We are thrilled to announce that Elizabeth (Betty) Lepps has been hired as the Executive Director of Collingwood Neighbourhood House, effective July 2, 2024.
Betty brings extensive experience in community development and non-profit management. Her personal and professional journey includes integrating diverse systems to meet individual and family needs, enhancing community wellness, and addressing critical social challenges that hinder the thriving of people and communities.
Betty’s contributions to various committees focused on systemic change for marginalized populations have been highly praised at municipal, ministerial, community, and national levels. She has collaborated with numerous Indigenous and immigrant communities across Canada and the USA, delivering family and community-based training in partnership with Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and key community members to preserve traditions and protect families.
With a proven track record of adaptive, collaborative, and courageous leadership, Betty consistently fosters growth within organizations and encourages staff development. Her dedication to building strong, inclusive communities aligns perfectly with our mission and values. We are confident that Betty will be a tremendous asset to CNH, guiding us towards continued growth and success.
Please join us in welcoming Betty to the CNH family. We look forward to the exciting journey ahead under her leadership.
CNH Board of Directors Collingwood Neighbourhood House
Collingwood Neighbourhood House (CNH) is committed to working with our participants to create a safe, healthy and inclusive neighbourhood. We want to know how we are doing and know if we are meeting the goals of our CNH Strategic Plan. We invite participants to fill out this survey to give us their feedback on their experiences with CNH programs and services:https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CNHParticipant2024
This survey is anonymous – responses will be reported collectively with other responses. Your thoughts and ideas are very important to us. Thank you for taking the time to give your feedback! This survey will be open until July 21, 2024.
If you would like to fill out the survey in Traditional Chinese or Spanish, please print and fill out the surveys below and then return to CNH. You can also pick up a copy at reception at the CNH Main House, Annex or RISE Community Health Centre.
This is an exciting time to join the Board of such a vibrant organization. We are looking for people who: •Live and/or work in Renfrew-Collingwood •Can commit to a three-year term, starting this October •Can commit 8-10 hours a month on Board-related work •Have a broad understanding of the neighbourhood •Have a strong commitment to becoming engaged in improving all aspects of ourneighbourhood •Are able to bring expertise and perspectives that increase our organization’s capacity to be equitable and inclusive
We have a very diverse Board to represent our neighbourhood. At this time, we have a few skills and assets we require to be filled on the Board: •Those who have experience in organizational change management. •Youth who are passionate about improving their community •Those who have experience in religious/spiritual associations. •Those who have experience in fundraising. •Those with relevant lived experience or who are representative of a historically marginalized group
The CNH Board of Directors is committed to an anti-oppressive, anti-racist approach to its work and welcomes those who thrive in a vibrant, welcoming environment.
Members of the Board’s Nominations Committee will be contacting applicants July 11-19. If you are interested, please contact Board President Leila Trickey at: president@cnh.bc.ca and include: •Your name •Contact information •Years in the Renfrew-Collingwood Neighbourhood •A few lines on why you are interested in joining the CNH Board of Directors
We are looking for Collingwood Neighbourhood House’s new Executive Director!
For the past 13 years, CNH has benefited from consistent leadership under our retiring Executive Director, Jennifer Gray-Grant. Throughout her successful tenure, CNH has expanded programs and services across 11 sites, employing 250 staff and contractors, and working with more than 200 volunteers. Additionally, CNH opened a new $5M community space in the fall of 2018, increased the annual budget from $4M to $12M, and established the RISE Community Health Centre in 2020. As she will be retiring this year, CNH is now recruiting a new Executive Director to guide and lead the organization through its next key chapters.
The Executive Director reports to an engaged and functional Board of Directors; a diverse blend of professionals and youth with varying tenures and rich experiences. Committed to service excellence, they foster a culture of inclusion and collaboration, ensuring an environment for confident leadership and innovation. The Executive Director is supported by 6 Directors on staff and an experienced management team of more than 30 individuals.
This Executive Director position is a senior strategic leadership role, and CNH will offer a salary budgeted between $148,000 to $156,000, in addition to extended benefits, vacation, and a pension plan.
The search process may include conventional longlist, shortlist, and committee interview stages. We will request for finalists to offer comprehensive recent references and to complete a background check.
Nov. 28th is Giving Tuesday, a global movement for giving and volunteering, taking place after Black Friday.This year, we’re asking for your support! Make a donation or learn more about your contribution at: www.cnh.bc.ca/donate.
When Nathaniel Frank-Piche was 14, he was looking to make some positive changes in his life. That’s when a family member invited him to CNH’s C.R.E.W. Program. “The informal atmosphere allows me to be myself without judgment, starkly contrasting the formality of work and school,” Nathaniel said.
C.R.E.W. (Culture, Recreation, Education and Work), is a program for Indigenous youth offering multiple opportunities for youth to learn about Indigenous culture and pick up new skills in a safe, supportive, and warm environment. One C.R.E.W. activity that stands out for Nathaniel is the annual, 10-day canoe journey, Pulling Together, which brings together Indigenous youth, police, and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.
Today, Nathaniel is 20 and attending a post-secondary institution with the goal of eventually becoming an electrician.
“C.R.E.W. has evolved into a vital space for me to connect with my culture, providing opportunities that positively impact my life and those of my family members. Returning to C.R.E.W. after the pandemic-induced isolation had a significant positive impact on my overall health, taking me out of isolation and immersing me in a positive environment surrounded by supportive individuals,” Nathaniel said.
Six years after venturing into CNH for the C.R.E.W. Program, Nathaniel is now a key mentor and role model to younger youth in the group. That sense of not being alone is transformative, Nathaniel said; it can even save lives.
While CNH receives funding for C.R.E.W. from the federal government, it’s not enough to meet the demands of this growing program. And that’s where you can help.
We know that this has been a financially challenging time for many. If, however, you are in the position to help, please direct a donation, of any amount, to Collingwood Neighbourhood House to support our programming. Please help us enhance the lives of those around us by generously considering a tax-receiptable donation today.
Last month, a new set of banners lining Joyce Street were mounted, aiming to share stories of the Renfrew-Collingwood neighbourhood.
Illustrated by Aaniya Asrani, the banners lean into past and present, taking inspiration from a series of community gatherings that took place earlier this year.
“It started with community members gathering to [share] what home and community means to them,” said Asrani, noting that sessions took place at St. Mary’s Elementary School, Collingwood Neighbourhood House (CNH) and through a platform called Curiko.
In these sessions, participants collaborated with each other and the sun to capture their thoughts and the present moment using cyanotypes, a type of photographic process. Asrani and another artist named Annie Canto collaborated on some of the workshops, helping participants find materials in their local environment, such as leaves, rocks, grass and flowers. The pair also helped participants make drawings on acetate sheets to lay over top cyanotype paper and fabric, leaving a negative image of the form that was laid down.
Asrani then used these cyanotypes as a base to illustrate the history of the neighbourhood which would then be turned into the street banners along Joyce Street.
“The imagery I created in response was inspired by the history of Joyce-Collingwood, which used to be full of fields, apple orchards, and even a lake,” said Asrani. “As time went on, land was segregated and businesses and homes popped up, along with the road and railways that connected this place to others.”
“I’m super grateful to Loretta Houben’s hard work and research putting together the Collingwood Chronicles which goes into great detail about the history of this place from the perspective of someone who grew up here,” they added. “I was able to use direct references of maps and images of the actual trains to shape the artwork, share the story more accurately, and also develop the concepts around this specific context.”
Students from St. Mary’s participated in a short walk on Sept. 27 to see the banners and were very excited to recognize part of their work on the street, said staff at CNH. The banners are expected to stay up for the next two years.
The Collingwood Neighbourhood House (CNH) Board of Directors is proud to provide a scholarship of $750.00 in honour of a long-term staff Nina Vacca.
Nina passed away in 2021. Nina arrived to Canada as a refugee and was a lifelong learner; she pursued her Early Childhood Education Certificate later in life.
Nina worked at CNH as a manager of the LINC Childcare Program; she was also a childcare worker in the Families Branching Out Program and Family Place. She always showed a lot of love and care in the work she did with children.
Her contributions and work did not stop with her caring for children at CNH: she volunteered in her community every year to organize events for the Chilean community.
At CNH we want to celebrate Nina’s legacy by offering this scholarship to refugee and immigrant women.
The All Genders Youth Group within the CNH Youth Services are excited to share the display of an inclusive pride flag and a safe space sticker to the front windows of the CNH Main building on 5288 Joyce Street.
What is the All Genders Youth Group? The All Genders Youth Group initiative is designed to provide 2SLGBTQIA+ youth and their allies with a safe, social, and supportive environment where they can deepen their understanding on relevant topics through conversations, workshops, and activities while making a tangible impact in their community through group-led community justice projects.
Why is this important to youth in the community? To date, there are people in the 2SLGBTQIA+ community who are still being bullied and/or not accepted for showing who they truly are (e.g., parents of trans youth not supporting their children and their need for transition, youth not being able to share their feelings or their thoughts with friends/family who won’t understand, school not being a space where youth learn about the queer/nonbinary experience). In recognition of these challenges, the All Genders Youth Group came up with a unique design for a new safe space sticker and a window decal with the most current inclusive pride flag. This project is intended to be a visible and tangible show of solidarity to 2SLGBTQIA+ folks in the Renfrew-Collingwood area and will serve as a springboard towards further change and inclusivity within our organization and surrounding community.
A Very Brief History of Rainbow Flags Similar to how crosses indicate a church building, rainbow flags have been used to signal a gathering place for 2SLGBTQ+ peoples, and are now regarded as a symbol for the community. There are many versions of the flag that have come to fruition (the first being by Gilbert Baker in 1978) and like the many letters that will continue to be added to the acronym, the flag will likely be revised in the future. The flag on the window is called the Intersex-Inclusive Pride Flag, which was brought forward by Valentino Vecchietti in 2021. This flag is springboarded off the Inclusive Pride Flag designed in 2018 by Daniel Quasar (a non-binary artist) to include the intersex pride flag, which was created back in 2013 by Morgan Carpenter. This design was chosen by the All Genders Youth Group as it covers not only sexual orientation, gender identities, and BIPOC folks, but also recognizes more progress is needed.
A Breakdown of the Flag’s Colour and Meaning: The Rainbow • Red – life and passion • Orange -healing • Yellow – sunlight • Green – nature • Indigo – serenity • Violet – spirit
The Triangle Quasar spoke publicly about how work is still needed in terms of BIPOC and trans rights, and as such, the placement of the new colours in an arrow shape is meant to convey the progress still needed. • Yellow background with the Purple Circle – the newest addition by Valentino Vecchietti. Added to the white part of the triangle, it now includes the symbol of the intersex flag, acknowledging intersex peoples within the community. • White, Light Blue and Light Pink- the colours that are a part of the trans flag, encompassing anyone who identifies differently than the sex they were assigned at birth. Traditionally, the colours pink and baby blue were used to represent whether a baby is a boy or a girl. Here, the colors denote those genders and the use of white is to acknowledge folks who may be in the process of transitioning, do not identify with any specific gender, or those who have a neutral gender. • Black and Brown – represents BIPOC peoples and taken from the Philadelphia Pride Flag designed in 2017. BIPOC people have often been left out of the queer narrative despite being the driving force behind the movement–like Marsha P. Johnson, for example.
A Note on Safe(r) Space Stickers: This specific sticker was designed by one of the All Genders youth, which all participants supported in finalizing and creating a digital copy and getting it in sticker form.
Safe space stickers indicate a building or organization is accepting and inclusive to 2SLGBTQ+ folks. It should be recognized that these stickers indicate a space is safer, as there can never be a guarantee that someone else accessing a space is a safe person or has harmful views towards 2SLGBTQIA+ folks. This sticker does however indicate staff at CNH are expected to support the victim should those situations come up.
Final Note: There is still more progress to be made. Though laws change and the larger public tend to lean more towards acceptance, there is still a long way to go, much more to learn and safer spaces needed, especially for youth who do not have a supportive household or friend group. Providing a safer space makes a world of difference. On behalf of the All Genders youth, we thank you for your solidarity and support.
Today, November 30th, is a Canada-wide Day of Action for Child Care. As the Province moves forward with the implementation of their $10 a day Child Care BC plan, it’s important to recognize that quality, affordable child care cannot happen without the educators.
CNH will continue to be an advocate for professional wages and benefits based on a provincially funded wage grid because child care educators not only play a vital role in providing quality care and expansion of spaces, but they are essential in the education of young minds!
Visit https://youtu.be/FXNXxLadtJY to watch a video of four of our educators tell us why they chose the Early Childhood Educator (ECE) profession, what they love about their work, and what they are hopeful for, for the field of ECE.
We highlight the work of CNH’s amazing child care staff. Parents very kindly shared with us what their child’s educator means to their family and words of support for the ECE profession. These kudos are also being shared with our educators.
Some of our incredible child care staff
“I have found all ECEs to be kind, fair, great negotiators(!), caring, fun and respectful of our young ones. They encompass all the qualities a parent could ask for when entrusting them with the care of our precious children”
“Preschool teachers are exceptionally important in children’s lives, especially during their most impressionable years. They provide children with a support system, encouragement and build a great foundation for their future”
“I cannot overstate how much we appreciate the work that you all do in providing care and contributing to raising healthy and happy kids”
“The low level of pay available to these childcare workers versus the training they need and the precious people we put in their hands is greatly out of balance and I have seen firsthand where programs have lost AMAZING employees to better paying jobs”
“The bonds he has developed with these teachers and staff have allowed him to grow and develop into the wonderful toddler he is today. The staff are incredible, and always willing to learn how to adapt to our son’s needs. The training, education, and continual improvement required to care for the diverse needs of all children requires a special person. Their contribution to the growth of our children is extremely valued and we are very thankful”
“They are all calm and honest, not passing judgment onto a parent or made to make them feel less. They are very understanding and honest and most of all friendly. All the staff that interact with C, are always smiling and seem genuinely to love their job. They always greet us with a smile every morning and even say goodbye after we leave. C is getting to be around people with good values and respect for one another. Plus, he really likes it I’m sure. Even if he does cry a bit when dropped off in mornings, ha-ha!”
“It’s a long day for my kids. It’s a profound relief, and a delight, to see them so excited to get to out-of-school care in the morning, and then always wanting “5 more minutes” when I pick them up at the end of the day. I know that they love this program because it’s a safe and enriching place for them to play”
“We value the educators at O’s daycare for providing genuine care and connection for all the little ones in their parents’ absence. I recall struggling when first sending him to daycare, and I was compassionately reassured that his needs would be met (including being held and hugged when pandemic measures encouraged social distancing)”“It takes a village to raise a child and that cannot be more true about the teachers at Terry Tayler. We couldn’t do it without their support, compassion, patience and care. They welcome us at every drop off and pick with a big smile no matter how well-behaved or difficult our child was that day. It is hard to be away from your child all day but knowing that our children are happy and well cared for at daycare makes a huge difference. Teachers are educating our future doctors, engineers, artists, business owners and so much more. That is a huge job and they deserve a fair wage!”
“We can’t express enough how grateful we are for the early childhood educators that teach and care for P. Knowing that she has a safe, stimulating, and nurturing environment to go to everyday allows us to have peace of mind. It allows us to focus on what we need to do to contribute to the health and vibrancy of our household and community. P loves going to daycare and we know she feels safe and nurtured by the committed educators who teach her. We are so lucky to have to have these amazing humans in our community! We have the utmost respect and appreciation for the skills, knowledge, capabilities and empathy of the early childhood educators at your centre. We believe that our current early childhood education system under compassionates those providing such an important service to our community and we strongly support fairer wages going forward. Quality, affordable childcare for all!”
“Please consider that those who are spending large amounts of the day, often more waking hours than their primary caregivers, provide not only a watchful eye, but are also our children’s first professional educators. They provide rich learning opportunities, while building our children’s confidence and ensuring they are cared for both physically and mentally”
“As a parent who’s benefited from the $10/day program, I can see how it has allowed our family to redirect the funds to other important areas in our life but this monetary benefit has not been experienced by the ECEs”
“Early education is so important to us – Teachers play such an important role in a child’s earliest years, when they’re just picking up the foundational elements of life, and aren’t able to (or need to) rely as much on friends and other students, like they can in later years. It’s laying the foundation for their education – Daycare is about so much more than simply learning basic skills – Our kids learn critical social and emotional skills and a partnership is formed between the child, their parents and the teacher. When this is done successfully, it lays the groundwork for it to continue throughout the child’s education. – They help lay the foundation for education and discovery, for the rest of a child’s life – for a successful future. They bring expertise in children’s development – they specialize in working with children the age of ours. They are pros at assessing, observing, and documenting their development. They focus on the child’s strengths and adapt their environment to their needs and likes. – We see them building a warm and positive relationships with our children – important to us because children need to feel safe and cared for. They also help the kids build positive relationships with other. They teach them so many important life skills – cooperation, sharing, being creative, using their imagination… They create a welcoming environment for children to make them feel right at home. They have patience for our children. They help us understand what is going on with our children.It has been so great to see them socialize with people outside of our home and family – this has made them very social people, which we so appreciate! They don’t get scared around new faces or around large groups”
Nov. 29th is Giving Tuesday, a global movement for giving and volunteering, taking place after Black Friday.This year, we’re asking for your support! Make a donation or learn more about your contribution at: www.cnh.bc.ca/donate.
When Collingwood Neighbourhood House (CNH) reopened its doors, the need for face-to-face connections became clear. It wasn’t simply about what programs we provide, but how.
For Adora Escondo, returning to CNH was key in boosting her mental, physical and social health. Over the last 21 years, Adora has participated in dance and exercise classes at CNH. She even spent some time volunteering with our children’s programs.
So, when the pandemic hit, Adora was left with little activity in her day-to-day life.
“I didn’t know what to do,” she said. “I didn’t have Zumba, I didn’t have these classes.”
For Adora, classes like Zumba are about more than just moving. Since Adora first came across CNH those many years ago, she said it’s become a place where she is free to express herself with little judgment while unwinding from work. It’s also a place that’s become her second home. In fact, her early days at CNH started shortly after her family moved to Canada from Iran and previously, the Philippines. Now, she’s here anytime she’s free.
“I even come here on Sunday,” Adora said.
A local resident of the neighbourhood, Adora said our low fees allow her to continue coming back, noting “even ordinary people can afford it.”
This year, we’re asking for your support to help us maintain these fees so people like Adora can access programs at CNH worry-free. We know that this has been a financially challenging time for many. If, however, you are in the position to help, please direct a donation, of any amount, to Collingwood Neighbourhood House to support our programming. Please help us enhance the lives of those around us by generously considering a tax-receiptable donation today.
