Application Form and Guide
Call for Applications

Urban Aboriginal Strategy – Metro Vancouver

Steering Committee Membership

Your application must be received by Greg Eidsness, Metro Vancouver UAS Coordinator, by 12:00pm on April 7, 2008. 

You are invited to submit your application to become a member of the Metro Vancouver Aboriginal Strategy (UAS) Steering Committee.  This guide will tell you:

1) what the UAS is,
2) what a steering committee is and what you are expected to do as a steering committee member,
3) how to apply to be a committee member including the application form,
4) and how people will be selected to become a steering committee member and who will be doing the selecting.

Successful new Steering Committee members will be contacted by April 30, 2008 and all other applicants are thanked for their interest in becoming a Steering Committee member and serving their community.
Questions:

On March 31, 2008 a community engagement event is being held at the Sunrise Pavilion Centre (located next to the Surrey Central Sky train Station).  You are invited to attend and during the event there will be an opportunity to ask questions about becoming a steering committee member and a chance to submit your application. 

If you cannot come to the event and have questions, please contact Greg Eidsness, UAS Coordinator.
To submit your application or ask questions please contact:

Greg Eidsness
Metro Vancouver Urban Aboriginal Strategy Coordinator
BC Office of the Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians
7th floor – 1138 Melville Street
Vancouver, BC  V6E 4S3
Phone: 604-775-6342
Fax: 604-775-7149

The Urban Aboriginal Strategy – What is it?
The Urban Aboriginal Strategy (UAS) is a community-based, five-year initiative developed by the Government of Canada to improve social and economic opportunities of Aboriginal people living in designated urban centres. 
Community-based means that the urban Aboriginal individuals of Vancouver, Prince George, Regina, Saskatoon, Prince Albert, Edmonton, Calgary, Lethbridge, Winnipeg, Thompson, Thunder Bay, Toronto, and Ottawa…otherwise known as the designated urban centres…can come together to make recommendations to the Government of Canada on how to support urban Aboriginal communities. 

The Steering Committee – What is it?
The Steering Committee will be made up of individuals from the Metro Vancouver urban Aboriginal community and the various levels of government.
The main task of the Steering Committee is to give voice to the opinions, ideas, and needs of the urban Aboriginal community of Metro Vancouver.  The Government of Canada, in partnership with the private sector, provincial and municipal governments, community and Aboriginal organizations work to respond to the recommendations of the Steering Committee.

The Steering Committee can do many things to address the issues that face urban Aboriginal individuals and the community. The committee can discuss policy changes with all levels of governments.  They can work with service organizations to finds way to improve services and make them more effective. 
The Steering Committee can work with associations and places of education to raise awareness of urban Aboriginal issues. In addition, the Steering Committee can make recommendations to all levels of government and others in the community about which projects and initiatives should be supported.
The projects and initiatives recommended for funding by the Steering Committee must not only meet any priorities or needs identified in the community, but also must fit within the National Priorities of the UAS. 

Those are:
1. Improving life skills;
2. Promoting job training, skills and entrepreneurship; and,
3. Supporting Aboriginal women, children and families.

The Steering Committee Composition
The Metro Vancouver Steering Committee will consist of community members from the Metro Vancouver urban Aboriginal community, one representative from each of the two urban Aboriginal political organizations (United Native Nations, the Métis Nation of British Columbia), and representatives from the municipal, provincial and federal government. All committee members will have an interest or expertise in the following categories:
A. Life Skills
B. Job Skills/Entrepreneurship
C. Women/Children/Family

The eleven community Steering Committee seats will be allocated as follows:
3 Youth
2 Elders
1 Life Skills Advocate
1 Job Skills/Entrepreneurship Advocate
1 Women/Children/Family Advocate
3 Members at large

Note 1: Youth is defined as individuals 16 to 29 years old. Youth members do not need to be affiliated with any organization.
Note 2:  An Advocate is defined as an individual with interest and/or expertise in the subject area, and endorsed by a community elder or Aboriginal organization.
Note 3: Members-at-large do not need to be affiliated with any organization or endorsed by a community Elder. Members-at-large will include 1 Surrey resident, 1 Vancouver resident, 1 Metro Vancouver inclusive resident.
How to Submit an Application

If you would like to apply to sit on the committee you must complete an application form and submit your resume.  Before you complete the form, read this section to see if you can, or want to, be on the committee. 
To be on the committee you must:

1)  Self-declare as a Métis, Inuit, Status or Non Status urban Aboriginal person

2)  Reside within the Metro Vancouver Regional District

3)  Be 16 years of age or older.
As a committee member you must:

1) Commit to attending at least one meeting a month that will be about 2 hours long, commit to attend a two day orientation/planning session that will likely happen on a weekend, and do your best to attend conferences, workshops, and events that the Committee members are invited to attend.

2) Commit to sharing your opinions and ideas.

3) Demonstrate that you are passionate about serving the urban Aboriginal community of Metro Vancouver and promote the work of the Metro Vancouver UAS.

The application form is found at the end of this guide.

Selection of Committee Members from the Applications

To be selected to be a Committee member you must complete the following tasks:

1) Fill out the Application Form and answer all the questions as best you can

2) Send the completed application form, and a recently updated resume, to the UAS coordinator before the deadline

In addition, you may be asked to participate in an interview with the selection committee either in person, or by teleconference.
A selection committee, made up of community members and government officials will review the applications and select the Steering Committee members.

The following attributes will be considered:

1. Adaptability 
2. Communication
3. Community Awareness
4. Problem Solving and Judgment
5. Results Orientation
6. Teamwork
7. Innovation
8. Leadership
9. Relationship Building
10. Strategic Thinking

The 11 successful new Steering Committee members will be contacted by April 30, 2008 and all other applicants are thanked for their interest in becoming a Steering Committee member and serving their community.

On March 31, 2008 from 4:30 to 9pm, the GVUAS will host a community event at Sunrise Pavilion in Surrey. The event will serve to inform any interested community member of the UAS, provide information on what it’s like to be a GVUAS Steering Committee Member, and what the selection process entails. The event will include a buffet dinner and entertainment. The event will be facilitated by Chris Corrigan.
Please mark this event in your calendar!

An official advertisement will be posted soon.

In follow-up to our Kelowna, Prince George and Vancouver forums, I am pleased to advise that UNN and Pacific Association of First Nations Women will be co-hosting a Victoria forum to discuss the composition, mandate and terms of reference for a BC Aboriginal Women’s Council.  This forums is open to all Aboriginal women living in BC.

Forum – Victoria
Venue: Coast Victoria Harbourside
Date: March 8 & 9, 2008
Time: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm and
 8:00 am – noon

Background
In April 2007, UNN in partnership with the Pacific Native Women’s Association, 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 surveys was put into a Final Report, which Premier Campbell used for informational purposes at the National Aboriginal Women’s Summit held in June 2007 in Corner Brook, Nfld/ Labrador.
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.

UNN took the lead in this endeavour and was successful in securing funding to begin the process. The Council will be inclusive of all Aboriginal women regardless of status and ancestry. The UNN feels it’s important to be inclusive in order to reflect the differing community needs across BC. The Council will inform the federal and provincial governments on policy development in relation to women’s issues and generate funding opportunities for specific initiatives to address violence against women, socioeconomic issues including education, employment, health and wellness, safety, housing and justice.

PLEASE NOTE:  All travel and accommodation financial assistance has been allocated. 

I look forward to your participation in this most important initiative.

Interim Chief Executive Officer

Aboriginal Housing Management Association (AHMA) is seeking an Interim Chief Executive Officer for a one-year term contract. This position may lead to a full-time opportunity for the right candidate. The successful candidate will be based out of Park Royal, Squamish Nation, West Vancouver, BC. 

Primary duties include:

• Supervise and develop 3-5 staff
• Oversee annual budget of $800,000
• Develop internal operating systems
• Support Board governance, including restructuring efforts
• Lead transfer/ devolution negotiations with BC Housing

Ideal qualifications include:

• Experience in Aboriginal change or devolution projects
• 10+ years experience as a senior manager
• Significant experience with Aboriginal Boards and staff
• Experience in developing an organization “from the ground up”
• Impeccable planning, organizational and communication skills
 
Interested applicants must email Deanna.Paul@ahma-bc.org for an “electronic information package”.
Submit electronic résumé and covering letter to Margaret Pfoh, President, by January 4, 2008. Start date is January 2008.

The United Native Nations is appalled at the lack of support for impoverished Aboriginal women and children in a city as large as Vancouver.   

The Executive Director of the Aboriginal Mothers Centre on East Dundas Street in Vancouver has no option other than to close the center. The center will close four days after Christmas, a time of particular hardship for DTES Aboriginal mothers and their children, due the lack of support of the Metro Vancouver Regional Steering Committee on Homelessness despite the wishes of their Aboriginal members. 

The Aboriginal Mothers Center provides programs and services intended to break the poverty cycle for Aboriginal families as well as supplying east side residents with 1,700 good meals.

United Native Nations Vice-President Dave Dennis stresses, “The loss of this funding means the loss of a much needed resource in our community.  It also means that these Aboriginal residents, who make up the majority when talking about poverty, will loose 300 thousand dollars intended to break this poverty cycle.”

More:
http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/News/2007/12/03/4703829-sun.html