January 2020 Newsletter

A new year is here and with it, lots of opportunities to improve the health and wellness of everyone in the Comox Valley. Our Community Health Network is posed to take on some exciting projects this year. Read more about the work we are planning to do. We invite you to come out and join us at one of our community events, or get in touch with us directly to talk about how you'd like to participate! 

 

NETWORK UPDATES

Our Network Strategic Plan 2019-2021

The Comox Valley Community Health Network recognizes that many of the challenges and opportunities that our communities face today are due to the historical impacts of colonization, capitalism, patriarchy, racism and discrimination. Our network is focused on taking action that addresses these root causes to improve health. Our network will work with the community by collecting data, connecting and supporting initiatives, advocating for change, and increasing access to financial and human resources.

Please read through our Strategic Plan to see the how we plan to deliver on our Network Priorites.

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Communication Framework

Communication is an essential component of the work our network is doing in the community. Good communication will strengthen our relationships with people and help us form a strong and unified voice for the network in our community. Our communication team has developed a framework to ensure we reach our communications objectives.

Click the link below to read the full document.

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Welcome to Our New Participants
Our second recruitment took place in November and December of 2019. We had 16 people apply to join the circle. We held a group conversation event in November and in December, we welcomed 6 new people to the Circle. Please join us in welcoming:

  • Danika Lawson
  • Isha Matous-Gibbs
  • Jenn Meilleur
  • Karen McKinnon
  • Norah Fish 
  • Tammie Manson
 

Thank you, Cliff!
As we welcome some new faces to our circle we are also saying good bye to our good friend and colleague Cliff Boldt. Cliff has been a great supporter of the Communitiy Health Network since it's inception. We thank Cliff for his time, passion and dedication and wish him the very best in the future!
 

Substance Use Strategy for the Comox Valley

Our Network has been approached by the City of Courtenay to work with their Drug Strategy Committee to grow their mandate to include the entire Comox Valley and to create a Substance Use Strategy for all our communities. If you would like to get involved with this exciting project, contact our facilitator at info@cvch.ca or attend our next meeting: Monday, January 13th from 10:00 - 11:30 AM at the John Howard offices, 1455 Cliff Avenue in Courtenay.

City of Courtenay's Official Community Plan Update

We are very excited to be participating on the Advisory Committee for the City of Courtenay's Official Community Plan Update. To learn about what an Official Community Plan (or OCP) is check out the video below. You might see some familiar faces!

PARTNER UPDATES

Comox Valley Early Years Collaborative

Comox Valley Child Care Action Plan
 

The Comox Valley Regional District, in partnership with the City of Courtenay and Town of Comox have recently compled a child care needs assessment and action plan . Not surprisingly the report found that the Comox Valley is experiencing a child care crisis with fewer than one in five families able to secure licensed child care.

Our Community Health Network looks forward to working with our partners, local governments and community agencies to take action to increase the number of licensed childcare spaces in the Comox Valley. To read the full report click the link below.

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UPCOMING EVENTS

Open House: Glacier View Lodge Affordable Housing Project 

Monday, January 20th from 3:00 - 6:00 PM at the Little Red Church, 2182 Comox Ave.

Please join us for a public open house to share your ideas. This open house is a casual event for you to speak directly with project participants including Glacier View Lodge,  Vancouver Island University Master of Community Planning students, the Comox Valley Coalition to End Homelessness and our Community Health Network. We want to hear all of your thoughts on this potential future development project. There will be many interactive ways for you to share your thoughts with us.  

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Qummunity Connections Open House #2

Tuesday, January 28th from 6:00 - 8:00 PM at the Waichay Friendship Centre, 1625b McPhee Ave.

Qummunity Connections is a weekly meet-up for young people ages 15-30 in the LGBTQ2S+ community organized by Comox Valley - Youth 2020.

They invite members of the LGBTQ2S+ community, allies, caregivers, teachers, and anyone that has an interest in what we do to come check us out! All ages welcome! Our group will be crafting a fun photo booth so bring your cameras and smiles along! We have also compiled a playlist of our favorite songs to groove to at the event, these folks know how to have fun.

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Watershed Cafe

Thursday, January 30th from 6:00 - 8:00 PM 5th at 7:30 PM at Lake Trail Community Middle School, 805 Willemar Ave.

Hosted by Connected by Water and Lake Trail Community Education Society.

This free event kicks off with Watershed 101; a short history of the watershed and changes it is facing. Then we dive into a fun and interactive community mapping and art project, inviting participants to find their place among the water systems in the Comox Valley and consider steps each of us can take to support watershed protection and conservation.

Free to attend. Join us for tea, cookies, and watershed connections.

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City of Courtenay - Official Community Plan Launch

Wednesday, February 19th from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm at the Florence Fillburg Centre 411 Anderton Ave in Courtenay.

For more details and to sign up for their newsletter visit there website using the button below.

Click Here

9th Annual Campagnola Lecture - Implementing the 94 Calls to Action: A Progress Report

With the honorable Senator Murray Sinclair

Thursday, March 5th at 7:30 PM at Sid Williams Theatre, 442 Cliff Ave. Hosted by the Comox Valley Community Justice Centre.

Senator Sinclair served as Co-Chair of the Aboriginal Justice Inquiry in Manitoba and as Chief Commissioner of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). As head of the TRC, he participated in hundreds of hearings across Canada, culminating in the issuance of the TRC’s report in 2015.

If your agency or organization is interested in tickets for people who would not be able attend because of cost please contact us at info@cvchn.ca.

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