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SUPPORTING SYRIAN REFUGEES: VOLUNTEER WITH VCN!

As Canada welcomes 25,000 Syrian refugees across Canada by the end of March 2016, at the community level Canadians are rallying to provide immediate, essential services, and long-term settlement support new refugees.

Here at VCN, we are fully committed to ensuring a safe haven, successful settlement, and integration of Syrian refugees into Canadian society.

Currently offering service in seven different languages, VCN is seeking fluent Arabic & more Farsi speaking volunteers to join the team! Volunteers will offer technical support for refugees who are looking to build skills as well as helping connect refugees to much-need information and telecommunications technology to help thrive in their daily lives.

If you would like to get involved, please look at our website for more details http://volunteer.vcn.bc.ca/apply/

 

VCN HOLIDAY HOURS

This holiday season, starting on December 21^st to January 1^st, VCN will be reducing help|desk hours and limiting technical support. VCN help|desk hours are as follows:

Thursday, December 24^th                 10am – 2pm
Friday, December 25^th                           Closed
Thursday, December 31^st                  10am – 2pm
Friday, January 1^st                              Closed

Hours will resume as normal on Monday, January 4^th, 2016. Season’s tidings and happy holidays to you and your loved ones!
 

GIVE THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

This year for Canada Helps’ annual Giving Tuesday Campaign plus donations from members of the community, VCN raised close to $2,000 in just 36 hours!

VCN is grateful for the outpour of support to sustain our work towards social justice and vital programs aimed at increasing digital inclusion of our most vulnerable and marginalized communities, including seniors, people with disabilities, at-risk youth, and the street-involved.

Thank you to Canada Help and their partners INTERAC and PayPal for matching donors’ contributions.

The online matching campaign will last until 31^st December 2015. For this holiday season, make your donation go further by donating with your PayPal account or through the Canada Helps website: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/paypal-1-match-2015-terms-and-conditions/

 

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TRACEY AXELSSON IN SO IT IS: VANCOUVER

VCN’s own Tracey Axelsson was featured in a new book So It Is: Vancouver created by Adam and Kev Photography.

The book tells the story of our city through remarkable people who live in Vancouver today.

Other notable names include Judy Graves, David Suzuki, Rick Hansen, Marc and Jody Emery, and the Boom Booms.

For a copy, visit their website: http://www.soit.is/buy-the-book/

RECODING OF STREET MESSAGING SYSTEM IN FULL SWING

With funds awarded by TELUS to advance the architecture of the Street Messaging platform, recoding of the website is well underway! Our mighty team is hard at work to incorporate feedback and features suggested by community workers and clients to improve the system.

Follow the project’s new twitter account @SMS_VCN for the latest news and updates!

VCN PROTECTS PRIVACY AND INFORMATION OF USERS

Do you ever notice after perusing or purchasing an item online, pop up ads touting similar products would appear on Google or Facebook?

In this day in age, data mining plays a large and increasing role in market and consumer analysis. Data mining occurs when computers, high-level algorithms, cluster-analysis sift through and collect data to elicit patterns, relationships, future behaviours, and trends.

There are many positive purposes of data mining, with collected information used to improve healthcare, weather forecasting, and transportation. Companies are able to determine the future behaviour of customers, allowing companies to target their marketing strategies and provide the products people want.

While the benefits are many, data mining is often an opportunity for misuse. Some companies have been aggressive in data collection, with contention stemming from what is done with the information once collected.

Canadian privacy law requires companies and organizations to obtain consent for the collection, use, and disclosure of personal information. Data processing poses risks when the data is used in ways that was unintended or unethically.

It is VCN’s policy not to collect data and to protect the privacy and information of all registered users. All client information is kept confidential and secure, unless VCN is legally obligated to release the information.

 

DONATE TO VCN

VCN has a monthly bill of $1100 to for our Internet Service Provision. The servers there host hundreds of organization’s websites that without us would fail to truly have the web presence they need to keep diverse messaging available in a commercialized realm. 

Support VCN’s work by donating here: https://www2.vcn.bc.ca/get-involved/donate/

 

NEW REINVESTMENT OF CANADA’S SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

PM Trudeau and the Liberal Party have dissolved Industry Canada and consolidated federal efforts to foster science and technology innovation, appointing Ontario MP Navdeep Bains as Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development.

Industry Canada, which has administered VCN’s Youth Internship Program since 2009, could not confirm whether the department would continue to exist in its current form. Analysts say that the move will result in an advancement of federal research and development in Canada.

Since ushering in the new Liberal Party, the government has pledged to invest $900 million in Canada’s burgeoning tech community with a significant amount of funds earmarked towards small tech start-ups in various regions of the country.

Writer Ivan Semeniuk for the Globe and Mail writes, “With virtually all areas of industry under rapid transformation because of digital technologies such as data mining and additive manufacturing (3D printing), a revamped federal ministry could help spur innovation culture in Canada.”

 

BC TECH SUMMIT 2016

On January 18-19, 2015, BC Council for Innovation will be holding a two-day #BCTECH Summit aimed at showcasing BC’s flourishing and dynamic technology industry. The event will offer cross-sector networking opportunities to exchange ideas aimed at reshaping how the industry does business.

Entrepreneurs, investors, industry buyers, researchers, students and government officials will be in attendance, and participants will exchange fresh ideas.

To register and for more information, visit their website http://bctechsummit.ca/

CLICK HERE FOR PDF VERSION

SNACK AND CHAT COMMUNITY CONSULTATIONS

During this year’s Homelessness Action Week, October 12th to 19th, VCN accessed funding from the City of Vancouver to host a series of face-to-face consultations with leading professionals in the sector and residents of DTES Vancouver to share input on the Street Messaging System.

As the system continues to develop and moves from the beta-phase, it is critical to address the challenges faced by outreach workers, gather front-line experience, and seek ways to improve it. In attendance were representatives from Lu’ma, Greater Family Services of Vancouver, Pacific Community Resources, Ray-Cam Cooperative Centre, Carnegie Community Centre, Mission Possible, and H.A.V.E. Café.

Discussions from the meetings affirm a strong community support for the SMS and some really intuitive changes we will work hard to implement. We are please to announce that TELUS has granted VCN funds to code the expansion of the innovation across Metro Vancouver!

 

SUCCESS STORY: EAGLE LITTLE BOY* TAPS INTO VCN COMMUNITY SERVICES
*Alternate name used.

As with many youth in the foster care system, Eagle Little Boy* experienced trauma, hardships, and obstacles during his childhood, which led to a dark past that involved “gang-life”, substance abuse, and crime to survive on the streets.

With the help of community supports like VCN, Eagle Little Boy has left all that behind him. Through Homeless Advocate Judy Graves, for the past several months Eagle Little Boy has been consistently dropping by the second floor of the Woodward’s building to access VCN’s computer terminals and help|desk.

In this safe space, Eagle Little Boy receives the help he needs to maintain and build relationships with family and friends. VCN staff and volunteers offer Eagle Little Boy technical as well as emotional support to help him thrive day-to-day. Eagle Little Boy has expressed that access to VCN’s services and computers have been influential to his recovery.

Click on this link to read his full story: https://www2.vcn.bc.ca/successstory-eaglelittleboy/

 

VCN ATTENDS iTECH CONFERENCE

On October 8^th, VCN staff and volunteers attended the 2015 iTech Conference at the Vancouver Convention Centre. The conference, organized by IT professionals for IT professionals, brought together people working in the field to share key lessons in the industry.

Breakout and Vendor Sessions included data centre, cloud,and Windows 10 information. VCN staff and volunteer learned about emerging technical trends that will help VCN improve its hosting services.

 

TECH4GOOD FORUM

VCN attended the Tech4Good forum at the Innovation Hub on Wednesday, October 28 for an inspiring evening of engagement, innovation, and shared expertise for creating change.

The panel featured Renee Black (PeaceGeeks), Mike Simpson (BC Council for International Cooperation), Mack Hardy (Affinity Bridge), and Britt Neale (Appnovation).

Panelists discussed specific projects that local tech shops are already engaging with on human rights, the refugee crisis and gender-based violence. Conversations explored the ways in which Vancouver can become a recognized leader in tech for good through collaborations with the local tech community.

 

VCN’s SOCIAL ENTERPRISE

VCN Staff and Board have been working hard to grow and position the organization to continue to fulfill the roles and responsibilities VCN has come to hold and mission. As funding for social programs become hotly vied for short term projects and as donations become harder to rely on we need to attract more and new tech|team and web|team clients. The work that these teams do not only contributes to more sustainable VCN operations, it allows for individuals, organizations and businesses to access really great work at reasonable rates. The enterprise efforts are still driven by a community-good motive.

 

REFURBISHED LAPTOPS AVAILABLE FOR LEASE 

Are you in need of temporary laptop to get you by? Look no further!

VCN is leasing laptops for $25/year plus tax. The laptop will have a dual core CPU, 2GB RAM, 80GB hard drive and a 15.4″ screen. Windows 7 is installed. Supply is flying and limited. Call 778-724-0826 for more information or fill out the form at https://www2.vcn.bc.ca/vcn-laptop-lease-request-form/.

Note: Setup is not included. Ask for a quote for setup, backup, and any other additional services.

 

DONATE TO VCN

VCN has a monthly bill of $1100 to for our Internet Service Provision. The servers there host hundreds of organization’s websites that without us would fail to truly have the web presence they need to keep diverse messaging available in a commercialized realm. VCN appreciates any amount, big or small, to help us continue our work in the community: https://www2.vcn.bc.ca/get-involved/donate/

CLICK HERE FOR PDF VERSION

 

CITY OF VANCOUVER FUNDS STREET MESSAGING SYSTEM FOR HOMELESS ACTION WEEK

Thanks to a grant awarded to The Vancouver Community Network (VCN) from the City of Vancouver, we will be hosting ‘Snack and Chat’ sessions on the Street Messaging System (SMS) from October 12 – 15^th.

These sessions will be an opportunity to further communications and outreach in the sector through sharing lessons learned from the beta-testing and feasibility study conducted with the SMS since its launch in September 2014.

We believe sharing input with leading professionals in the service field will help to overcome challenges faced by outreach workers. We will also share front-line experiences and develop ways to improve the SMS.

If you are a social service provider and would like to participate in the event, please contact us for more details at [email protected].

 

TELUS COMMUNITY GRANT AWARDED TO ADVANCE SMS

Telus has awarded VCN funds to code the Street Messaging System platform! Telus will work with VCN to make the free and easy messaging system available across Metro Vancouver.

The Telus Community Giving Grant funds projects with the goal of improving the lives of youth and their communities through the power of technology.

The system is quickly moving from the beta-phase to potentially global impact: a vision both the City of Vancouver and Telus share.

 

NEW! REGISTER TO USE THE SMS BY TEXTING

The Street Messaging System (SMS) delivers vital information via text messaging to your mobile about missing persons, food services, emergency shelter availability, health and wellness alerts, job and training opportunities.

VCN has created a new way to register. Simply text 778-819-6826, enter year of birth and gender. SMS is an efficient way to connect those who are street-involved and disadvantaged to services they need most. After this, you will receive texts that are 140 characters or less straight to your mobile. If you enter your e-mail address, you will receive these alerts to your e-mail account.

 

LEASE A REFURBISHED LAPTOP

VCN is leasing laptops for $25/year plus tax. The laptop will have a dual core CPU, 2GB RAM, 80GB hard drive and a 15.4″ screen. Windows 7 is installed. Supply is limited.

Please note that setup is not included. Ask for a quote for setup, backup, and any other additional services. Call 778-724-0826 for more information or fill out the form at https://www2.vcn.bc.ca/vcn-laptop-lease-request-form/.

 

VCN ATTENDS VANCOUVER START UP WEEK

VCN attended Vancouver’s Startup Week held from September 21 – September 27, 2015. Startup week offered an array of workshops with opportunities to learn the skills, resources and knowledge to overcome difficult obstacles within Vancouver’s tech sector.

The event was an opportunity for VCN to connect with entrepreneurs, international investors, corporate partners, some of Vancouver’s hottest tech companies and techies to share their stories, what they’ve learned from their business or project, and their successes or failures. BC’s newest companies competed for cash and other prizes from BC Innovation Council – New Ventures Competition.

 

DONATE

VCN focuses our efforts on youth, the disadvantaged in the Downtown Eastside, and seniors, pushing for digital inclusion and social justice. VCN appreciates any donation amount, big or small, to help us continue our work in the community: https://www2.vcn.bc.ca/get-involved/donate/

 

RAISE YOUR VOICE AND VOTE FOR OUR DIGITAL FUTURE


For the 2015 Federal Election, Open Media launched a campaign to create a participatory process and empower the voices of everyday internet users to advance Canada’s digital future.

The platform’s key digital rights’ pillars include privacy, access, and free expression. The campaign aims to form a crowdsourced plan called “Canada’s Digital Future Platform.”

The organization writes:

“This election let’s not do politics as usual – let’s reimagine our democracy and create a more policy-centric rather than partisan party-centric electoral system.”

Sign the Digital Future Pledge at OurDigitalFuture.ca and visit their website at openmedia.ca for updates on party platforms regarding digital policies!

 

FEDERAL ELECTION AND BILL C-51

With the federal election approaching on 19^th October 2015, it is important now more than ever to recognize the privacy rights of the Canadian people, and strong accountability and oversight for surveillance practices.

Bill C-51 is the Conservatives’ anti-terror legislation granting greater powers to police authority in order to protect Canada from terrorists. Concerns about this bill include loss of privacy, limitations to freedom of expression and a lack of sufficient oversight, which could lead to unlawful measures.

In June 2015, the Senate passed Bill-51 by 44-28, despite massive opposition from hundreds of thousands of Canadians and the country’s top privacy experts. The NDP voted against Bill C-51 while the Liberal party supported it; however, Justin Trudeau stated that he would fix the flaws if the Liberals win the coming election.

For more information on BILL C-51 and how you can add your voice to the growing campaign to repeal Bill C-51, visit: https://killc51.ca/?src=blg

 

HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS

Ever since Canada’s federal government stopped investing in affordable housing, the problem of homelessness has been getting worse. The Canadian Observatory on Homelessness/The Homeless Hub states that, “…over 235,000 Canadians experience homelessness in a year.” In a prosperous country with a strong commitment to social justice, the existence of homelessness, poverty, and hardship is unacceptable.

According to The Homeless Hub, if the federal government invests $106.00 per Canadian annually, which works out to $0.88 per person weekly, we will see an end to chronic homelessness and will be able help others on the verge of becoming homeless.

The Homeless Hub has posted the Housing and Homelessness Election Guide 2015. This guide sets out recommendations on ending homelessness and presents each party’s platform on how it meets (or doesn’t meet) these recommendations.