The Roger Inman Memorial Award
This award is given annually in recognition of a project that has made a significant contribution to the economic development of the community. CCEC is committed to keeping our money and resources working in our community by actively supporting and promoting the development of strong, successful community businesses, projects and organizations.
ANY GROUP, BUSINESS OR INDIVIDUAL AFFILIATED WITH CCEC CREDIT UNION IS ELIGIBLE FOR THIS SPECIAL RECOGNITION/CASH AWARD
2013 Winner: Red Fox Healthy Living Society
contact Emma Sutherland
604.319.2571 redfox@redfoxsociety.org www.redfoxsociety.org
"Receiving the Award acknowledges our work in supporting our youth and in building community. Our vision at Red Fox is to strengthen youth to be leaders in healthy active living and to work in the recreation field. As a means of social justice, Red Fox is building resilience and offering economic options to Vancouver's urban Aboriginal community as well as other at-risk youth.”
Emma Sutherland, Executive Director and CCEC Member for over 14 years
Red Fox Healthy Living Society is a social enterprise in Strathcona that trains Aboriginal youth and youth with disabilities to deliver workshops in active play, cultural and food security activities. The workshops are offered at eastside schools, community centres, neighbourhood houses, parks and Aboriginal centres. The Society is guided by a Youth Council Aboriginal Advisory Committee and a Board of Directors.
Red Fox promotes the Medicine Wheel teachings by showing youth and families ways to be active, eat healthy food, and develop new skills to work around the economic and social barriers they face. The programs’ values are based on Aboriginal principles of caring for each other and working collaboratively.
Red Fox works in partnership with four Aboriginal organizations and the Aboriginal Support program of the Vancouver School Board. All programs, training, equipment and support are provided at no charge thereby allowing everyone to participate.
What they have accomplished:
• Conducted 103 leadership development activities for over 300 youth
• Hosted 29 youth council meetings
• Facilitated 36 healthy living and cultural training sessions
• Organized an annual event, called Red Fox Citizen U Festival which focuses on anti-bullying and discrimination training.
Through the leadership and employment training program, Red Fox youth have gone on to work in recreation, food services, child care and for Aboriginal organizations.
They have many success stores. For example, one youth leader who was struggling with homelessness, addictions and self-harm behaviours now attends college, sits on civic committees, and organizes community events. Another youth with a bi-polar disorder is in recovery from alcoholism and is working at an Out of School Care program, as well as taking rock-climbing with the hopes of working at a wall climbing centre.
Red Fox is a strong advocate for social inclusion and is active politically to increase opportunities for Aboriginal youth. They have clearly demonstrated their community value and have strong community support. Last year when their federal grant program that provides up to 65% of their funding was frozen, corporations and individuals donated $119,000 which allowed them to resume programming after only two days of cancelled activities. In addition, when the federal government reinstated their funding, Red Fox was able to expand the leadership training program and offer activities to even more schools and First Nations community members.
"Red Fox Healthy Living Society is an important for community capacity building and it is making a real difference to many youth and families."
Whitney Radforth, Recreation Supervisor - Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Society
Past winners include:
2012: Girls Rock Camp Vancouver
2011: W2 Community Media Arts Society
2010: Discovery Organics
2009: Vancouver Folk Music Festival Society
2008: East Vancouver Celebration Society
2007: Rhizome Café
2006: Fraser Common Farm Co-operative