Blog

A Change in Executive Director

July 23, 2019

In May 2019, Ms. Kiran Dhingra, Executive Director of SWOVA, who had been on parental leave for the previous seven months, decided not to return to her work with SWOVA, and she has resigned her position.

The members of the Board are very appreciative of Kiran’s hard work over the past three years and wish her and her family the very best. Kiran’s leadership through a time of transition has left the agency able to look toward its future. Thank you to Kiran for her commitment to and caring of this organization.
 
The Board is pleased to announce that Janine Fernandes-Hayden, Acting E.D., has agreed to accept the position of Executive Director of SWOVA. We, the Board, believe the agency is very fortunate to have someone of Janine’s ability and vision ready and willing to lead SWOVA into the future. Please join us in welcoming Janine Fernandes-Hayden as our new Executive Director.

Sparking the Interest of Youth in the Community

One of the unique aspects to any of the initiatives conceived and implemented by SWOVA is that Salt Spring Island plays the distinct role of a Petri dish. The broader community on Salt Spring Island has always embraced SWOVA’s projects, with School District #64 being...

A Fearless Approach

The Pass it On Project had a late start in Uclulet, but the insights and learning from this unique collection of five distinct communities are enriching and enlightening.  The five communities include Opitsaht, Esowista, and Hitacu which are reserves, as well as...

Feeling Rejuvenated

Val Jordan, the Mentor Supervisor of the Pass It On Project in Prince George, knows her community well. Prince George is the Northern capital of British Columbia with a population of approximately 70,000. There is a strong multicultural and Aboriginal component to the...

Guy Talk

One of the most important reasons why I work with youth around gender, stereotypes and healthy relationships, is that I get the opportunity to engage in complex and thought provoking conversations with young men.  Speaking of self- esteem, emotions, conflict...

Bridging The Distance

Jennifer Quam is the Mentor Supervisor for the Pass It On Project in Valemount/ McBride, British Columbia. McBride has a population of 710 while 90 kilometers away is Valemount, with a population of 1100. The school population for both communities hovers around 100...

It Is So Emotional To See These Girls Shine

The Pass It On Project - Phase II is occurring simultaneously in 5 communities throughout British Columbia - Salt Spring Island, Uclulet, Valemount/McBride, Prince George and Kamloops. Kamloops is in the Southern Interior of the province with a population of 85,000....

The Pass It On Project Goes on the Road in British Columbia

This winter, I had the privilege of traveling around British Columbia delivering workshops with rural girls and young women as part of Phase 2 of the Pass it On project. These workshops were originally written for youth here on Salt Spring Island and thanks to the...

Exciting News at SWOVA

We recently found out that the Department of Justice Canada is funding us to work in partnership with the Musqueam Indian Band.  As part of their Justice Partnership and Innovation Program - Access to Justice for Aboriginal Women, we will look at existing data from...

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