Free! Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation Symposium
Thursday, September 24, 2015,
9:30 am to 3:00 pm

First Metropolitan United Church Hall, 932 Balmoral Road at Quadra.  Entry to Hall off Balmoral.  Parking is limited.
No cost.  Registration includes refreshments and lunch.

Through speakers, panels and films, participants will gain an understanding of these issues in Victoria and will learn what resources are available.  This event will appeal to youth workers, counsellors, students, those who work with immigrants and refugees, service clubs and individuals who would like to learn more.

Confirmed presenters: Mobile Youth Support Team (MYST) Constable; Pacific Centre Family Services CRED project; RCMP Film; Children of the Street Society, Coquitlam; Deborah’s Gate, Vancouver; BC Office to Combat Trafficking in Persons; Victoria Boys and Girls Club; (PEERS), and others.

Registration: eventbrite.ca/event/17697083453

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The following Op-ed piece appeared in the Times Colonist,  Victoria, BC, July 17, 2015

Our homes are important to us not only because of the equity they provide financially, but because they are places where we feel safe and where we find joy in building a nurturing space for our loved ones. If, through some catastrophic event such as an earthquake, our houses should disappear, we would feel devastated, lost and forlorn.

As a recent editorial in the Times Colonist made note, this catastrophic event has already happened to hundreds of youth in our community who are either homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. Most are living precariously by couch-surfing or crowding into an overpriced apartment or living in a car. They might be escaping some form of abuse; they might have been abandoned; they might be involved in an intractable family conflict.

To be homeless, something has gone wrong in their young lives and they are running scared while trying to put on a brave face. Most had no control over the situations that pushed them into homelessness.

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The Threshold Housing Society received more than a $10,000 donation from both the Saanich and Langford The Home Depot stores as part of The Orange Door Project

Funds raised to help put an end to youth homelessness in Greater Victoria area.

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The community spirit is strong in the various neighbourhoods that span Oak Bay, Fairfield and the Jubilee areas.  Bringing your recyclables to the various depots is a great way to meet neighbours, keep the environment clean and donate to charitable causes.

The Threshold Recycling Days fall on the 4th Saturdays of every month (except December).  The recycling depot is set up in the parking lot of 600 Richmond Ave, off of Richardson St at St Matthias Church. Hours of Operation: 9am – 11am.  Some of the monies collected will go to the Threshold Housing Society to assist in their mission to provide life-skills for at-risk youth in their housing programs.

A Bottle Drive is also available on site for anyone to donate their refundable containers.  The proceeds all go to support the same life-skills program at Threshold Housing Society.

To learn more or to become a volunteer for the event, speak with a volunteer on site (look for the orange shirts!)  You can also sign up online here.

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HeroWork is currently working hard to renovate the offices of Greater Victoria Citizens’ Counselling Centre on King’s Road.  The Centre assists adult community members in attaining socially and psychologically satisfying lives by providing quality, accessible, volunteer counselling service.  Most importantly, they offer affordable rates for people of any wage bracket.  With such a lack of accessible mental health resources in the community, the work of the Centre is vital.

Paul Latour and his HeroWork crew is heading the renovations.  They work on the principal of gathering ordinary community members to participate in an extraordinary experience of old fashion “barn-raising.”  The experience of volunteers has been very positive and in some cases transformative.  It is not too late to volunteer for the next two weekends.  Go to HeroWork and sign-up and learn how “community” really feels.  It will change the way you feel about Victoria!      

Read the recent article in the Times Colonist. Read more…

Adoption placement for kids in care came up short in 2014, despite $2 million earmarked funding. The independent representative for children and youth, Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond advocates to give the reprsentative’s office funding to work on adoption placements.

Reach Les Leyne’s full editorial in the Times Colonist here —
http://www.timescolonist.com/opinion/columnists/les-leyne-kids-in-care-desperately-need-homes-1.1954109

Thursday, May 28 – Thursday, July 2, 2015

The Home Depot® Canada Foundation’s fundraising campaign directs 100 per cent of funds raised to local youth-serving organizations

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Threshold Executive Director, Mark Muldoon, receiving a $10,000 grant from TELUS via Mel Cooper, Chair of the TELUS Victoria Community Board.

On Saturday, May 9th, 2015, , Mr. Mel Cooper, visited Threshold Housing Society, and presented Threshold with a fantastic grant to support youth transitional housing in Greater Victoria. In the March 2015 study on youth housing released by the Greater Victoria Coalition to End Homelessness, the current state of housing for at-risk youth was stated to be in “a crisis” with youth 19 and older being in “dire” need.

Threshold staff surrounded Mel as he told the stories of inspiring organizations that the TELUS Victoria Community Board has helped and why they help.  The staff were grateful for the grants we received from TELUS, and filled with joy and acknowledgement that Threshold were choosen to receive a community grant.

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A local chorus of approximately 50 women, Kintara Women’s Chorus, conducted by Signi Murgatroyd, MMus., BMus., A.R.C.T. (Voice), is donating the proceeds of its upcoming concert to Threshold Housing Society.

“The Rhythm of Life” Concert by Kintara Women’s Chorus will be held at St Aidan’s Church (3703 St Aidan’s Street) this Saturday, May 9th, starting at 7:30pm (door opens at 7pm). Admission by cash donation.

Threshold appreciates the kind donation from Kintara Women’s Chorus, and encourages music-lovers and friends of Threshold and Kintara to join us for an evening of beautiful chorus music.

For more information on Kintara Women’s Chorus, visit their website: http://www.kintara.ca/

Further to the study released by the Greater Victoria Coalition to End Homelessness (GVCEH) in March 2015, entitled, Youth Pathways In and Out of Homelessness in the Capital Region, the GVCEH produced an infographic that details the various reasons why some youth fall into the risk of becoming homeless and the ways the community can help to avoid and prevent this negative path from happening.

http://victoriahomelessness.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/YouthPathwaysInfographic1.jpg

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