Member Spotlight: reject apathy, join a community group!
Call us Cupid, because we're here to match-make y'all to the community group of your đź’•dreamsđź’•.
It’s no surprise that lately we’ve been hearing calls to “get organized”. If you’re unsure where to start, or not ready to jump into leading a project of your own, joining an established community group is a tangible, actionable step. Many of our member organizations rely on memberships of their own to accomplish their advocacy and organizing goals.
Depending on your goals, struggles, and capacity, different community groups will fit different people—and that's great! Schedules, mobility, and personal commitments will factor in to finding the right community groups for you.
Six of our Coalition members that have membership options:
Worker Solidarity Network
Located in: Vancouver & Victoria
Focused on: rights & well-being of precarious workers
Find them online: https://www.instagram.com/workersolidaritybc/
https://workersolidarity.ca/join/
Worker Solidarity Network organizes to distribute accessible know-your-rights education close the gap in effective labour rights enforcement, support and empower individuals with complaints, and to campaign for long term improvements. Their Know-Your-Rights workshops are empowering, and their street teams are action-oriented and fun!
Women Transforming Cities
Located in: primarily the City of Vancouver, with membership across the Lower Mainland
Focused on: civic engagement and advocacy education for under-represented groups (specifically women and gender-nonconforming folks).
Find them online: https://www.instagram.com/womentransformingcities/
https://www.womentransformingcities.org/
Women Transforming Cities works to empower those who have been historically excluded from local government processes by offering training, online and in-person community spaces, tangible resources, and advocacy opportunities with intersectional community collaborators.
Vancouver Tenants Union
Located in: Neighbourhood chapters across Vancouver
Focused on: Working toward housing for all, expanded tenant rights, and a future without landlords and rent.
Find them online: https://www.instagram.com/vancouvertenantsunion/
https://www.vancouvertenantsunion.ca/
Vancouver Tenants Union represents over 2500 members across the city, focused on building collective power and using that power effectively to directly challenge landlords and their allies. Seven neighbourhood chapters allow the union to be flexible and focus on many battles at once while building solidarity within and between groups of tenants across the city.
Acorn Canada: BC Chapters
Located in: Surrey, Burnaby, and New Westminster
Focused on: Housing adequacy & availability, financial services, & intersecting issues for people with disabilities
Find them online: https://www.instagram.com/bc_acorn/
https://acorncanada.org/locations/bc-acorn/
BC Acorn chapters chapters hold landlords to account, organize tenants in rental buildings, and advocate for community members’ intersecting rights using a variety of creative advocacy approaches. Want to give direct action a go? BC Acorn might be the group for you! The are connected to a national network, bringing together best practices to tackle local issues across the country.
Disability Alliance BC
Located: services available across British Columbia
Focused on: direct services, community partnerships, systemic advocacy, research, and publications.
Find them online: https://disabilityalliancebc.org/
Disability Alliance BC promotes a more inclusive and equitable society for people with all disabilities through direct services, community partnerships, systemic advocacy, research, and publications. Members have access to a tri-annual magazine, monthly newsletter, workshops, and connection to a network.
