Who We Are

Our Purpose
Health for all women in an equitable society.

Our Mission Statement
We are women who value women’s knowledge, support one another to take charge of our own health, and raise awareness and inspire action for the feminist advancement of women’s health.

Our Political Agreements
We value shared information and experience over authoritative knowledge, especially when it comes to our own bodies. We support a woman’s right to make informed choices about her health and health care. More

Our Collective
A collective is a group of women using a universal set of agreements within a non-hierarchical structure to organize toward a common goal. Collectives are a useful way of organizing to support a movement to resist any form of oppression, because they represent the thoughts and actions of a unified group of women who have equal decision-making power.

VWHC Volunteers
Volunteers are the foundation of the collective and are equal partners in decision making. VWHC volunteers are women who are interested in ensuring that all women get appropriate and equitable health care. They provide one-on-one support for women who contact our Women's Health Resource Centre, maintain the VWHC’s women’s health information resources, take part in community outreach, participate at forums, rallies, and community events, co-facilitate VWHC workshops, fundraise for the VWHC, and help shape the direction of the VWHC through collective participation.

VWHC Steering Committee
The VWHC selects a Steering Committee at its annual general meeting each year. Steering Committee members decide on the day to day work of the VWHC as well as developing policy and determining the future direction for the organization.

VWHC Staff
The VWHC employs an Executive Director and an Women's Health Resource Centre Director. Our Executive Director, Caryn Duncan, oversees the administrative operations of the VWHC, including office management, fundraising and financial management, and advocates for appropriate, quality health care for women at community events and forums, and through the media. Our Women's Health Resource Centre Director, coordinates the VWHC Women's Health Resource Centre, volunteers, training, and workshops for women in the community. The VWHC also hires a summer student each year.

Our Funding
We are a charitable, non-profit women's organization, funded primarily by donations, membership fees, grants, gaming revenue and fundraising initiatives.

 

 

  Some VWHC collective members, 2005/06.