Achievements

Minerva’s Achievements in the Victoria and Islands Region

Education: More than $120,000 has been awarded to 35 women attending universities and colleges within the mandate of the branch, including the University of Victoria, Royal Roads University, Camosun College, Malaspina University College and North Island College.

Leadership development: Minerva’s Victoria branch offers two leadership development programs in Victoria:

Women’s Speakers Series brings women together over breakfast to learn from and celebrate women leaders such as Janet Yale, Executive Vice President of Corporate Affairs, TELUS; Penny Ballem, former Deputy Minister of Health, BC; and Honourable Carole Taylor, Minister of Finance in BC.
Follow A Leader™ was started in Victoria in 2004. It is an annual program that partners emerging leaders with an accomplished business, government, academic or community leader for a series of workshops and leadership-shadowing so that program participants can observe leadership skills firsthand. More than 60 community and emerging leaders have participated since 2004.

Economic security: This past spring the Victoria Branch hosted their inaugural Minerva Helping Women Work™ program, helping 18 women return to the workforce. For every woman that goes through the program, 15 volunteers participate as program speakers, mentors and coaches.

Safety: The Minerva Foundation addresses safety education initiatives by awarding community grants to support women-centered organizations with their existing community programs.

Recent Vancouver Island grant recipients: James Bay Community Project, NIL TU’O Child and Family Services, Cowichan Women Against Violence Society, North Island Survivors’ Healing Society, and Comox Valley Transition Society.

With the help of funding from the Victoria Foundation, Minerva’s Victoria Branch conducted a Safety Series in 2007 which provided free workshops to senior women to empower them to feel safe in their communities.

Our Brand Story

It is said that both Neptune and Minerva competed for the rights to the City of Athens. It was determined that whoever devised the gift most useful to mortals would be granted the city as their own. Neptune created the horse and Minerva created the olive Minerva’s gift won the city. Minerva’s useful gift of the olive offered an ongoing source of food, work and a sustainable, healthy life for the community.

We have incorporated the olive leaf into our new brand identity as it is a symbol of our work – work that permanently changes lives and creates community.