2015-2016 SI of Vancouver’s New Girls Program

UBC HOPE and SI of Vancouver’s Women’s Career Conference on May 9th from
10am – 3pm on the UBC campus brought together women from different walks of
life in efforts to empower, educate and equip women of this generation with the
tools and skills needed to turn their dreams into reality. Girls from local Vancouver
high schools and colleges were invited to this free conference where there was a
morning of inspiring keynote speakers, a catered lunch, and an afternoon of
workshops where they learned important life skills such as university transition and
how to network with professionals in the field they hope to go into. The girls
connected with local organizations and clubs over lunch and we received a lot of
positive feedback on the conference. Many of them were inspired not only by the
accomplishments of the guest speakers but more importantly, the zeal and passion
they brought while sharing about their careers. Conferences such as this one will
be the launching pad into potential mentorship, internships, and job-shadowing
opportunities with the keynote speakers and affiliated guest speakers.

In the coming school year, UBC HOPE and SI of Vancouver will be partnering
with the STAND Campaign at U of A to promote media literacy to students of this
generation. We are planning to expand this conference in the new school year to
include more participants and to reach out to students in areas such as Surrey,
Langley, and other parts outside of the Vancouver core area. With this new
conference, we hope to connect with the VSB in making this a field trip event
promoted through the public school system in Vancouver and other districts. In this
new conference, we plan to focus on the theme of media literacy and to invite
speakers that are specialists in their field such as Peter Mansbridge, Carol Todd,
and Anita Roberts. The conference will once again take place on the UBC campus
in the new Student Union Building Nest and affiliated sites.

Vivian Tsang
UBC HOPE Founder and Director
Chair of the SI of Vancouver’s New Girls Campaign