We are dedicated to creating a neighbourhood where all community members are supported to be healthy and to thrive in relationships of reciprocity, creativity, and equity.
If you live in Renfrew-Collingwood and have ideas on how to improve your community or are passionate about community issues, we can help with:
- Information on local opportunities and initiatives
- Connection to neighbours who share your interests
- Leadership and skill development
- Assistance with community resources
What is “community development?”
Community development is a process where people come together to take action on what’s important to them. Community Development helps communities to organize, and to identify the issues they want to address, or the opportunities they want to explore.
Learn more about our strategies, impact and principles through our theory of change.
Ongoing Programs
Arts, Culture & Celebrations
Celebrate the rich diversity and history of our neighbourhood through arts initiatives, including dance, visual art, short films, storytelling, crafts etc. We also organize cultural and seasonal celebrations for the whole family and neighbours.
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- Art Classes for Newcomers
Newcomers interested in meeting new people, practicing English, and learning new skills can register for free art classes. These are facilitated and focus on sewing, watercolour painting, card making and more. For more information, contact Carolina Bergonzoni at cbergonzoni@cnh.bc.ca.
- Collingwood Days
July 12-21, 2024
A week of art, festivities, and performances celebrating the creative diversity of the people of Renfrew-Collingwood. Local artists share their talents and culture with their neighbours through various performances, art shows, storytelling and cultural-historic presentations to celebrate our neighbourhood! For more information, visit collingwooddays.com. - Make Your Mark: Sketching & Skill Sharing
Thursdays, 3:30 – 5:30 pm
In this free drop-in program, participants use the Annex Art Studio to work on their own projects while also learning from and sharing skills with other artists. Teaching tips and supplies provided for sketching, watercolour painting, acrylic painting, embroidery, simple sewing, craft making and more. For more information, contact Yoko Tomita at ytomita@cnh.bc.ca.
Food & Community Gardens
Led by the Renfrew-Collingwood Food Justice (RCFJ) team, CNH aims to bring the neighbourhood together through gardening, cooking, and sharing sustenance. We strive to promote learning and leadership around sustainable growing, local food, multicultural food traditions, and healthy eating.
For more information, visit cnh.bc.ca/food-justice.
Literacy
CNH supports literacy programs and initiatives in the community through the literacy outreach program.
Contact: literacyrc@cnh.bc.ca
- Reading Circle
Through reading simplified English novels and having meaningful conversations, adults and seniors improve their vocabulary and speaking and listening skills. Participants meet and connect with other community members, build healthy relationships, learn from one another, exchange book ideas and enhance their diverse literacy skills. - Seniors E.A.L. (English as an Additional Language) Conversation Group
Guided by volunteers, this program provides a place and time for older adults/seniors to work on basic reading skills, learn everyday conversation skills and have fun grasping the English language in an enjoyable setting. Participants learn the alphabet, pronunciation, and how to read short passages.
Neighbourhood Small Grants
Sponsored by the Vancouver Foundation, grants of up to $500 are available to support projects that build community and strengthen connections between neighbours. For more information, visit neighbourhoodsmallgrants.ca/community/south-van.
Contact: Wy Tsang (emily.tsang@southvan.org), and Mark Buhler (mark.buhler@southvan.org)
Renfrew-Collingwood Community (RCC) News
The Renfrew-Collingwood Community News is a free, monthly, non-profit newspaper serving Renfrew-Collingwood and distributed through local organizations and businesses. Neighbours can submit articles, photos and artwork on local issues, people and events. Advertising rates are reasonable and many local businesses run continuing ads in the newspaper to reach residents. For more information, visit renfrewcollingwoodcommunitynews.com.
Systems Change
Systems Change brings communities together by taking action to solve the root causes of complex social problems. This means challenging ideas, beliefs and behaviours of individuals, communities, organizations and institutions. Through Systems Change, neighbours have the power to advocate and lead justice in the communities and places they care about and live in. We accomplish this through initiatives focused on anti-racism, equity, and justice.
What is a system? A system is a set of things — people, organizations, the environment or whatever — that works together in such a way that they produce their own pattern of behaviour over time. The system works to achieve an objective.
For example, we can think of the way that we access food in Vancouver as a food system. We can think of the way that people attend school as an education system. The city government that makes our laws is a government system. Systems are part of our everyday lives and make important decisions on how we live.
- Anti-Racism Resource List
Interested to learn more about anti-racism and what you can do? No matter where you are in your journey, we have collected online, free anti-racism resources to support your learning. View the list at www.cnh.bc.ca/get-involved/community-resources. - Resilience BC Anti-Racism Network
On behalf of the Resilience BC Anti-Racism Network, CNH staff work on anti-racism, anti-hate and equity initiatives within the Renfrew-Collingwood neighbourhood.
The Systems Change initiative is funded by the City of Vancouver, the Vancouver Foundation and the Province of BC.