[van-announce] Amnesty International BC/Yukon action and volunteer opportunities, 2004-2005

[dwright at amnesty.ca]

Hello ? you are receiving this e-mail because you are either on our 
regional e-mail newsletter list (through ai-list at vancouvercommunity.net), 
or you have contacted us sometime in the past year or so about getting 
involved in Amnesty International. I apologize if you receive this message 
more than once, I am working from several lists.

Amnesty group contacts ? please distribute to group members.


Amnesty International BC/Yukon
action and volunteer opportunities
2004-2005

Background

Last year Amnesty International worldwide adopted an ambitious six year 
plan to guide the movement between now and 2010. In response, Amnesty 
International Canadian Section (English Speaking) has just approved a six 
year branch plan that builds on our success and sets out a clear course 
for human rights work. The plan does this through broad statements of 
direction, with clear goals and potential strategies to attain them. The 
plan lists seven priority goals and a number of organizational and 
financial strategies to support these goals. The first four priorities 
concern people at risk ? and focuses on women, human rights defenders, 
Indigenous peoples, and refugees. The remaining three priority goals are 
about delivering effective protection, and call for strengthening the 
human rights framework, paying attention to business and human rights, and 
developing work on economic, social and cultural rights (a branch plan 
summary is available from me by e-mail).

Working groups

To help move this work forward in the BC/Yukon region, a variety of 
working groups are being established, open to members, prospective 
members, and others who support Amnesty work. Each working group may meet 
as a whole two or three times a year and communicate regularly by e-mail, 
with sub-committees potentially responsible for organizing public events 
(forums, conferences, etc). The make-up or structure of each working group 
will be up to participants but may involve co-chairs, an e-mail list 
moderator, a communications/outreach coordinator, an education 
coordinator, and event subcommittees. Most of the working groups may be 
based in the Vancouver area but efforts will be made to include members 
from throughout the region. The working groups will work on:

*** Women's Rights (through the current Stop Violence Against Women 
campaign)

*** Business and Human Rights (including socially responsible investment, 
conflict resources, and international agreements)

*** Indigenous Rights (in Canada and globally)

*** Human Rights Defenders (focus on Colombia).

In addition to working groups, other regional groups are being 
established, including an Artist's Action hub, a media response team, and 
a speaker's bureau. Individuals may also wish to volunteer at the Pacific 
Regional Office in Vancouver beginning in September (we should be back in 
our West Pender office by then). Office volunteers help with general 
office work, or may be involved in special projects depending on 
individual interests and skills. Lastly, we can also put you in touch with 
one of more than 30 Amnesty community groups and action circles active in 
our region. Most meet about once a month to discuss human rights issues, 
hear from guest speakers, write letters, and plan community events.

Kickstart

For members, prospective members and supporters who need more information 
on the new branch plan and the work that is available to be done, we will 
be holding a series of Kickstart days throughout the region, beginning on Saturday, September 11 in Vancouver. These information/discussion sessions will explore the 
branch plan in full, with particular emphasis on violence against women, 
and business and human rights. The sessions will also cover participation 
in working groups, member action, and other volunteer/action opportunities 
in our region. The time and location of the Vancouver session will be 
confirmed later this summer. To arrange a Kickstart session in your 
community, please e-mail me (see below).

Sign up today

If you are interested in one of the working groups, in joining a community 
group or action circle, or wish to consider one of the other volunteer 
opportunities described above, please reply to me by e-mail or phone. 
Based on the response I will see if some of the working groups might have 
at least one summer meeting to set the stage for fall action (juice and 
cookies supplied!).

I look forward to hearing from you.

Have a good summer everyone.

Sincerely,
Don Wright
Regional Development Coordinator, BC/Yukon
Amnesty International Canada

phone: 604-313-4069
e-mail: dwright at amnesty.ca
website: www.amnesty.bc.ca
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.resist.ca/pipermail/van-announce/attachments/20040617/d8f7b43d/attachment.html>