This past spring, YWCA Metro Vancouver began work on a new three-year strategic plan. Launched in October, this new plan builds on the progress of our current work and maintains the overarching themes that guide our organization every day: safety and wellness; opportunities for families; and hope for the future.
This new roadmap will help us focus even more purposefully on our strategic priorities for the upcoming years. They include:
Advocacy
The YWCA advocates for social change to achieve the full realization of equality for all women and girls. Through advocacy, we address the root causes of poverty and social inequality, particularly the systemic barriers faced by single mothers. Our advocacy is grounded in the work we do each day and informed by current research and evidence.
Strategic Priority: Build capacity to engage in effective advocacy to support systemic change. Our priority issues for the coming three years include women’s economic security and independence; addressing the uneven distribution of unpaid care; universal early learning and child care; and access to legal support and services.
Housing
The need for safe, affordable housing in Metro Vancouver has never been more critical. Single mothers and their children live with the ongoing risk of being pushed out of the rental housing market. The YWCA currently operates 11 housing communities (and has two under construction) and will continue our work to address the housing needs of women and families across the region.
Strategic Priority: Explore opportunities to build new housing for women-led families.
Truth and reconciliation
The YWCA is committed to supporting the full realization of substantive equality for Indigenous peoples in Canada, and to collaborate with Indigenous and community partners to advance the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s 94 “Calls to Action.”
Strategic Priority: Build relationships with Indigenous leaders, organizations, communities and individuals and develop tools to measure our progress and contribution to reconciliation.
Gender
Society’s understanding of gender is evolving rapidly and our organizational practices are changing as well. We need to ensure that we are inclusive and respectful, remain relevant to the people we serve.
Strategic Priority: Examine and uplift the emerging understanding of gender and evolve our organizational practices in light of these changes.
The plan also outlines priorities and new activities within our service areas, including our organizational operations and the programs and services so many women and families count on. We also created a one-page snapshot that links our strategic goals to our programs and services.
Read the 2020-2022 strategic plan.
For questions about our strategic plan, please contact Amy Juschka at 604 895 5810 | ajuschka@ywcavan.org.
