"Young people must be included from birth. A society that cuts itself off from its youth severs its lifeline"

- U.N. Secretary-General, Kofi Anan, address to the World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth, Lisbon 1998

Mandate

JOVENSvancouver is a volunteer, not-for-profit organization with a focus on practical action to further develop, encourage, and empower the participation of youth in the processes and decisions that affect the Portuguese Canadian community.

Goals

• Create unity amongst Portuguese Canadian and luso-descendent youth.
• Education of Portuguese language and culture.
• Provide a network and support system for youth.
• Provide a foundation of leaders.
• Adopt the World Platform of Lusophone and Luso-descendents youth.
• Acceptance of diversity and other cultures
• Become a visible entity and foster a sense of pride in the Portuguese culture while bridging gaps between generations.

 

Structure

JOVENSvancouver MONTHLY GATHERING: the group meets every first-Sunday of the month at 7pm. All welcome!

JOVENSvancouver PROJECT TEAM MEETINGS: happen as needed by each team; team leader needs to be prepared to share the on-goings of the team, and project progression with JOVENSvancouver at the monthly gathering.

GROUP COORDINATORS: facilitate monthly gathering; collect info from each team leader, and members at large, to create agenda for each monthly gathering;

PROJECT TEAM LEADERS: each team/project appoints a leader; the TEAM LEADER reports, on behalf of the team, to the whole group. This report happens at the monthly gathering.

PARTICIPANTS/MEMBERS: All JOVENSvancouver members are active participants in one, or more teams.

JOVENSvancouver was founded September 2003 by Terry Costa and Susan Soares Almeida. The founders and the membership present at the launch meeting, November 9th, 2003 established the mandate and goals.