“Social Cohesion: Building Capacity for Culturally Responsible Communities”

Spirit of Hope Award: This year’s winner is… The Healthy Living Program for Farsi-Speakers, Canadian Mental Health Association (North & West Vancouver Branch)!

What is Social Cohesion?
The ongoing and ever-evolving process of developing a community of shared values, shared challenges and equal opportunities within a society, based on a sense of trust, hope and reciprocity. The foundation of social order, whereby the vast majority of citizens respect the law and honour one another’s human rights and values

Presenters:
1.    First Nations Opening : Hopokeltun/Shane Pointe: Is from the Musqueam community. He is a cultural support worker and consultant, a speaker of his traditional language, and incorporates his traditional teachings in his everyday life
2.    Leslie Arnold – President of BC Mental Health and Addiction Services
3.    Lorna Howes – Director of Mental Health services for Vancouver Acute and Community for Vancouver Coastal Health.
4.    Dr. Trevor L. Young
5.    Jamie Hamilton Graham – Recently Retired Chief, was sworn in as the 29th Chief Constable of the Vancouver Police Department
6.    Wilma Clarke – Director of the institute for safe schools and communities
7.    Mary Clare Zak – joined the city of Vancouver as the director of social planning
8.    Peter Lomas – is a retired academic with a doctoral degree in Anthropology
9.    Contemplations of QLGBT Migrants: Stories of DIS/Connection, Un/Belonging, and in/Equality
10.    The Rainbow Refugee Committee
11.    Enhancing Social Cohesion by engaging new immigrants in volunteering
12.    Stacy Aston – executive director of community volunteer connections
13.    Media Panel: The role of Media and it’s influences on Social Cohesion
14.    Alden E. Habacon – manager of diversity initiatives for the English television network of CBC
15.    Winnie Hwo
16.    Harpreet Singh
17.    Moderator:Rafe Mair
18.    Bullying – Cause or symptom of social problems
19.    Dr. Carol Battaglio
20.    Let me tell you: Redefining a newcomer youth community
21.    Pamela Verma
22.    My Circle Program – award winning program, a unique per support based program that has supported the mental health, wellness and engagement of immigrant and refugee youth for 5 years.

Sponsors:
1.    AstraZeneca
2.    Janssen Pharmaceutical
3.    Novartis
4.    Eli Lilly

Special Thanks to:
1.    Provincial Health Services Authority
2.    Vancouver coastal health