Vancouver Aboriginal Council
P.O. Box 2155, Vancouver, BC V6B 3V3
Phone: (604) 682-1943 Fax: (604) 682-1760

The Vancouver Aboriginal Council (VAC) is a voluntary association of "service provider" organizations and agencies serving the Aboriginal community in Vancouver, British Columbia. It is a working relationship - a collaborative association of peer organizations and agencies.

The existence of the Vancouver Aboriginal Council depends entirely on the willingness of participating organizations and agencies to work together, to plan together and to develop a common vision. We are dedicated to improving and expanding the services offered to Aboriginal people in Vancouver.

The Vancouver Aboriginal Council has no authority over the actions or activities of its member organizations and agencies. It has no funds to grant. It simply supports the day to day activities of its members through the work of the Vancouver Aboriginal Council Secretariat by:

coordinating the process of collaboration and partnership for the purpose of creating plans and visions toward improved and expanded services
coordinating the distribution of information between all players in the Council process
coordinating the creation of common support services for member organizations and agencies, and
coordinating the development of constructive and collaborative relationships between the Vancouver area Aboriginal "service provider" organizations and agencies, and federal, provincial, city and First Nations governments.

Any Aboriginal organization or agency providing programs and services to Aboriginal people in the Vancouver area can be a ‘member’ of the Vancouver Aboriginal Council. It is a voluntary relationship. You become a member by participating in the VAC process.

In brief, the main objective of the Vancouver Aboriginal Council is to develop and maintain collaborative, cooperative peer relationships between its member organizations and agencies. The same relationship of partnership and collaboration is possible between the Vancouver Aboriginal Council and the federal, provincial and city departments, ministries and agencies.

The Structure of Vancouver Aboriginal Council

The monthly VAC meetings
The Vancouver Aboriginal Council meets on the third Thursday of each month. Meetings are open to all member organizations and agencies as well as representatives of supporting organizations and agencies. Supporting organizations and agencies can be:

federal, provincial or city departments, ministries or agencies

any other non-Aboriginal "service provider" organizations that serves Aboriginal clients

federal or provincial Aboriginal political organizations

local First Nations

The Portfolios
The Vancouver Aboriginal Council is divided into service delivery specialty groups, called Portfolios. They are: Health Training and Employment Housing Women’s Services Children and Families Education Men’s Services Substance Abuse Disabled Services Education Recreation and Culture HIV/AIDS Economic Development Justice Each Portfolio meets regularly to work on matters of common interest to the Portfolio members. Supporting organizations and agencies are welcome to attend most Portfolio meetings. The Portfolios work on any and all matters related to their specialty. They bring information, requests for support, etc. to the monthly Vancouver Aboriginal Council meetings.

The Board of Portfolio Chairs
Each Portfolio selects its own Chair and Vice-chair. The Portfolio Chairs meet from time to time in the capacity of the Board of Portfolio Chairs. They oversee the general operations of the Vancouver Aboriginal Council. They also oversee and give direction to the work of the VAC Secretariat (see below).

The Community Forum
Twice each year, the Vancouver Aboriginal Council will call a general community meeting, which is open to all Aboriginal people living in the Vancouver area. Through this process, the Vancouver Aboriginal Council seeks to foster a partnership, involving both those who deliver programs and services, and those who use those programs and services - the Aboriginal citizens of our community.

The Council of Trustees
The Council of Trustees is jointly appointed at a meeting of the Council of Portfolio Chairs and the People’s Forum. They do not represent any of the member agencies, but rather they represent the overall interest of the Aboriginal community. They act in the capacity of ‘elders’, as sources of mediation and dispute resolution, and as overseers of the Vancouver Aboriginal Council and the Vancouver Aboriginal community.

The VAC Secretariat
The Secretariat is a working support group that provides administrative, management and communication support to the Vancouver Aboriginal Council and the Portfolios. The secretariat has no authority within the community, and will deliver no services in competition with any other Aboriginal organization or agency. Its sole responsibility is to support the work of the Council and its Portfolios and to support the working relationships between the Vancouver Aboriginal Council and:

member organizations

supporting and associate organizations and agencies

federal, provincial and city departments, ministries and agencies

non-Aboriginal service delivery organizations and agencies

federal and provincial Aboriginal political organizations

First Nations communities

In brief, the Secretariat facilitates the on-going Vancouver Aboriginal Council process—the development and management of collaborative relationships—and the movement of information between all of the participants.

The Vancouver Aboriginal Council is an organization of organizations. It is not an organization of individuals. It is a "relationship" between Aboriginal "service provider" organizations and agencies. It is also a relationship between those who provide services to the Vancouver Aboriginal community and those who use these services. It is a relationship between peers—between independent equals. The Vancouver Aboriginal Council is dedicated to building a healthy, supportive and collaborative community.

Under the general direction of the member organizations and agencies the Vancouver Aboriginal Council will:

serve as a representative Aboriginal community organization that will work on behalf of all member Aboriginal organizations and agencies

act as a point of access for Aboriginal, city, provincial and federal governments and their departments and ministries who wish to establish a connection with Council member organizations and agencies

promote and coordinate the process of lobbying for additional resources so that existing programs and services can be expanded and improved, and new ones can be developed

coordinate participation in program and project development activities and program management partnerships involving Vancouver Aboriginal organizations and the departments and ministries of Aboriginal, city, provincial and federal governments

coordinate a planning and development process—involving federal, provincial, and city governments—to effect social policy planning and program development, as it effects the Aboriginal residents of Vancouver

collaborate with federal and provincial Aboriginal organizations in improving and expanding the service delivery resources available to the Vancouver Aboriginal community

develop and coordinate training opportunities in order to increase the service delivery capacity of Aboriginal organizations and agencies

coordinate the process of developing long-range plans - the vision for the future - for the Vancouver Aboriginal community, with a maximum level of community participation. Those who use services will work with those who deliver them.

coordinate the development of new, innovative, and culturally appropriate services that can be delivered by existing Aboriginal organizations and agencies

collaborate with Vancouver area First Nations in the development of programs and services that serve all Vancouver area urban and reserve Aboriginal communities

promote program associations and partnerships between service delivery organizations and agencies for the delivery of programs and services to the Vancouver Aboriginal community