From Classroom
to Community

We are thrilled to provide you with an opportunity to learn, engage and interact with other co-op members. As you know, community building is at the heart of co-ops and we are excited to connect our members from all over BC.

Join us on Sunday May 28, 2023 to learn, engage and network at our 2023 Spring Forum. This event will take place in person at the Westin Wall Centre, Vancouver Airport in Richmond with a live broadcast at the Delta Ocean Pointe Hotel for our Vancouver Island members.  Of course, you can also engage with us online from anywhere in the province.

4-3-2-1

There are so many reasons to attend CHF BC’s Spring Forum on Sunday May 28. Here are our top 4:

4 Exciting Workshops

We have selected four workshops covering a wide range of topics for you to chose from. Each workshop will provide valuable insights and knowledge that you can take home and share with your follow co-op members. The workshops are led by talented facilitators who are experts in their respective fields. Their expertise and experience will provide valuable insights into how we can create a strong sense of belonging in our communities.

Hybrid workshops are available to people participating either in-person in Richmond or online. Vancouver Island live broadcast participants will be able to participate in the Ask the Lawyers workshop.

Ask the Lawyers – Hybrid

This summer marks five years since the Civil Resolution Tribunal started reviewing disputes from housing co-ops. Join our co-op lawyers as they reflect during this time and consider lessons learned. Recent cases with the Human Rights Tribunal and Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner will also be explored. Bring your questions around any matter that may end up in these tribunals. Learn more.

Hybrid Meetings – Hybrid

Every member is unique in what it takes to make them feel comfortable to meaningfully engage with their community. Hybrid meetings are a great way of meeting the different levels of comfort and different accessibility needs folks have in meeting with large groups in-person. In this session, we’ll tap into how we can effectively bring online participants and in-person attendees together to collaborate as if they were all in the same place. Learn more.

Collaborative Leadership – Online

As co-op leaders, learn how you can create an authentic vision and strategy for your community. Join the Tamarack Institute in exploring a journey based on building connections, trust, navigating power and creating more meaningful engagement opportunities. Learn more.

Compassionate Communication – In Person

This workshop will focus on learning and practicing highly effective skills in communication, community building, and dealing with conflict and sensitive conversations. We will highlight what doesn’t work in communication and we will learn a four-step model in which we can navigate our conversations in an open, authentic and compassionate way. Learn more.

3 Scholarship Award Presentation

We are proud to invest in our young members (and others who may be returning to school) and supporting their education dreams and ambitions.

For many members, this is the highlight of the spring season. If you are attending for the first time, prepared to be inspired by the intelligence, commitment and passion of the of the next generation of co-op housing leaders.

2 Inspiring Plenaries

Concern for community is a key co-operative principle.

At the Spring Forum. you will here from two innovative organization that are doing important work for youth in our communities. With their wealth of knowledge and experience, our plenary speakers are sure to inspire and inform attendees at this year’s forum.

Collective Impact

Often coined the “superhighway” to homelessness, youth aging out of government care face poverty, trauma, discrimination and a lack of housing or support resources to meet their needs.  CHF BC is proud to be partnering with TRRUST (Transition in Resources, Relationships, and Understanding Support Together), a Collective Impact (CI) initiative seeking to use the lived experiences of youth in care to make system-wide improvements and support young people.

In this session, we will hear, in their own voices, the journey of two young adults who left government care. It will highlight how housing co-ops can help address youth homelessness and benefit from a new community member who brings a unique perspective.  Following the session, we will invite co-ops to sign up to continue the conversation by exploring how housing co-op boards, through policy and practices, can give priority placement to youth exiting government care.

Shaping Future Leaders through Community

Ethọ́s Lab is a not-for-profit doing incredible work in creating a culture shift in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math).  With an under-representation of persons of colour, girls, femmes, and women in STEAM, they are on a mission to channel young diverse voices to create an inclusive future that better reflects our humanity. 

In this plenary, members of the Ethọ́s lab team will share their experiences and share how they have co-created a space where a sense of belonging is at the core of empowering youth to be creators versus consumers.

1 Business Meeting

Our business meeting will provide you with up-to-date information and insights on all that is going on in the both at CHF BC, as well as with our partners in the broader co-operative and community housing sector. Delegates and observers will have an opportunity to hear updates from CHF BC board, staff, and partners, as well as conduct important business of your federation.

Whether attending in-person in Richmond, at our live broadcast event in Victoria, or online, everyone will have the opportunity to interact and ask questions in real-time.

+ A Bonus Reason!

The business meeting will be followed by a Member Mix ‘n’ Mingle for those attending the forum in Richmond. This is an opportunity for you to catch up with old friends, meet new people, and unwind after an exciting day.

We hope to see you there!

Questions?

If you have any questions about the Spring Forum—or would like assistance registering—please contact us at education@chf.bc.ca or 1-866-879-5111.​​​​​

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