The United Way Labour Partnership | Labour and the United Way of Greater Victoria
Victoria share a vision of community building where unions, employers, government and the volunteer sector work together. Over 15 years ago, a partnership was formalized between the Canadian Labour, the Victoria & District Labour Council and the United Way of Greater Victoria. As a result of the partnership, the following three areas have been identified as priorities: Community Commitment, Union Counselling Program and Philanthropy and Labour.
Community Commitment
Locally, both Labour and the United Way have identified the natural affinity that exists between them, and are seizing the opportunities to build stronger, healthier communities. The partnership allows the Union movement and the United Way to work on shaping policies, services and programs that build communities.
Union Counselling Program
The flagship program of the national partnership is Union Counselling (UC). UC is a program that works through the union in the workplace and the community. Union Counsellors work as information or referral agents, peer supporters, workplace change agents and community resources volunteers. It is a union-based program operated by the union in the workplace, by workers for workers. Union Counsellors are specially trained through the UC course and are appointed to this role by their union. They are trained to provide peer support to help co-workers with problems of personal impact and when necessary, to refer them to appropriate services in the community.
Philanthropy
Each year during community campaigns, the Labour movement works with a broad spectrum of services through donations of money and time.The task of the partnership is to promote within the Labour movement the importance of participating in philanthropy. Unions have been key advocates for a wide variety of programs, including pensions, employment insurance, human rights, health care, maternity and parental leave, childcare and homecare.
For more information general@uwgv.ca
Greater Victoria Coalition to End Homelessness
The Coalition is a non-profit community-based organization that engages community organizations, governments, business, the faith community and individuals to work in partnership with each other and the broader community to lead and drive the commitment to end homelessness. Some members of United Way of Greater Victoria (UWGV) volunteer board and staff participate on the Leadership Council and the Community Engagement Working Group. UWGV is also a major funder. For more information go to: http://www.solvehomelessness.ca
Success by 6
Success By 6 is an Early Childhood Development initiative that began in Minneapolis in 1988 under the leadership of their local United Way. In the early 1990′s, Edmonton’s United Way started the first Success By 6 in Canada and the United Way of the Lower Mainland started the first BC initiative in 1998. Success By 6 can now be found in over 350 communities in Canada and the United States.
Success By 6 South Vancouver Island was established in 2004 as a provincially funded Council of Partners to support communities working together to enhance Early Childhood Development. The Council’s mandate is to ensure that our youngest and most malleable children receive the fundamental tools they need to succeed at school and in life.
Success By 6 South Vancouver Island has three objectives:
- To leverage resources and build community capacity that supports an accessible, comprehensive range of programs and services for young children 0-6 years and their families in South Vancouver Island.
- To raise awareness of the importance of the Early Years and increase public support for Early Childhood Development.
- To influence public policy at the local and provincial level to benefit young children and their families.
Over the last several years Success By 6 has developed strong connections to the communities it serves and has funded over twenty programs — supporting a multitude of valuable Early Childhood Development programs. Funding for Success By 6 has largely come from the Provincial Government and is administered by the United Way. All funds go directly to Early Childhood Development programs.
2012 Funded Community Partners
1UP The Victoria Single Parent Resource Centre
AIDS Vancouver Island
Artemis Options Society
BC Families in Transition
BC Schizophrenia Society, Victoria Branch
Beacon Community Services Association
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Victoria
Boys & Girls Club Services
of Greater Victoria
Bridges for Women Society
Burnside Gorge Community Association
Capital Mental Health Association
Coalition of Neighbourhood Houses
Community Micro Lending
Community Options for Children and Families Society
Community Social Planning Council of Greater Victoria
Conservatory of Music
Crisis Intervention and Public Information Society of Greater Victoria (NEED2 Suicide Prevention Education and Support)
Downtown Blanshard Advisory Committee
Downtown Service Providers
Esquimalt Neighbourhood House Society
Family Caregivers’ Network Society
Greater Victoria Citizens’ Counselling Centre
Greater Victoria Coalition to End Homelessness Society
Greater Victoria Lifetime Networks
Habitat for Humanity Victoria
Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria
Island Deaf and Hard of Hearing Centre
Island Sexual Health Society
James Bay Community Project
James Bay Community School Society
Learning Disabilities Assoc. of BC – SVI Chapter
LifeCycles Project Society
LifeRing Secular Recovery Society Canada
Literacy Victoria
Oak Bay Volunteer Services Society
Oasis Society for Spiritual Health
Our Place Society
Pacific Centre Family Services Association
Pacifica Housing Advisory Association
PEERS Victoria Resource Society
Peninsula Connections for Early Childhood
Saanich Neighbourhood Place
Salt Spring & Southern Gulf Islands Community Services Soc.
Salt Spring Literacy Society
Silver Threads Service
Sooke Family Resource Society
Sooke Transition House Society
South Island Centre for Counselling & Training Society
Success by 6
SWOVA Community Development and Research Society
The Anawim Companions Society
The Cridge Centre for the Family
The Galiano Club
The Garth Homer Society
Together Against Poverty Society
Umbrella Society for Addictions and Mental Health
Victoria Association for Community Living
Victoria Brain Injury Society
Victoria Cool Aid Society
Victoria Epilepsy and Parkinson’s Centre
Victoria Immigrant and Refugee Centre Society
Victoria Native Friendship Centre
Victoria READ Society
Victoria Restorative Justice Society
Victoria Riding for the Disabled Association
Victoria Women’s Sexual Assault Centre
Victoria Women’s Transition House Society
Victoria Youth Empowerment Society
Volunteer Victoria
YMCA-YWCA of Greater Victoria
Young Parents Support Network
Donate Now
