Overview
Project Title
RayCam Cooperative building renewal: Community creation of urban green space
Organization Name
Organization Information
Organization Name
Mission and Vision of Organization
Established in 1976, RayCam Co-operative Centre is located in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside and provides essential services and supports to children, youth, and families. 50 years ago, mothers in this neighbourhood collaborated to advocate for the safety of children in the neighbourhood, which culminated in the blockade of rail lines in Jan and March of 1971. To this day, RayCam continues this spirit of the Militant Mothers of Raymur, by striving to be “not just a community centre, but the centre of a community”, grounded in the principles of place-based, inclusion, community engagement, reconciliation, and capacity building.
This neighbourhood experiences among the highest adversities in Canada. We see high representation of traditionally disadvantaged and oppressed groups such as Indigenous and other racialized groups, refugees/migrants, seniors, LGBTQ2+, neurodevelopmentally different, and peoples living with generational trauma. We have a significant interest in meeting the needs of socially vulnerable children and families and building towards societies that value and support children, youth, and their families and promote optimal growth and development. RayCam is committed to achieving substantive equality, defined by honourable Mary-Ellen Turpel-Lafond as “the requirement to achieve equality in opportunities and outcomes, and is advanced through equal access, equal opportunity and, the provision of services and benefits in a manner and according to standards that meet any unique needs and circumstances, such as cultural, social, economic and historical disadvantage” (In Plain Sight, 2020).
Guiding Principles + Values
See Mission and Vision (above)!
Contact Information
- Primary Contact Person(s): Will Lau (he/him); Kate Hodgson (she/her)
- Email: [[1]]
- Phone: 604-257-6949
- Address: 920 East Hastings St. Vancouver BC V6A 3T1
- Website: RayCam Co-operative Centre
Preferred Method of Contact
- Best method(s) to contact: Email
- Best day(s) to contact: Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays
- Best time(s) to contact: Mornings
Preferred Platform(s) for Remote Collaboration
- The project will most likely take place In person
Project Description
Context: What challenge or issue does the project aim to address?
RayCam has a planned building renewal in the coming years. This provides an opportunity to explore with community and advocate for a functional space that improves services and supports to community presently and prepares community for the future. The concepts of food sovereignty and food justice has never been more prevalent than presently, when the community stressed by the dual opioid and COVID19 pandemics. In particular, we must educate our children and youth about the concepts of LandBack and Rematriation so that next and future generations are properly prepared to work collaboratively towards reconciliation.
In the spirit of cooperation and acknowledgement that a community centre is a centre for the community, we hope to engage our community regarding how the new RayCam building can support their visions and knowledge relating to food and green spaces.
We want to hear broadly about dreams and wishes and stories about food, traditions, and valued memories. We also hope to capture specifics of desired community garden spaces, urban agriculture supports, etc. This will act as our roadmap to advocate for food systems transformation that serves the peoples.
In the words of Murri Activist Lilla Watson “If you have come here to help me, you are wasting your time. But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together.”
Main Project Activities and Deliverables
- 1. Concept/literature review 2. Prepare facilitation guiding questions (seek guidance from community elders) 3. Facilitate semi-guided dialogues
Student Assets and Skills (preferred or required)
- 1. Relational and interpersonal skills 2. Grounded empathy 3. Awareness of Community principles: trauma-involved practice, asset/strengths based community develop (ABCD), humility, truth & reconciliation 4. Facilitation 5. Qualitative data interpretation
Are there any mandatory attendance dates (e.g. special event)?
- 1st day orientation (day will vary based on what UBC/LFS and students can cover, and what lived experience students bring)
Will the project take place online, in person, or a combination?
- In person primarily
- Some online/remote may be possible
Is proof of Covid-19 vaccination required?
- Yes
Is a criminal record search (CRS) required?
- Yes
If a criminal record search is required, when should the process be initiated?
- Before the first community partner meeting
Who is responsible for initiating the criminal record search?
- Student
Related Community Service Opportunities for Students
- Volunteer in programs, at least initially, to build relationship with community members
Required Reading
Project/Partner Orientation Materials
Students should review these materials prior to the first partner meeting:
- Ray-Cam Renew
- Research 101: A Manifesto for Ethical Research in Downtown Eastside - (activity is not research, but uses research skills)
- Principles of participation: i.e. IAP2 spectrum of public participation and code of ethics
- Militant Mothers of Raymur history: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/50-years-later-militant-mothers-of-raymur-celebrated-in-vancouver-1.5476828 & https://www.heartofthecityfestival.com/on-demand-2021/#
- Land Back: A Yellowhead Institute Red Paper (2019)
Additional Project/Partner Orientation Materials
The following will be provided at the first community partner meeting:
- Building tour
- RayCam programming overview
- RayCam pandemic safety protocols
- Meet-greet staff to start relationship building
- Meet community members & broker/bridge trust
Expected Outcomes
Intended Short-term Project Outcome
Community members/Persons with Lived Experience (PWlIE) (RayCam staff included) will co-vision the creation of local green spaces in order to increase and share community knowledge and advocate for urban green spaces -- i.e. RayCam building renewal.
Learning Outcomes
Through this project, I think students will learn about...
- Adversity and resiliency (particularly ACEs and PCEs)
- "It takes a village" or community strengths
- Anti-oppression: appreciate the nuances and differences of equality, equity, and anti-oppression (or why charity and EDI are limited and sometimes harmful)
- Strengths and weakness of charity models
By working on this project, I think students will develop skills and/or awareness of...
- Critical analysis: systems oriented thinking
- Recognition of systems and interplay of agency and structure and challenge notions of "that's the way it is"
- Different food histories, traditions, and systems
By the end of the project, I believe students will come to appreciate...
- There are multitudes of ways each with their wisdoms: there definitely wrong ways, but there isn't only one right way.
- Reciprocity: reflection on anti-oppression and anti-exploitation and how to reciprocate the time and teachings provided by community (explicitly, this is not the "outcome" of the project or work)