In reviewing 1998-1999, I looked back on a year full of accomplishments. In February 1999 the Language Center moved into new premises on Commercial Drive. This move ended a 3 year long process of looking at a total of 12 available properties and seven separate offers to lease! As well, we had a major “facelift” at 1522 Commercial Drive and completed leasehold improvements to the 2nd and 3rd floor. My personal thanks to Gerald Rolfsen, Architect and Board Member for all of his assistance, patience and advice in viewing the properties with me. Gerry not only assisted in viewing properties and advising on space requirements, he designed all of the leasehold improvements for 1522 and 2555 Commercial Drive as well!

1998-99 was also a year filled with collaborations and partnerships. MOSAIC Chaired the Collaboration Roundtable, a group of agencies and funders who came together to assess and evaluate the power of partnerships; we participated in the Research Steering Committee for the Working Group on Poverty report “Unfulfilled Expectations, Missed Opportunities; Poverty Among Immigrants and Refugees in BC, and continued our involvement in the Steering Committee for Pilots and the Looking Ahead Project. We advocated strongly for equal access to employment training and the loss of project based training through a report we co-sponsored with the Immigrant Services Society of BC and SUCCESS called “Transitions”. Our continued support of the Working Group on Poverty has led us to collaborate on submissions for the inclusion of “social condition” under the Human Rights Act, the Multilateral Agreement on Investment (MAI) and the World Trade Organization (WTO). We attended consultations on changes to the banking act, met with VanCity and gave input into the proposed changes for the National Credit Union. Our work in the area of advocacy increases as access, choice and poverty issues become more pronounced for immigrants and refugees.

Organizationally we conducted a workshop series called Mental Health in the Workplace through the Canadian Mental Health Association. We believe that our staff is our greatest resource and we have made a commitment to assisting them with the ongoing development of family friendly policies and work place training that will assist them in keeping a healthy balance between work and their personal life.

We have also recently completed a yearlong process with the Board of Directors in crafting a new mission, vision and guiding principles for the organization. The vision and mission clearly articulate our commitment to the social contract.

I want to take this opportunity to thank Vera Rosenbluth, President of MOSAIC for her commitment and energy and support over the past year. The role of President is a challenging one in the new funding environment and Vera was always able to “bob and weave” and adapt to change on a moments notice. I also want to thank the Board of Directors for supporting our advocacy work; advocacy is a risk taking experience and given the loss to our sector and changing funding priorities we are at the best of times “out on a limb”…. however you are always there with us enabling us to give voice to the most marginalized. And lastly I would like to thank a great team of Directors and staff; you are quite simply, the best in the business.

Holly Whittleton
Executive Director

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