Callout for Chinese-speaking volunteers! Open House on July 4.

Initial info meeting: Saturday June 20 at 4PM at Keefer and Columbia (look for our sign)

Are you interested in volunteering with Chinese seniors in the Downtown Eastside? Come to this fun social event to learn more and to meet local Chinese residents!

Saturday July 4, 2015

2PM-5PM

Crab Park

Volunteer application form: http://goo.gl/forms/e2yvMX6kiU

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Volunteer description:

Chinese Intergenerational Outreach Project Volunteer Opportunity

The SRO Collaborative is seeking dynamic multi-lingual candidates to serve as volunteers for the Youth for Chinese Seniors Project. Volunteers will shape the project’s first year and beyond, reaching out to Chinese seniors and families living in low-income housing in the Downtown Eastside. Outreach for this position is focused on youth, but anyone is welcome to apply. This is an 8-month volunteer position based in Vancouver Coast Salish Territories.

About the SRO Collaborative
The Downtown Eastside SRO Collaborative Project is working to improve habitability and prevent renovictions in SRO hotels in Vancouver Coast Salish Territories. Our strategy is to start organizing within the worst of the worst – the privately-owned SROs. We bring tenants together to file complaints for safety and management conditions at the Residential Tenancy Branch and to support City Inspectors’ efforts, where possible, to bring buildings up to code. The Youth for Chinese Seniors project, the Chinese arm of the SRO Collaborative, aims to gather a community of Chinese tenants to address housing issues together.

About the Volunteer Position
Youth for Chinese Seniors volunteers will receive training on organizing skills, political education, housing issues, and elder issues. Volunteers will work on the ground with tenants to help them access the services they need, train tenants on housing rights, and identify the issues affecting Chinese residents in the Downtown Eastside.

Responsibilities:
-Outreach (door-knocking) in BC Housing, non-profit, and privately-owned buildings
-Lightly support Chinese seniors, such as doing home visits (volunteers must be 19+), translation and interpretation, accompaniment to medical appointments, and more
-Facilitate Know Your Rights workshops to develop tenant leadership
-Provide feedback on your experiences with project coordinator to build this program
-Optional: Translation and interpretation support for broader DTES community groups

Qualifications
-Excellent interpersonal skills
-Cultural competency in working with Chinese communities
-Multilingual in English and Cantonese or Mandarin (or related dialects)

Because outreach to tenants usually takes place during evening hours and weekends, we prefer volunteers who have availability on weeknights and Saturday/Sunday. Volunteers should commit 5-10 hours/week. Volunteers may receive a small honorarium, subject to funding availability. The project runs from now until March.

Application form: http://goo.gl/forms/e2yvMX6kiU

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis. Send inquiries and applications to Chanel at chaanelly@gmail.com.

In partnership with Anita Lau, the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre Chinese Seniors Outreach Worker. Email chineseseniors@dewc.ca for more info.