The Minerva
Foundation for BC Women inspires and empowers
women and girls to reach their full potential
by creating opportunities and offering programs
through trusted partnerships in the areas
of education, leadership development, economic
security and safety.
OVERVIEW
The head office and administrative centre for the Minerva Foundation for BC Women is located in Vancouver with two branches in Victoria and Prince George. Each branch has a local operating committee chaired by a member of the Minerva Foundation Board of Directors. The local operating committee is responsible for running the programs and events in their regions. They do not maintain a physical office in the branches as they rely on the Vancouver office for administration support. Maggie Winters is the current chair of the Victoria Branch.
Maggie A. Winters, Chair
Victoria and the Islands Branch
Minerva Foundation for BC Women
(250) 213-2984 or maggie.winters@telus.com
The Victoria branch supports innovative projects aimed at providing opportunities for girls and women in the following four priority areas:
EDUCATION
Since 2001, approximately $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
The Victoria Branch hosts two leadership development programs in Victoria: Women's Speaker Series and Follow A Leader™.
- The 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 Honorable Carole Taylor, Minister of Finance in BC
- Since inception in 2004, 60 community and emerging leaders have participated in the annual Follow A Leader™ program in Victoria. Emerging leaders are partnered 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. Program participants are drawn from throughout northern British Columbia and represent a cross-section of geographic, cultural, social and disciplinary diversity.
Women from Victoria and the Islands are also encouraged to participate in Learning to Lead™ South and the Combining Our Strength™ Learning to Lead™ programs, typically held each year in June on the UBC campus.
ECONOMIC SECURITY
The Minerva Helping Women Work™ initiative is a unique career-mentoring program that supports highly skilled professional women, over the age of 30, re-enter the workforce in order to provide economic security for themselves and their family. 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
A feeling of safety is basic to our emotional and physical well-being yet many women and children do not live and work in safe environments. This severely limits their productivity and self- sufficiency. The Minerva Foundation is addressing safety education initiatives by awarding community grants to support women-centered organizations with their existing community programs.
- Recent Vancouver Island recipients include the 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.
- In 2007, the Victoria Branch, through funding from the Victoria Foundation, successfully conducted a Safety Series to provide free workshops to women seniors to empower them to feel safe in their communities.
To raise funds for local programs, the Victoria Branch of the Minerva Foundation conducts an annual fundraising event called All About Girlfriends™. It is a volunteer-driven event that attracts business women and community leaders from the community to a fun, social evening filled with networking opportunities and a collaborative appreciation of the mission, mandate and values of the Minerva Foundation.
For more information on how you can help
open doors, create confidence where none
existed, and act as a conduit to success,
please contact:
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