What We Do
Mission
Empowering vulnerable youth through community-based research, education, and advocacy. Using applied research to inform our services, with the intention of deepening connections and improving the lives of youth, families, and their communities.
Vision
We envision a world where youth with the fewest resources are elevated to achieve their greatest potential.
Values
These core values inspire our clients, staff, and drive everything we do - including our approach to work, the decisions we make, and the way we collaborate.
Intersectionality: We use an inclusive approach in our considerations of the ways that gender, sexuality, race, class, ability, religion or nationality affect young people’s lived experiences.
Collaboration: We know we can’t do this alone. We value working with a community of people with diverse perspectives and backgrounds.
Compassion: The services we provide surround youth and families with kindness, care, build on their strengths, and embrace unique talents, interests, and accomplishments.
Responsiveness: We listen deeply to and respect youth and families with whom we work. We do what it takes to respond, and are adaptable in our approach.
Leadership: We prioritize ongoing education for both ourselves and our clients. We constantly seek out new ways to be effective and use research and data to help us be successful.
Solution-oriented: We are not bound by tradition and constantly push our proven approach with new, innovative ways to respond to community needs . We strive to be forward-thinking and always ask if there is a better way to do things.
How We Work
We believe everyone has potential. By partnering with individuals, organizations, community leaders, and policy makers, we work together to help vulnerable youth build a brighter future.
Over the past 30 years, we have worked alongside people of diverse perspectives and backgrounds to build broad momentum for youth development.
Research –
Community-based research is a collaboration between community groups and researchers for the purpose of creating new knowledge or understanding about a practical community issue in order to bring about change. (Hills and Mullett, 2000)
education
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We organize regular events and workshops that focus on youth development (job skills, personal finance, entrepreneurship training, and more). CREAN Society staff and volunteers also manage an afterschool program and organize an annual conference.
ADVOCACY
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We work closely with residents and community leaders to advocate, both locally and nationally, on behalf of youth to make our cities a better place to live. Our advocacy work prioritizes decolonization and working with vulnerable youth dealing with homelessness, addictions, and the juvenile justice system.
POLICY
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We monitor and respond to legislation and public policy affecting BIPOC youth and communities. We engage in events to ensure that advocates and professionals are informed of relevant legislation, and continue to work in partnership with provincial organizations and coalitions to develop and advance policy efforts, with a focus on social and environmental justice.
Territory Acknowledgement
CREAN is located on unceded Coast Salish Territories, specifically of the Lekwungen and W̱ SÁNEĆ peoples. The term Coast Salish is used to encompass a number of Indigenous peoples, including Esquimalt, Hul’qumi’num, Klahoose, Lekwungen (Songhees), MALAXEt, Musqueam, OStlq’emeylem, Pentlatch, Scia’new (Beecher Bay), Sliammon, Shishalh, Skxwú7mesh-ulh Úxwumixw, Stó:lo, Straits, Tsleil-Waututh, T’Sou-ke, W̱ SÁNEĆ (Pauquachin, Tsartlip, Tsawout, Tseycum), and Xwemalhkwu.
As well, we would like to recognize all of the ecosystems, ancestors, communities, and people who continue to make CREAN’s work – and our personal and collective learning – possible.
We occupy space on the territories of the Lekwungen people and are committed to decolonization. We strive to raise awareness and support and engage in grassroots research and activism around social and environmental justice issues. CREAN seeks to improve community connections, and inspire social change through engaging, inclusive, and non-hierarchical approaches.