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February 2024 Newsletter

Hello Trans qathet Community, Allies, and Supporters!


Trans qathet Drop-in:

Unit #27-7100 Alberni st., in Town Centre Mall, between Shoppers & Subway

Tuesdays 12pm-3:00pm

Wednesdays 10am-2pm

Thursdays 2pm-5pm


Drop in for a social visit, a cup of tea, or to make use of the expanded resources and activities at our office. We provide WiFi, computers, printer and scanner, gender-affirming garments, clothes closet, a gender neutral washroom that is wheelchair accessible, a quiet room, books, tea and coffee, coloring books, board & card games, art & craft supplies, pronoun pins, flags, and more! 


Announcements


Monthly Volunteer Meet-up! Sushi and snacks! 

Date and Time: Thursday, Feb 29 4:00pm-6:00pm

Tq Mall Office

Trans qathet is building our volunteer team! Come for the inaugural monthly meetup, where we will brainstorm, delegate, and create the future of Trans qathet events and community together. 

Trans qathet staff will present Tq and Lift’s Volunteer Agreement, Confidentiality Policies, and Codes of Ethics, to ensure safe, respectful, and clear roles and services. (Note: Please bring two pieces of ID in order to complete a vulnerable sector check - legal name will be required for this, but we do not need your legal name on file for any other aspects of volunteering for us!)

If you have any questions, or you are interested but are unable to make the meet-up time, feel free to drop by during our office hours to register as a volunteer! 


February Tq Events:


Climbing Gym Event!

Top Out Climbing Co-op in Townsite

Date & Time: Friday, February 2nd, 1:00pm-3:00pm

A private booking has been generously donated to us by the local Climbing Co-op! There will be an instructor present for our session, who will teach us the ropes (literally). Come out and try it out, even if you’re brand new to climbing - this will be a very gentle introduction. Message us if you require transportation to or from the event!


Valentine’s Cookie Decorating

Tq Mall office

Date & Time: Wednesday, February 14th, 1pm-3pm

Cute cookies and decorating supplies provided. Decorate some cookies to give to others or just come and help us eat all the delicious cookies. Share the love!


Crafternoon!

Tq Mall Office

Date & Time: Wednesday, February 21st, 3:00pm-7:00pm

Drop by for a casual evening of watching a movie and crafting together. Bring your own craft, or projects to share with others, or check out our selection of donated craft supplies. Transportation can be provided to and from this event, contact us for a ride.



Games & Hang Out

Tq Mall Office

Date & Time: Wednesday, February 28th, 3:00pm-7:00pm

Join us for a diverse range of games suitable for everyone. We'll have a nintendo set up, as well as board games, card games, and puzzles in a relaxed atmosphere. 

Feel free to bring snacks to share! Transportation can be provided to and from this event, contact us for a ride.




Other Local Events:


qathet Youth Community Action Team

Valentine’s Self Love Circle

Date and Time: February 14 5:00pm-6:30pm

Location: qathet Art Centre (above the library)

How do you practice self-love and acceptance in your daily life? Come and share your thoughts and tips. Honoraria provided! Catering by the nook. 





Other Resources


An excellent resource for an in-depth presentation on why pronouns matter, how to share them and correct mistakes: https://pronouns.org/what-and-why 


QMUNITY Gender and ID Clinic:

Access notarial, administrative, and emotional support for name and gender marker change processes. Drop in virtually on the first Wednesday and third Friday of each month, 4pm-6pm. For appointments, email transid@qmunity.ca or call Connie at 604-868-4238.


Trans Lifeline:

Call (877) 330-6366 for peer support by trans individuals for trans peers. Call for non-crisis situations or if unsure about your identity. Full anonymity & confidentiality; no nonconsensual active rescue.


Crisis Intervention & Suicide Prevention:

Call toll-free at (1-800-784-2433) for confidential, non-judgmental emotional support, available 24/7 for individuals experiencing distress or despair.


Mental Health Support:

For emotional support, information, and mental health resources, call 310-6789 (no area code needed).


Trans Rights BC:

Visit www.transrightsbc.ca  for resources addressing legal rights commonly faced by trans and gender-diverse people.


Trans Care BC:

Toll-free: 1-866-999-1514

Outside of BC or unable to call a toll-free number: 604-675-3647


January 2024 Newsletter

Hello Trans qathet Community, Allies, and Supporters!


Trans qathet Drop-in:

Unit #27-7100 Alberni st., in Town Centre Mall, between Shoppers & Subway

Tuesdays 12pm-3:00pm

Wednesdays 10am-2pm

Thursdays 2pm-5pm


Drop in for a social visit, a cup of tea, or to make use of the expanded resources and activities at our office. We provide WiFi, computers, printer and scanner, gender-affirming garments, clothes closet, a gender neutral washroom that is wheelchair accessible, a quiet room, books, tea and coffee, coloring books, board & card games, art & craft supplies, pronoun pins, flags, and more!


Announcements


Zoom Peer Support Groups: Request for input

The intention of peer support groups is to provide a non-judgemental space for anyone who may be questioning their gender identity - there is no requirement to be “trans enough” or certain of your identity in order to join. (Of course if you are certain, that is welcomed!). If you are wondering if this group is for you, it is! For Trans qathet, the people we are here to support includes anyone whose gender identity does not align with their assigned/assumed sex at birth - regardless of a person’s gender expression, appearance, pronouns, name, age, history, or any other factors. Discussions in the support group are designed to be inclusive of anyone’s experience of living when their gender identity does not match that they were assigned. You will never be forced to disclose information about yourself. 


With that in mind, we would like to get direct input from those who are curious about attending, before setting a new schedule and agenda for future online groups. To participate, even if you’re not sure you’ll attend, either hit reply on this email, call or text 604-414-6187, or email laurance@transqathet.ca to set up a one-on-one meeting to discuss the support group. 


For Organizations and Allies: 

Attached is our updated information poster about our program! Please feel free to print out a copy and post at your place of business or organization, or share with others. If you currently have last years poster up, kindly replace with the updated one provided. Thank you for your help! 


January Tq Events:


Crafternoon + Film Screening

Tq Mall Office

Date & Time: Wednesday, January 17th, 3:00pm-7:00pm

Film TBD - suggestions welcome! Drop by for a casual evening of watching a movie and crafting together. Bring your own craft, or projects to share with others, or check out our selection of donated craft supplies. Transportation can be provided to and from this event, contact us for a ride.



Games & Hang Out

Tq Mall Office

Date & Time: Wednesday, January 24th, 3:00pm-7:00pm

Join us for a diverse range of games suitable for everyone. We'll have the nintendo set up, as well as board games, card games, and puzzles in a relaxed atmosphere. 

Feel free to bring snacks to share! Transportation can be provided to and from this event, contact us for a ride.



Nintendo Nite

Tq Mall Office

Date & Time: Wednesday, January 31st, 3:00pm-7:00pm

Nintendo Switch games on the projector screen! Come and play Switch games, bring your own Switch, have some snacks and share the fun. Transportation can be provided to and from this event, contact us for a ride.



Other Events:


The following two events are NOT hosted by Trans qathet; we are simply encouraging participation. 


qathet Community Justice Safety Circles

Dates: 

Friday, January 12 2:00pm-4:00pm

Saturday, January 20th from 3-5pm OR Wednesday, January 24th from 10am-noon

Monday, January 29th from 4pm-6pm 


This Friday, January 12, 2024 from 2:00pm - 4:30pm our project team is hosting an Open House information session at qathet ART Centre (Second Floor above the Library, #215-6975 Alberni St). We will be sharing more information about our circle process, answering any questions you may have, and sharing snacks, coffee, and tea. We will also be creating some group guidelines together for our circles.


If you are not able to attend on Friday, Ashley and Siobhan will be available from 3:00pm - 5:30pm on Wednesday, January 17,2024 at the qCJ office (#116-4801 Joyce Avenue) to answer any questions you may have. 


qathet Community Justice will be hosting 2 Circle engagement sessions in January 2024 for 10 people (20 people total) who have lived experiences with the RCMP. We are looking to hear from women and non-binary people who represent our community's diversity of lived experience. If you yourself, or other people you know have experience with policing and public safety in qathet, we hope you consider attending! Please save the date, or pass the save the date on to clients, for Friday, January 12th from 2-4pm (info session) and a Circle on either Saturday, January 20th from 3-5pm or Wednesday, January 24th from 10am-noon. There will also be a follow up session on the 29th from 4-6 to discuss what we learned from the Circles and get everyone's approval before we share learnings (anonymously) with the community and funders. 


If you would like to attend, we invite you to contact Siobhan siobhan.brown@qathetcj.org or Project Coordinator Ashley (currently using Secretary@qathetCJ.org ) and RSVP to attend an information session on Jan 12, 2024 to meet our project team, participate in 1 of 2 Circle sessions where we will share stories and create art together, and to attend a final feedback session to review the art and writing we've created about our Circle sessions before they are released publicly.


Participation is voluntary and folks can withdraw at any time, no questions asked, if you withdraw, we will not include anything you shared in what we create. We will be providing cash honorarium to women and non-binary people with lived experience. $30/hr for 4 hours (1 hr feedback session, 2 hr circle session, 1 hr feedback session) for a total of $120. We have taxi vouchers and bus tickets available to those who request them. We have childcare funds available for parents who wish to attend our sessions. 

 

If you have any questions, accessibility needs, or you would like to access honoraria, childcare funds, and/or transportation support, please let us know when you RSVP.



Pride AGM and Social Mixer

Saturday, January 13, 2024 (from 1-5 pm) for our ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING and MIXER at the Cranberry Seniors Centre, 6792 Cranberry Street.

1:00 PM - 2:30 PM Annual General Meeting with Election of New Board Members

3:00 PM Hosting and Performance by Conni Smudge!!

3:30 - 5:00 PM Social Mixer! Light Refreshments provided.

Please step up and help the qathet Pride Society produce LGBTQ1A2S+ events in our Community for the upcoming year. Be a member, join the board, volunteer for upcoming events. 

This last year the qPride Society has:

Held a community engagement event on April 1/23 (Town Centre Hotel) where 80 people attended and gave feedback and suggestions for qPride week events.

Held fundraising events in June/23 to support Pride Week events.

Based on community feedback, qPride organized 11 events from August 11-18/23, which included Drag shows, drag bingo, drag story time, Movie night, Games night, a picnic and Pride in the Park.

Overall, the total estimated attendance for qPride week events was 950 people.

Please help us make 2024 another successful year for PRIDE!





Other Resources


An excellent resource for an in-depth presentation on why pronouns matter, how to share them and correct mistakes: https://pronouns.org/what-and-why 


QMUNITY Gender and ID Clinic:

Access notarial, administrative, and emotional support for name and gender marker change processes. Drop in virtually on the first Wednesday and third Friday of each month, 4pm-6pm. For appointments, email transid@qmunity.ca or call Connie at 604-868-4238.


Trans Lifeline:

Call (877) 330-6366 for peer support by trans individuals for trans peers. Call for non-crisis situations or if unsure about your identity. Full anonymity & confidentiality; no nonconsensual active rescue.


Crisis Intervention & Suicide Prevention:

Call toll-free at (1-800-784-2433) for confidential, non-judgmental emotional support, available 24/7 for individuals experiencing distress or despair.


Mental Health Support:

For emotional support, information, and mental health resources, call 310-6789 (no area code needed).


Trans Rights BC:

Visit www.transrightsbc.ca  for resources addressing legal rights commonly faced by trans and gender-diverse people.


Trans Care BC:

Toll-free: 1-866-999-1514

Outside of BC or unable to call a toll-free number: 604-675-3647


December 2023 Newsletter

Hello Trans qathet Community, Allies, and Supporters!


Office hours for December by appointment Monday to Friday

We are planning on being open for our scheduled events, listed below and on our calendar. We will try our best to be open for drop-in hours for December, but it may not be consistent every week. Feel free to email, or call/text 604-414-6187 to make an appointment Monday to Friday, or to see if we are in before coming for a visit.


Trans qathet Drop-in:

Unit #27-7100 Alberni st., in Town Centre Mall, between Shoppers & Subway

Tuesdays 12pm-3:00pm

Wednesdays 10am-2pm

Thursdays 2pm-5pm


Drop in for a social visit, or to make use of the expanded resources and activities at our office, including WiFi, computers, printer and scanner, gender-affirming garments, clothing swap, a gender neutral washroom that is wheelchair accessible, a quiet room, books, tea and coffee, coloring books, board & card games, art & craft supplies, pronoun pins, flags, and more!


Announcements


Food Donations (Ongoing):

We are now accepting food donations for our community members in need! There is most need for nonperishables, easy to prepare, and prepackaged meals.  With the high costs of food and housing, we are working to support our most vulnerable community members who can no longer afford enough food, even after going to the food bank on a monthly basis. Easy & prepackaged foods are also more accessible to those who may not have reliable access to a full kitchen or potable running water. 

  • Grocery store gift cards

  • Microwave meals, canned soups/chili etc

  • Frozen, canned, or dried produce

  • Breads, pastas, rice etc

  • Pre-cooked meats


Donations can be dropped off during our Drop-in Hours, or during any of our drop in events held at our office in the mall. We have limited capacity to accept perishable donations, so we ask that you please confirm with a staff member before donating perishables. Please contact to make a donation at an alternative time, or if your donation needs to be picked up instead. 



Zoom Peer Support Groups: 

We have two support groups remaining for the year 2023! We will be re-evaluating the structure and timing of the groups, so do send feedback if you attended - or wanted to attend, and it didn’t fit in your schedule - any of the groups and would like to see changes in the new year. 


The next session will be Thursday, December 7th at 7:00-8:30pm, and the topic is being presented by two guest speakers, on Living Long-term as Trans. https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEqdOmorjMrH9NCrI3jdyA_dBe8a-BEmRWg 

The following session is Thursday, December 21st at 7:00-8:30pm and the topic is Self and Community Care during Holiday Times. https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMudOqvqjsqHN10XTcmMEwaLsgOJPrVh0dF 

This is a confidential online space for anyone who is transgender or questioning, you will never be obligated to share or prove anything about your identity. Pre-registering for the zoom will be required in order to join the group, and there is a single screening question to ensure that the group is attended only by the people it is designed for. You are welcome to participate in the zoom as much or as little as you like, and are welcome to join with video and audio off if that’s your comfort. 

Feel free to reach out directly to Laurance with any concerns or for more information: 604-414-6187 (text or call) / laurance@transqathet.ca



December Tq Events:


Free Swim! At the Rec Centre Pool

Date & Time: Wednesday December 13th, 6:30-8:30pm

We are holding regular free swims at the Rec Complex, during their open pool hours (In 2024 we are planning to hold private swims at the pool, for just the trans community). Let the person at the front desk know that you’re there for the Trans qathet swim, sign in (feel free to use an alias) and your entry cost will be free. Let us know if you’d like to participate in a buddy system for any of the gendered change rooms during this event. Allies welcome! 


Crafternoon + Film Screening

Tq Mall Office

Date & Time: Wednesday, December 21st, 3:00pm-7:00pm

Come and watch a screening of The Nutcracker Suite while we craft away! Bring your own craft, or projects to share with others, or check out our selection of donated craft supplies. A great time to work on those last minute gifts!!


Due to the extreme weather warning, today’s game night will be rescheduled to next Wednesday in the first week of January. Stay cozy and safe wherever you are, to wait out the big storm! 


RESCHEDULED Games & Hang Out & Re-Gift Exchange

Tq Mall Office

Date & Time: Wednesday, January 3rd 2024, 3:00pm-7:00pm

Join us for a diverse range of games suitable for everyone. We'll have the nintendo set up, as well as board games, card games, and puzzles in a relaxed atmosphere. Informal gift exchange - bring something to REgift if you like, does not have to be fancy, just anything that you don’t want or need. 


Special December Tq Events:


To Be Determined: We are hoping to have other get togethers during the holiday times, when the details are confirmed there will be an invitation sent out via this mailing list, so stay tuned for updates and join us if you can! 



Other Resources


An excellent resource for an in-depth presentation on why pronouns matter, how to share them and correct mistakes: https://pronouns.org/what-and-why 


QMUNITY Gender and ID Clinic:

Access notarial, administrative, and emotional support for name and gender marker change processes. Drop in virtually on the first Wednesday and third Friday of each month, 4pm-6pm. For appointments, email transid@qmunity.ca or call Connie at 604-868-4238.


Trans Lifeline:

Call (877) 330-6366 for peer support by trans individuals for trans peers. Call for non-crisis situations or if unsure about your identity. Full anonymity & confidentiality; no nonconsensual active rescue.


Crisis Intervention & Suicide Prevention:

Call toll-free at (1-800-784-2433) for confidential, non-judgmental emotional support, available 24/7 for individuals experiencing distress or despair.


Mental Health Support:

For emotional support, information, and mental health resources, call 310-6789 (no area code needed).


Trans Rights BC:

Visit www.transrightsbc.ca  for resources addressing legal rights commonly faced by trans and gender-diverse people.


Trans Care BC:

Toll-free: 1-866-999-1514

Outside of BC or unable to call a toll-free number: 604-675-3647


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