About
Our Mission · Our History · Board of Directors · AGM · Joining Us
Our Mission Statement
Our Mission: To provide a safe, supportive place where children and youth can experience new opportunities, overcome barriers, build positive relationships and develop confidence and skills for life.
Core Values
In our work with children, youth, families and communities, all Boys and Girls Clubs are guided by the following Core Values. They define us as a movement and are the standard against which all Boys and Girls Club services are measured.
Inclusion & Opportunity
We strive to offer children and youth from all economic, cultural and social backgrounds access to the resources, supports and opportunities that will enable them to overcome barriers and achieve their positive potential in life.
Respect & Belonging
We provide a safe, supportive place, where every child is listened to, respected and valued in an environment of inclusion and acceptance. Our staff and volunteers model honesty, fair play, positive attitude, coopperation and respect for self and others.
Empowerment
We believe all young people can grow into responsible, contributing and self-reliant members of society. Children and youth are at the centre of everything we do. Through adventure, play and discovery, we encourage and empower them to develop healthy lifestyles, a life-long passion for learning, leadership and life skills and a sense of social responsibility.
Collaboration
We work together with families and volunteers in each community, in partnership with the public and private sector, to create healthy community solutions to providing children and youth with what they need for optimal development.
Speaking Out
We speak out on behalf of children, youth and their families to reduce disadvantage, enhance their lives and enable their voices and ideas to be heard.
History of the Club
The need for a Comox Valley Boys & Girls Club was identified in 1990 when under the leadership of the Comox Valley Family Life Association, a group of community and interagency members included:
- Ministry of Social Services
- Ministry of Education
- Alcohol and Drug Program
- Comox Valley Family Life Association
- Probation Office
- Courtenay & Comox Recreation Centres
and many others, heard the request of a group called “Kids Helping Kids”. After considerable study of the community profile, input from young people and the closure of the Sunset Strip Teen Club, this Interagency Youth Committee held a public forum in November 1991. The concept for developing a Boys & Girls Club was presented at the forum and subsequently endorsed.
Two months later, the newly developed Social Planning Council in its Healthy Communities Report and Forum (January 1992) identified youth needs as a high priority in the Comox Valley. The Social Planning Council applied for funding to develop a community project with a focus on youth. This project was funded for ten months. The project mandate was to:
- Provide development and coordination to youth activities
- Work within exsiting framework
- Provide local coordination and consultancy to the development of the Boys and Girls Club
The Club began operation in the Fall of 1992 with a Floor Hockey Program at Comox Valley recreation Association.Since then, the Club has expanded to six to eight programs each Spring, Winter and Fall. The Club presently operates six Spring, Winter and Fall programs of an eight week duration and four Summer Day Camps, of two weeks each. The organization is able to offer these programs because it recruits capable volunteers from the community who have a skill to share and an interest in children, Volunteers form the backbone of the Boys & Girls Club and each and every volunteer is truly appreciated.
The Comox Valley Boys & Girls Club was incorporated as a Society in 1995, and is one of over one hundred Clubs across Canada that continues to energetically pursue supporting children and youth through programs that focus on skill development and fun.
Board of Directors
The Comox Valley Boys & Girls Club is headed by a board of directors that volunteer their time to ensure that the club continues to function and grow. Below you will find a listing of all of our current board members.
- President: Gay Bruner
- Vice-President: David Proctor
- Secretary/ Treasurer: Peggy Thurston
- Directors:
Kevin Douville
Lou Gagne
Warren Helfrich
Erin Mandzuk
Moire Porter
Anita Vallee
John Whitman
- Executive Director:
- Ian Kalina
AGM – Annual General Meeting
Our Annual General Meeting is held in April of each year
Joining Us
Membership · As A Volunteer · Employment
Membership
Individual and Family Memberships
Membership in the Comox Valley Boys & Girls Club is $10.00 per calendar year; January to December. This enables all children in a family to participate in programs throughout the year and allows one person in the family a vote at the Annual General Meeting. Membership ensures that members receive the latest program flyers and other information of interest.
As A Volunteer
Volunteer Information
Volunteers are welcomed and needed to work with children. They are also needed to work in the office, on special projects, as floaters (volunteers who can and help with any assignment), technical support, and maintenance of equipment and furnishings and fundraising endeavours.
Volunteers are the vehicle by which Boys and Girls Club is able to transmit its philosophy. Consequently, the Agency has high standards for volunteers who wish to work with our children.
Personal Qualities
- To enjoy working with young people.
- Warmth, empathy and a sense of humor.
- A realistic understanding of community life.
- Commitment, dependability, and good judgment.
- Good self control.
- Specific skills in area volunteer wishes to work.
- A good community standing.
- To be a strong role model.
We believe that you, the volunteer, are a significant and integral part of our working team and that because of this, you have certain rights within our agency.
Volunteer Rights
- Be recognized and treated as a co-worker.
- Voice concerns about agency or group club.
- Know as much as possible about the organization
- Receive training on the job.
- Have a regular evaluation of performance.
- Opportunity of exposure to a variety of experiences.
- Use volunteer services as an employment reference.
There are many reasons that you might have for considering a volunteer position within the Club. There rewards are unparalleled for those that are willing to put in the commitment required.