Press Release.
The Multicultural Helping House Society (MHHS) is pleased to launch The
Maple Bamboo Initiative - Training Newcomers in Public Involvement on Thursday, April 12.
Secretary of State for Multiculturalism Jason Kenney(photo) will speak at the event as a special guest
and supporter of the project. Additionally, Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie and Vancouver
Mayor Sam Sullivan, Human Rights Advocate Dulce Cuenca and Michael Hwang, Business
Community Leader are expected to share their experiences in public involvement.
The project goal is to enhance newcomers’ capacity to be involved in public processes and to
improve their confidence in becoming active advocates for their own or community-related
concerns. Additionally, the initiative will strengthen public institutions by increasing participation
of newcomers with diverse backgrounds in public processes.
Sixty volunteers drawn from seven growing and emerging communities will be recruited and
trained on involvement in public processes.
The communities are: Filipino, Bangladeshi,
Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, African and Hispanic. Following this training, volunteers will be
immersed in public processes of their choice for 6 months in 2007.
MHHS is delivering this program in conjunction with a multi-stakeholder Advisory Group
composed of City of Vancouver, City of Richmond, MOSAIC, SUCCESS, PICS, CBC, The
Canadian Immigrant Magazine, Richmond Civic Engagement Network, SPARC BC and UBC.
The funder of the project is Canadian Heritage Department, and CBC is a project sponsor.
Time: 4:00p.m to 5.30p.m., April 12th (Thursday).
Place: Richmond City Hall
6911 No. 3 Road, Richmond,BC
Contact: Olga Scherbina
Project Coordinator
Tel: 604.306.4625
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