Q: What housing advocacy is being done this month as part of the Resource Centre’s Be The Change project?
If you want to be part of positive change to tackle poverty on this Coast, grab a pen (or your phone) and get ready to mark your calendars. The Resource Centre’s “Be The Change” events officially launch this month. Every month until June there’ll be coordinated events up and down the Coast presented by the Resource Centre’s Poverty Action Team, with the goal of engaging community members to work together and tackle poverty.
These events will be presented in casual and approachable ways, while raising awareness and shining light on issues relating to poverty across sectors and themes. For instance, this month (January) is “housing” month.
The idea of having a monthly theme is to learn and connect around particular issues, whether you are eight, 28 or 81, while finding ways to “Be The Change” in your own communities around these issues. The project will help you find ways to lend your unique skill set and your particular availability to reducing poverty on the Coast, and coordinators will be on hand to help you get creative and make this happen.
Here is the January schedule:
Building Together – Needs, Opportunities and Pathways for Future Housing: At this event, participants can expect to hear presentations from of Cover the Coast and the evening includes Regional Housing Coordinator Kelly Foley, who will share crucial and timely insights from Cover the Coast’s recent housing needs report. Catherine Leach, executive director at Sunshine Coast Community Services Society (SCCSS) will review the vision and role of SCCSS “Building Together” project, a critical component in future housing. Details: Monday, Jan. 15 at Seaside Centre in Sechelt. Doors at 5:30 p.m. with mingling and refreshments Presentations to begin at 6 p.m.
Workforce Housing – Taproom Takeovers: Get the fast facts and share your thoughts on workforce housing challenges and opportunities through quick questions, an interactive game and speakers corners at some of your favourite community hubs and pubs in Gibsons and Sechelt. Gibsons: Tuesday, Jan. 16, 7 to 9 p.m. at Gibsons Tapworks (537 Cruice Lane). Sechelt: Friday, Jan. 26, 7 to 9 p.m. at Batch 44 Brewery & Kitchen (5559 Wharf Avenue).
Seniors Housing – Hot Button Engagement Pop-Ups: Share your thoughts with our community engagement team on the importance of aging in place, questions around long term care and other innovative housing models to meet the needs of our growing senior population. Details: Tuesday, Jan. 24, all day. Where? Roving tables with posters set up from Egmont to Gibsons. Watch our website for locations and times as we move up and down the Coast.
Seniors Housing Forum – Innovation and Inspiration in Seniors Housing on the Sunshine Coast: The Seniors Housing Forum will review both local perspectives and new innovations in seniors housing. Presentations range from practical housing solutions like adding caregiver suites to more sophisticated models like dementia villages. Details: Thursday, Jan. 25 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Note: This event is for seniors service providers on the Sunshine Coast. The event is organized by the Seniors Planning Table.
Sign up for the Resource Centre newsletter where you’ll get updates about Be The Change and all Resource Centre events. Scroll to the bottom of the page for newsletter signup: https://resourcecentre.ca/program/be-the-change/
Angie Theilmann is an information and referral specialist at the Sunshine Coast Resource Centre, your community information hub at 107A - 5710 Teredo. The Resource Centre is open Monday to Thursday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Appointments are recommended to be sure we are available to help you. Note: on some days, we can book clients after 2 p.m. Contact us: [email protected] or 604-885-4088. Search our online resource directory at www.resourcecentre.ca.
