or from struggling families lacking positive role models. 

The presence of a reliable, caring mentor provides support for the families as well as their children, and in many cases, connects the family with opportunities they would not otherwise have. 

In addition, children from new immigrant and refugee families experience considerable isolation and stress due to cultural issues and limited language skills. 

Our strength-based mentoring programs build the self-confidence and capacities of children so that they can develop healthy lifestyles, make informed and responsible decisions, and participate to the greatest extent possible in the social and economic fabric of society.

Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver

Tell us about your organization’s goals. 

Every year, we aim to serve as many children and young people as we can through our mentorship programs. We hope to serve over 1,000 mentees in our next fiscal year.

Are there any upcoming initiatives or projects you’d like to share, and what do you most want people to know about Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver? 

The Big Brother mentoring program is what we’re most well known for at Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver, and we are always in need of Big Brother volunteers. The program provides boys with a role model and a friend to talk to and share the experiences of growing up with. 

Through regular outings of two to four hours, once a week, for a minimum of one year, a friendship is developed between the Big and Little Brother that is built on trust, and common interests and values. 

Furthermore, the result is an impactful experience for both the mentor and the mentee. We’re currently offering this program virtually through Zoom, or in-person, subject to provincial social guidelines. Other than the Big Brother program, we also have other programs that support children and youth in Greater Vancouver communities. We are always in constant need for volunteers/Big Buddies to support our site-based programs and opportunities, which can be found at https://www.bigbrothersvancouver.com/our-programs/

Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver

How can people help or contribute to Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver‘s mission? 

If you would like to support Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver, consider volunteering to become a mentor or donate to support our mentorship programs. We have a waiting list of mentees waiting to be watched with a Big Brother or Big Buddy – with your help, we would be able to make that wait time even shorter. In some areas of Vancouver, children and young people are waiting two to three years to be matched with a mentor.

If you would like to volunteer and learn about our programs, please visit our website at https://www.bigbrothersvancouver.com/our-programs/

To donate and support our mentorship programs, please visit us at https://www.bigbrothersvancouver.com/donate-now/

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Salt Spring Coffee: Brewing Good in Every Cup

Did you know that Canada is one of the top global consumers of coffee? Canadians love our coffee; it’s one of our simple pleasures. The only thing better would be saving the world as we drink it. 

Salt Spring Coffee set out on a mission to do just that: use coffee to be a force for good. We chatted with Digital Marketing Specialist Veronica Meas about Salt Spring Coffee’s goals, and what makes this company unique.

Tell us about Salt Spring Coffee’s mission. 

Our mission is to change the world for the better through coffee. Salt Spring Coffee wants to use coffee as the vehicle to be a force of good. Coffee allows us to make a positive impact along our supply chain, which includes communities from where we source our coffee all the way to our staff, our customers, and our community. 

What inspired your founders to start Salt Spring Coffee? 

Inspired by the Salt Spring Island way of life, founders Mickey McLeod and Robbyn Scott embarked on a journey to bring sustainable coffee to their community. 

In their quest for coffee that was environmentally friendly and fair to farmers, they built long-term partnerships with producers to source organic, shade-grown, fair trade coffee. 

What do you consider Salt Spring Coffee’s biggest success? 

Salt Spring Coffee’s greatest success is setting high standards from the beginning so we can provide access to coffee that is traded fairly and grown sustainably. 

For us, success isn’t based solely on profit, but also purpose – we will never compromise people, the environment, or quality for the sake of generating more profit. 

What makes your organization unique? 

Salt Spring Coffee was a trailblazer and among the first coffee companies in Canada to offer organic, fair trade coffee. 

What makes us unique is that not only are we organic and Fair Trade Certified, we are also a certified B Corp. While organic and fair trade certifications verify our products, B Corp certification verifies our practices and impact on people and the environment. It’s a third-party audit that helps us measure and constantly improve our social and environmental impact. 

How do you feel Salt Spring Coffee makes the world better? 

Salt Spring Coffee sources organic, shade-grown coffee. This means that instead of clear cutting forests to grow coffee in an industrial fashion, coffee is grown in its natural environment under tree canopies.

Shade-grown coffee preserves natural biodiversity, protects the ecosystem, and helps prevent soil erosion. Better soil quality means that coffee can be grown without the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides.

Salt Spring Coffee is also Fair Trade and Fair For Life certified. This means that producers are paid a fair price plus an additional premium on top of the cost of coffee that goes toward the producer’s community. Additionally, Fair Trade also ensures fair working conditions that are free from discrimination, child labour, and forced labour. 

Salt Spring Coffee is proof that businesses can be successful while making business decisions that are better for people and the planet.

Tell us about your organization’s goals. 

Our goal is to make sustainable, fair trade coffee available to everyone. We currently offer whole bean and ground coffee, but we know that customers also enjoy other methods of brewing, such as using pods. 

We will continue to develop our offerings to include additional formats so that sustainable, fair trade coffee is available to all coffee drinkers. 

Are there any upcoming initiatives or projects you’d like to share? 

We’re working on a plan to invest in energy efficient equipment that will help us significantly decrease our greenhouse gas emissions. 

Additionally, we participate in a waste diversion program that tracks our weekly waste diversion. We are putting together a plan to help us get to Zero Waste by 2026. 

What do you most want people to know about Salt Spring Coffee? 

Twenty-five years later, Salt Spring Coffee is still family-owned and operated, and our aspiration remains the same: To be change makers through coffee – doing our part to make the world a better place. 

How can people help or contribute to Salt Spring Coffee’s mission? 

People can help with Salt Spring Coffee’s mission by supporting organic, fair trade, and B Corp companies. By supporting these companies, people have the power to show businesses that they want to buy from brands that care about more than just the bottom line. It can help create a world where every business has a positive impact on the people and the environment.

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Plan International Canada: Advancing Children’s Rights

As children, we’re told we can be anything, from astronauts to Hollywood movie stars. Unfortunately, for many kids (especially girls) around the world, their dream is basic rights and opportunities. 

Plan International Canada works to remove barriers so children in underdeveloped countries can live out their potential. We chatted with Plan International Canada about their mission and what makes this organization unique.

Shalini, looking at the camera, is advocating for the end of child marriage in Uttar Pradesh

Tell us about Plan International Canada’s mission. 

Plan International Canada works for and with children, community members, and governments so that all children around the world can exercise their rights. We do this by focusing on eight core areas, with gender equality as a foundational objective.

Our work seeks to tackle the root causes of gender inequality and remove barriers that keep children, especially girls, from reaching their full potential. 

Plan International Canada is a member of a global organization dedicated to advancing children’s rights and equality for girls. Plan International has been building powerful partnerships for children for over 80 years and is now active in more than 75 countries. 

What inspired your founders to start Plan International Canada? 

In 1937, British journalist John Langdon-Davies founded what was originally known as Foster Parents Plan for Children in Spain to help children whose lives were disrupted by the Spanish Civil War. By 1938, 300 Spanish children were sponsored by Plan International. The following year, Eleanor Roosevelt became a sponsor, continuing to support the organization for many years. 

Plan International marked its 60th anniversary in 1990 by reaching an incredible milestone: supporting its one millionth sponsored child, a young girl from Mali. By 1999, the number of  Plan-sponsored children grew to over 1.2 million children. 

A decade later, Plan International began highlighting the unique challenges faced by girls in low-income countries, launching our Because I am a Girl initiative in Canada to promote gender equality in the countries where we work. 

Plan International celebrated its 84th anniversary in 2021, marking our continued commitment  to children’s rights around the world. 

Millions of girls around the world are in crisis. Their futures are already written for them, as they experience the tragedies of child marriage, no education, sexual violence and exploitation.

Together we can Stop The Setback by helping girls rewrite their futures for the better.

As we move into the fourth phase of our global fundraising campaign, we aim to raise awareness of the work Plan International does and drive donations to help us support the world’s most vulnerable girls and provide them with the support they need to fulfill their potential.

What were some of the challenges you encountered? 

Plan International Canada has over 80 years of experience in international development and  humanitarian response, and remains committed to children’s rights and equality for girls as the world navigates and responds to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The COVID-19 crisis has affected people across the globe and has become a challenge in the humanitarian world. Primary health impacts have been grave, and associated lockdowns and disruptions have led to additional (secondary) impacts. 

The pandemic has caused unprecedented hardship for people around the globe, but for girls in crisis, it’s done more than just set them back. It’s unravelling decades of progress. Thirteen million girls are at risk of becoming brides, two million girls are at risk of experiencing female genital mutilation, and millions are at risk of never returning to school once they reopen.

Through its global response, Plan International has been assessing the extent and severity of the secondary impacts of this crisis on women and children, especially girls, since March 2020. 

We are constantly working to ensure that progress is not reverted in terms of children and  girls getting their rights. 

What do you consider Plan International’s biggest success? 

Plan International’s gender transformative approach to international development and, increasingly, our work during emergencies aspires to support women, girls, men, and boys in all their diversity to change this reality.  

Through Plan International Canada’s ambitious 20 Million Reasons Campaign, we’ve  reached 18.4 million children around the world – over halfway to our target of improving the  lives of 20 million children by 2022. 

How do you feel Plan International Canada makes the world better? 

Plan International Canada knows achieving the Sustainable Development Goals ambition of “leaving no one behind” requires transformative change. We confront and challenge discrimination and human rights violations based on gender. 

All of our work – programming or advocacy – tackles the root causes of gender inequality and helps reshape unequal power relations. It focuses not only on providing equal opportunities and outcomes for all, but on removing the barriers that keep girls and women from achieving their full potential and exercising their rights. 

Our focus is to meet and grow our commitments to children, as well as the more than 86,000 communities we work with over the long term. 

Plan International Canada has developed a comprehensive girl/woman centric index – the Women’s and Girls’ Empowerment Index – that measures changes in the root causes of gender inequality and captures the breadth and scope of gender transformative change. 

A gender equality approach is about understanding these relative differences and intersecting identities, appreciating that they are not rigid and can be changed. It is important to keep these differences and intersecting identities in mind when designing strategies, policies, programs, and services. 

Ultimately, promoting gender equality means transforming the power relations between women and men, girls and boys, and individuals with different gender identities in order to create a more just society for everyone. 

Tell us about your organization’s goals.

We strive for a just world that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. We engage people and partners to empower children, young people, and communities to make vital changes that assist girls in accessing their rights. 

We want to fulfill the promise of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goal. Plan International Canada’s strategy is to work through our 20 Million Reasons Campaign, which intends to improve the lives of 20 million children, especially girls, by 2022 so that they can learn, lead, decide, and thrive. 

Within the strategy, we also have an ambition to transform the lives of 100 million girls. Child sponsorship and grassroots community work are central to our strategy and achieving this ambition. 

How can people help or contribute to Plan International’s mission? 

Every day, millions of girls around the world are denied their basic human rights simply because they’re girls. 

Through initiatives such as Because I am a Girl and the Child Sponsorship program, Plan International is working to advance girls’ rights by helping them unleash their inherent power and potential. The contributions support girls in championing change in their communities by helping them access their right to education, healthcare, and clean water. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has further exposed and magnified injustices around the world – especially for those most vulnerable. Through the Stop the Setback Campaign, Plan International is working to ensure girls have access to the supports they need to powerfully claim their right to a safe, healthy life, and a path of their choosing. 

Visit plancanada.ca for more information and follow @plancanada on social media to #StopTheSetback.

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