JUSTICE & EQUITY
AT FSGV
We are grateful to live and work here
Family Services of Greater Vancouver operates on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories and waters of the Coast Salish peoples, including the Xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish), Sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil Waututh), Qayqayt, Katzie, Kwantlen, Kwekwetlem, Semiahmoo, Matsqui, and Tsawwassen First Nations. We are grateful to the Indigenous Peoples of these nations who have originally and naturally cared for these lands since time immemorial.
TRUTH & RECONCILIATION COMMITMENT
Building strong relationships, achieving equitable outcomes
FSGV recognizes and respects the unique constitutional status and cultural diversity among Indigenous communities of British Columbia and Canada. FSGV is committed to supporting the Aboriginal right to self-determination by working inclusively with Indigenous communities and people located in the Lower Mainland and throughout British Columbia to achieve equitable outcomes for Indigenous peoples within their communities and their day-to-day lives.
Recognize
FSGV believes that it is essential that all Canadians participate in the reconciliation process that is called for in the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission report and is committed to improving the understanding and awareness of all employees and volunteers of FSGV on the impact of Canada’s history of injustice towards Indigenous Peoples.
FSGV acknowledges that Aboriginal people are the original inhabitants of these lands with inherent rights that have been recognized and affirmed by the Constitution of Canada and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
FSGV values the history and the meaningful contributions of Aboriginal peoples throughout the Lower Mainland and across British Columbia and Canada. FSGV recognizes and acknowledges the historic injustices inflicted upon Indigenous people, including the attempt to destroy culture and families, the inter-generational trauma that it caused, and the contemporary injustices and racism that continue to have profound impacts on most, if not all, aspects of life for Indigenous people.
Listen, Learn, Share, Promote
FSGV understands that reflecting and celebrating Indigenous cultures and life are important elements in our organization’s journey of reconciliation, inclusion, and collaboration. FSGV acknowledges that learning and understanding the history of Indigenous communities and peoples who live throughout the Lower Mainland is an essential element to creating a strong working relationship with Indigenous communities and the collaborative development of programs and services offered by FSGV.
FSGV acknowledges that Indigenous approaches to healing, growth, and mutual understanding are often holistic in nature and that these approaches may differ from non‐Indigenous methods. FSGV is committed to learning how to listen differently and to incorporating its learnings into the goals and operations of the agency.
Our Commitment
FSGV is committed to establishing an accountability process, informed by Indigenous peoples, communities, and organizations, in order to measure its success in implementing this Statement on Reconciliation and Commitment to Indigenous Communities and Peoples.
We stand with and applaud Black people, racialized people, and Indigenous Peoples and thank them for their patience, resilience, and strength. And in doing so we also acknowledge the challenges for those facing other inequalities including women, persons with disabilities, queer, trans and Two-Spirit people.
ANTI-RACISM COMMITMENT
As a social and community service organization, we recognize the roots of oppression embedded in patriarchy and colonialism. We recognize the use of coercive and discriminatory policies and laws as a tool to continue the oppression of marginalized groups. We acknowledge the ingrained and systemic racism and xenophobia that has existed and continues to breathe throughout institutions, government structures, non-profit and for-profit organizations. This has included the intentional apprehension of Indigenous children from their families, the systemic erasure of Indigenous culture and traditions by means of residential schools and hospitals, and the overrepresentation of Indigenous Peoples, Black people and racialized people in correctional facilities.
We stand with and applaud Black people, racialized people, and Indigenous Peoples and thank them for their patience, resilience, and strength. And in doing so we also acknowledge the challenges for those facing other inequalities including women, persons with disabilities, queer, trans and Two-Spirit people.
We strive to do the work of anti-racism by
- Acknowledging that we are stronger, mission aligned and more impactful when, at all organizational levels, our people are diverse and representative of the individuals and families that we serve
- Prioritizing diversity, equity and inclusion in our recruitment and employment policies, by recognizing and valuing varied experience and learning along with academic achievements
- Modifying relevant organizational policies, as well as program names and other conventions, to best live diversity, equity and inclusion within our agency; not accepting or ignoring racist comments or behaviours toward or by staff, volunteers or those we serve
- Recognizing, addressing and eradicating all forms of racism and ethnic oppression
- Building our relationship with our local First Nations communities in a way that supports trust and healing
- Recognizing that a land acknowledgement is only a start to the required ongoing and intentional work of learning, unlearning, listening and reflecting; paying equitably our elders, facilitators and those who engage with our organization to teach us
Our Commitment
- To individual and organizational exploration and examination of implicit bias and systemic disadvantage/oppression that our clients and staff face
- To develop and implement strategies and best-practices that dismantle racism within all aspects of our agency, community and society
- To work towards the recognition of the impact of colonial practices and more importantly, their disruption, by centering the experiences of Indigenous Peoples and learning from Indigenous knowledge and practices to increase accountability and to be in solidarity with Indigenous Peoples
Contact us
For questions, concerns, or suggestions on how we can help shift the colonial default please get in touch with us:
Anonymous Feedback Form
Click here