GVAT Newsletter: Crisis Response Team Win, GVAT is hiring, Volunteer Profile & More
In this newsletter:
1) Win! Victoria’s new Community-Led Crisis Response Team starts work.
2) GVAT is hiring a part time organizer!
3) Negotiating new relationships with IAF allies
4) Metro Vancouver Alliance reactivates
5) New GVAT Board Members
6) GVAT Stands Up for Old Growth Forests
7) Affordable Housing
8) Climate Justice
9) Artistic Collaboration: between Congregation Emanu-El and artist Virgil Sampson of the Tsartlip Nation
10) Volunteer Profile: Stephen Tyler
11) National Indigenous History Month (June) and National Indigenous Peoples Day
12) Training
13) Save the Date! GVAT Summer Social/Potluck Picnic
1) Win! Victoria’s new Community-Led Crisis Response Team starts work
On May 25th, AVI Health & Community Services announced that the Community-Led Crisis Response Team (CLCR) is now operating in Victoria. CLCR is a peer-assisted care program and a mobile crisis response team led by persons with lived/living experience and mental health professionals, who are able to de-escalate crises and develop community care plans with persons experiencing crisis.
This good news is the result of years of work by GVAT, dating back to at least 2018 when we held one of our first major events. The Mental Health and Addictions ART is not active at this time, but we hope to be able to build on this important win and get permanent funding for 24/7 CLCR service covering the whole region.
Find out more in our blog post about this important win
2) GVAT is hiring a part time organizer!
GVAT is now advertising for a part time organizer to help us grow, build power, and make even more change for the common good. Please share the job posting in your circles, and on your groups' social media channels. Click here to read the job posting, which is also on the front page of our website www.GVAT.ca.
3) Negotiating new relationships with IAF allies
GVAT is involved in international discussions regarding potential changes within IAF, including to the fee structure for its affiliates. Long time IAF NorthWest organizer Joe Chrastil is retiring soon, and major changes are coming. GVAT is aiming to create strong relationships with other Canadian IAF affiliates, and a cost-effective way of collaborating to provide training and other support.
4) Metro Vancouver Alliance reactivates
Exciting news! The IAF affiliate Metro Vancouver Alliance (MVA) is actively campaigning again, and there is potential for future cooperative work with them. Like GVAT, MVA is working on both affordable housing and climate justice.
5) New GVAT Board Members
This year we’re welcoming Yvonne Hsieh and Tracey Scott to the Board. Yvonne is our Vice-Chair, while Tracey is our Board Secretary. As well as our new additions, we continue to have Brigitte McKenzie as Chair, Stephen Tyler as Interim Treasurer, and Michael Glover and Eric Doherty as Members-at-Large.
6) GVAT Stands Up for Old Growth Forests
At the United for Old-Growth event on February 25th, GVAT banners proclaimed that a wide cross section of British Columbians want old-growth forests protected, a point we also made in our Op-Ed. It was also a great opportunity for informal networking between GVAT groups. Thanks to everyone who turned out!
7) Affordable Housing
In addition to ongoing work engaging with mayors and others about our Housing for All Campaign, GVAT is considering planning for a fall initiative to focus on Real Rent Control (Vacancy control) to address rental protections and reduce no-fault evictions of tenants -working with member organizations and allies.
We are participating in community consultations and Public Hearings on Official Community Plan (OCP) changes being undertaken by Victoria, Esquimalt, and Saanich in 2023 and to ensure that GVAT Affordable Rental housing priorities are identified and included.
GVAT is also looking at ways to build greater knowledge and awareness across member organizations that the housing crisis continues and that their efforts are needed to prevent even more people from losing housing, including seniors, families and youth.
In July 2023, we are set to meet with Ravi Kahlon, the Minister of Housing.
8) Climate Justice
On Transportation, GVAT is partnering with like-minded organizations to achieve our goals and is meeting with Victoria and Saanich mayors and councilors regarding:
● Welcoming wheelchairs and mobility scooters to use AAA bike and roll routes
● Supporting the Clean BC Vehicle Kilometers Traveled (VKT) target
● Bus lanes on Douglas through downtown Victoria, and on McKenzie to UVic
GVAT’s letter to the editor on the provincial VKT target was published in the Saanich News, and is available on GVAT’s Twitter https://twitter.com/ActingGreater/status/1656381096211402752
We are also supporting Sierra Club’s Moving the Dial on Biodiversity campaign because it will help greatly with our climate action goals of old-growth forest protection, more environmentally sound forestry practices and food security. It also fits well with GVAT’s transportation goals because, in a world with less cars, there is more room for biodiversity.
Photo by Raquel Pimentel
9) Artistic Collaboration: between Congregation Emanu-El and artist Virgil Sampson of the Tsartlip Nation
Rabbi Harry of Congregation Emanu-El and artist Virgil Sampson of the Tsartlip Nation have worked together on creating a powerful art print that combines cultural and aesthetic iconography to produce “Magen,” which in Hebrew means, “Protection.” The piece combines the Hamsa, a symbol that is shared by many peoples of the Middle East that serves as a talisman or amulet against the evil eye (bad mojo that comes to us when we invoke the envy of others), and an Orca, which is a Coast Salish symbol of protection. After Virgil and Rabbi Harry shared intense dialogue and learning, Virgil created this striking and innovative work of art.
After consultation with elders and other rabbis, both Virgil and R. Harry feel that this work of collaboration and connection is in the spirit of reconciliation that begins with sharing. There are limited edition prints that are available for sale through Congregation Emanu-El.
10) Volunteer Profile: Stephen Tyler
Member Organization - Broad View United
Roles within GVAT - Treasurer, Housing ART member, Strat Hub member
What keeps you awake at night or is of special concern to you these days? Fundraising
What gives you hope or gets you up in the morning? Board unity and mutual support / opportunities and enthusiasm of members
Tell us about a hobby or interest you have. I sing in a choir. I have grandkids.
What motivates you to leadership in GVAT? I think the organization has potential. The process required to organize and mobilize diverse groups is healthy and positive.
What is one favourite action you have taken as a result of being involved with GVAT? I enjoy GVAT people - they are knowledgeable, committed and often very funny
Any special thoughts to share with other newsletter readers? Keep the faith.
11) National Indigenous History Month (June) and National Indigenous Peoples Day (June 21)
GVAT’s Indigenous Relationships Learning Circle, a sub-group of our Committee on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, upholds GVAT’s commitment to reconciliation. National Indigenous Peoples Day on Wednesday June 21 is a day to celebrate and honor Indigenous heritage, diversity, and cultures, as well as the outstanding achievements of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples throughout Canada.
Find out more on the GVAT blog
12) Training
Much training has already been offered to GVAT members in 2023.
● our consultant, Sonia Theroux, led a pair of workshops on Preparing and Facilitating Engaging and Effective Meetings. Recordings, slides and summary documents are all available from admin@gvat.ca .
● GVAT members, Patricia Lane and Peggy Wilmot did presentations on IAF history and GVAT history. (Check out this blog for the latter: https://www.gvat.ca/blog/a-brief-history-of-gvats-beginnings-in-victoria-by-peggy-wilmot )
● Patricia Lane taught Challenging Conversations. Recording available from admin@gvat.ca
● Our Indigenous Relationships Learning Circle has developed Land Acknowledgement Training and is rolling it out to each GVAT body.
● Our Mediation Team continues to train GVAT regarding the Vibes Watcher role at meetings.
● Member org, Sierra Club, provided training and coaching to Climate ARTists regarding use of personal story, how to write and pitch an Op-ed and Moving the Dial on Biodiversity.
● Some Climate ARTists also did online training on Deep Canvassing (an evolution of IAF relational interviewing) via Neighbors United and other organizations.
● GVAT members attended IAF Fundamentals training hosted by our sister affiliate, Metro Vancouver Alliance.
13) Save the Date! GVAT Summer Social/Potluck Picnic
Sunday, September 3, 2023
4:45 p.m.- 7:45 p.m.
This no-frills, low-key event will be held at the group picnic shelter at Beaver Lake (Filter Beds Area). Your presence is what will make it special.
This event is for all members of all GVAT member organizations, not just for active GVAT volunteers.
Please bring:
- Yourselves, fellow GVAT members, friends and family if you would like
- Potluck food to share
- Whatever non-alcoholic beverages you would like (alcohol not permitted in a CRD park)
- Re-useable dishes, cutlery, napkins (We’re aiming for a zero-waste event.)
You may also wish to bring:
Chairs or blankets (There will also be seating at picnic tables in the shelter.)
Lawn games (eg. bocce, croquet…)
Canopies for sun or rain protection depending on weather (The picnic shelter is covered but, given Covid, the more options for spreading out the better. )
Directions: If you can cycle, walk or use transit, that’s great. There is a car parking lot right beside the picnic shelter. Filter Beds Entrance: From West Saanich Road turn east onto Beaver Lake Road and go 1.2km to the Filter Beds parking lot. From Elk Lake Drive, turn west onto Beaver Lake Road and drive 800m to the Filter Beds parking lot. (The Filter Beds area is not the area with the swimming beach and playground.)
We recognize GVAT conducts its business on the lands of First Nations across this region: Lək̓ʷəŋən (Songhees) and Xwsepsum (Esquimalt) Nations in the core area, the W̱SÁNEĆ Nations {W̱JOȽEȽP (Tsartlip), BOḰEĆEN (Pauquachin), SȾÁUTW̱,(Tsawout) and W̱SIKEM (Tseycum)} on the Saanich Peninsula and Gulf Islands, Sc'ianew (Beecher Bay), T’Sou-ke, and Pacheedaht in the west , and MÁLEXEȽ (Malahat) in the north.
