ACCESS – BladeRunners

The training portion of our program includes a two-week period of orientation, life skills, employment readiness and certified health and safety training. All participants receive specialized supports including:

• Two hot meals while in training
• Rain gear
• Work clothing
• Basic equipment including hard hats, steel-toed boots and tools
• An Incentive Allowance
• Bus tickets until they receive their first pay cheque

Due to our extremely high job placement rate and the booming Vancouver construction industry, upon completion of training the participants will be almost guaranteed a job. Once employed, the participants receive on-site visits at least weekly until they are self-sufficient. The employer provides the on-the job training and sometimes cost-shares for specialized equipments and additional courses.

ACCESS – Carpentry

During this eight week program sixteen Aboriginal apprentices will complete Level I technical training towards their Red Seal Certification. The apprentices will be provided with additional supports such as tutoring and counseling to ensure their success.

ACCESS – Carpentry Refresher

There is a shortage of skilled carpenters in British Columbia. ACCESS apprenticeship counselors are working with approximately ten carpenters who require certification. Red Seal certification will ensure their carpentry skills are recognized by Industry Certification. Journeyperson’s require Red Seal certification in order to work with and train apprentices. There is a huge advantage to the Aboriginal community to have certified Aboriginal journeyperson’s to mentor and train Aboriginal apprentices. ACCESS envisions more qualified Aboriginal trades instructors.

This initiative is part of the larger work of ACCESS in providing training to Aboriginal people. ACCESS works in collaboration with local Aboriginal Human Resources Development Agreements (AHRDA) and local, regional and national Aboriginal organizations.

ACCESS - Welding

Level C is the first step in achieving Red Seal Certification in the Welding Trade. The Red Seal allows qualified tradespersons to practice the trade in any province or territory in Canada where the trade is designated without having to write further examinations. To date, there are 49 trades included in the Red Seal Program on a national basis. Wait lists for welder training at BCIT are 12 –18 months. Through this partnership we can offer secured seats in February 2008. The six weeks of Welding Theory towards Level C certification delivered at the Native Education College (NEC) will prepare students for the practical training at BCIT. The next start date for successful students will be March 31 2008.

Centre for Native Policy and Research (CNPR)
Aboriginal Women’s Challenges, Views and Recommendations

As a follow-up to the national research study entitled “Urban Aboriginal Participation in Policy Development” (UAP), which was funded by the Urban Aboriginal Strategy the Centre for Native Policy and Research (CNPR) is proposing to identify the urban issues which were identified by Aboriginal women in the initial study and further explore the urban issues surrounding Aboriginal women, children and families.

The aim is to explore possible new and enhanced approaches to addressing the challenges being faced by Aboriginal women, particularly those that fall within the mandate of urban Aboriginal agencies and/or organizations, as well as governmental ones. The key objectives of the Aboriginal women’s challenges, views and recommendations report are as follows:

1. To determine what Aboriginal women have identified as issues, needs and concerns and the priorities, key messages and recommendations they have made in relation to the solutions they see to addressing these issues, needs and concerns in both our conducted research and at large;
2. To determine what research and other written evidence is available regarding the following:
a. Socio-economic circumstances and trends of Aboriginal women;
b. Unique issues, needs and concerns related to Aboriginal women as a whole or for particular segments of the Aboriginal women population;
c. Emerging issues, concerns and needs; and
d. Recommended approaches to solutions, including any best practices and models.
3. To determine what common positions exist in relation to policies, key messages and recommendations on Aboriginal women’s issues, needs, and concerns, within other key Aboriginal representative and service organizations.

Lacroix & Associates Consulting
Aboriginal Business and Entrepreneurial Skills Training Program

Is for Aboriginal and Métis youth, status or not, between the ages of 18 and 35, who are interested in becoming self-employed or starting their own business. It is for both those who have a solid idea and want to see it happen, and for those who have an interest in business but have no specific idea yet. Project includes 12 sessions of training.

Pacific Association of First Nations Women
Vancouver Aboriginal Women’s Forum

In April 2007, UNN, in partnership with the Pacific Association of First Nations Women, received funding from the Ministry of Community Services to organise four regional roundtables on Aboriginal women’s issues. The information gathered from the roundtables and from surveys of Aboriginal women leaders was sent to the Premier’s office for use at the National Aboriginal Women’s Summit held in June 2007 in Corner Brook, Nfld and Labrador. A key recommendation from the BC meetings was for a provincial Aboriginal Women’s Council. A key recommendation stemming from the resulting Final Report stressed the need for a BC Aboriginal Women’s Council to ensure that Aboriginal women’s issues are effectively communicated to all levels of government.

The Vancouver forum, which will include women from the Fraser Valley and Vancouver Island, will establish the mandate, terms of reference and composition of the Council. The Forum is open to all Aboriginal women and not just leaders or members of organisations.

WISH Drop-In Centre Society - Mobile Access Project

The Mobile Access Project began in March 2004 as a pilot project that was collaboration with the WISH Drop-In Centre Society, PACE Society and the Vancouver Agreement Women’s Strategy Task Team to address violence against women survival sex workers in Vancouver. The objectives of MAP are to increase the number of safe place for sex workers in Vancouver, increase access to violence prevention services and information on health and addiction treatment services and decrease preventable deaths, injuries and illness. In addition, MAP is intended to provide employment opportunities for women who have exited the sex trade and who are building their skills to create alternatives to sex work.

MAP is on the road from 10:30 pm to 5:30 am, seven nights a week, driving to current and emerging strolls to provide women with supplies and resources to keep themselves safe. Included in this is needle exchange as well as the distribution of condoms. Staff is able to contact emergency responders on request, arrange to have women transported out of dangerous situations, seek shelter beds and make referrals to other organizations that can benefit women in sex work.

UFCW Local 247 - Aboriginal Youth Skills Link

The program will consist of one intake of 16 participants for duration of 8 weeks. The purpose of the project is to enhance employability for Aboriginal youth in the construction trades sector skills through their participation in skill development workshops and other group activities, and by enhancing their trade’s related occupational skills through practical on-the-job work experience