Series encompasses material created as YWCA Metro Vancouver conducts activities to gain public awareness and drive community engagement. Activities represented include communications, product marketing, event planning, and compiling and presenting YWCA Metro Vancouver histories.

Records consist of newsletters, programs, brochures, videocassettes, audiocassettes, photographs, and other material arising from YWCA Metro Vancouver managing and communicating its image and to drive community engagement.

Series is arranged in three subseries: 1. Communications and marketing; 2. Events; and 3. YWCA Metro Vancouver history.

Subseries documents YWCA Metro Vancouver’s research on its own history, typically for the purpose of producing historical summaries of the organization, staff, facilities, programs, and/or membership in the service of communications and promotion. Activities represented include: compilation of original and copied material; correspondence with former staff and members involving commentary on YWCA history and attached original materials; research and note-taking on the YWCA’s history; and communication of YWCA history via presentations, publications, and promotional pieces.

Records consist of collected original and photocopied material, material sent in by former members and staff, notes, written summaries, presentations, and other material used to produce, comment on, and communicate the history of the organization.

File includes the Hand-Book of the Young Women's Christian Association ([1898?], a stamp from the World YWCA Council Meeting in Mexico (1959), and an annotated envelope ([1989?]).

YWCA Metro Vancouver maintains relationships with and memberships in affiliated Y and community service organizations. Series documents YWCA Metro Vancouver’s engagement with these organizations via: participation in their meetings and conventions; sending representatives to stand for the organization on committees and commissions; receipt of the organizations’ disseminated materials including annual reports, occasional reports, and newsletters; and correspondence.

Records include: reports, meeting minutes, memoranda, publications, and other records from YWCA Metro Vancouver’s engagement with affiliated Y and community service organizations.

Series is arranged into four subseries: 1. British Columbia community service organizations; 2. YWCA of Canada and local Canadian YWCAs; 3. World YWCA and international YWCAs; and 4. YMCAs.

YWCA Metro Vancouver and YWCA of Canada both maintain a relationship with the World YWCA located in Geneva, Switzerland, as well as with local associations globally. This is accomplished via: participation in World Councils held every four years; YWCA Metro Vancouver’s receipt of newsletters, reports, and other publications by both the World YWCA and by national or local YWCA associations; and communications between YWCA Metro Vancouver and local YWCAs from outside of Canada. From 1969 to 1986, YWCA Metro Vancouver also engaged with the World YWCA via the Y’s Owl Shop, a craft group of YWCA Metro Vancouver that raised funds for the World YWCA.

Records consist of annual reports, Council reports, occasional reports, publications, newsletters, correspondence, and other materials arising from YWCA Metro Vancouver’s and the YWCA of Canada’s interactions with the World YWCA and with national and local YWCAs outside of Canada. Material arising from interactions between the World YWCA and YMCAs is also kept in this subseries.

Series consists of photographs and other material maintained by YWCA Metro Vancouver in a separate physical arrangement from its other records. The series features: staff, volunteers, members, and clients participating in YWCA services, programming, and events; headshots and profiles of YWCA personnel; the interiors, exteriors, and amenities of YWCA buildings and facilities; slide presentations of YWCA images; and compilations of photographs, both original and copies, for YWCA Metro Vancouver history research. These photographs were likely taken for a variety of purposes, including publicity, internal administrative use, progress reports, and general documentation of activities.

Records include photographs, negatives, slides, photograph albums, and other graphic materials maintained by the YWCA separately from other formats of material.

Series documents the organizational administration of YWCA Metro Vancouver. Activities represented include: executive-level meetings, evaluation of programs and services, dissemination of organizational policy, management of the organization’s finances, administration of staff and volunteers, and facility operations.

Records consist of meeting minutes, reports, memoranda, correspondence, financial statements, and other material arising from the administrative operations of the YWCA.

Series is arranged in five subseries: 1. Policy and planning records; 2. Financial records; 3. Personnel management records; 4. Property and facilities management records; 5. Executive-level meeting minutes.

File contains the financial reports and accounts for years ending 31 Dec. 1940-1944, as well as the Vancouver YWCA annual reports for 1911-1913 and 1919.

Subseries documents YWCA Metro Vancouver’s management of its funds. Activities represented include: attainment of funds from grant applications, foundations, and wills; receipt and documentation of funds from these sources as well as from fundraising and donations; use and/or reimbursement of funds; reporting of funds obtained and used; and contract negotiations with parties external to YWCA Metro Vancouver.

Records consist of financial statements with annual reports, meeting minutes, contracts, reports, budgets, correspondence, and other material arising from the attainment, use, and general management of funds.

YWCA Metro Vancouver maintains relationships with the YWCA of Canada and with local Canadian YWCAs. This is generally accomplished via: participation in National Conventions, National Councils, and other national meetings and workshops; the YWCA of Canada’s dissemination of policy statements, reference materials, annual reports, and other administrative records and publications to local YWCAs; general communications between YWCA Metro Vancouver and both the YWCA of Canada and local associations; and YWCA Metro Vancouver’s receipt of local Canadian YWCAs’ publications.

Records consist of publications, reports, National Convention and National Council material, reference materials, and other records arising from YWCA Metro Vancouver’s involvement with the YWCA of Canada, local Canadian YWCA associations, and national meetings. Material in this fonds recording interactions between the YWCA of Canada and other affiliated organizations (e.g., World YWCA, national and local YWCAs located outside of Canada, YMCAs) is also kept in this subseries.

Subseries documents YWCA Metro Vancouver’s organizational planning and policies. Material arises from: task forces struck by the Board of Directors to investigate and recommend changes pertinent to a particular issue to policies, services, and programs; long range, strategic planning; the negotiation and implementation of policies from the YWCA of Canada and World YWCA; and YWCA Metro Vancouver’s Constitution and By-Laws.

Records consist of reports, strategic plans, meeting minutes, and other material arising from YWCA Metro Vancouver planning and updating its policies.

File holds "International Survey of the Young Men and Young Women's Christian Associations: An Independent Study of the Foreign Work of the Christian Associations of the United States and Canada" by the International Survey Committee.

Similar to the YWCA, the YMCA is a movement operating at three levels: local, national, and world. The YMCA was founded in England in 1844 as the Young Men’s Christian Organization, with the mission of “the spiritual condition of the young men engaged in houses of business, by the formation of Bible classes, family and social prayer meetings, mutual improvement societies, or any other spiritual agency” (“Sir George Williams - Founder of the YMCA”). The movement’s mission has changed regularly since 1844 and is currently “to empower young people and communities worldwide to build a just, sustainable, equitable and inclusive world, where every person can thrive in body, mind and spirit” (“Our Mission”). The YWCA and YMCA are independent movements with different missions. However, some local YMCAs and YWCAs have merged into YM-YWCAs or YMCA-YWCAs, belonging to and offering programs from both organizations. At all three levels of both movements, YMCAs and YWCAs often maintain connections to one another and collaborate with each other.

YWCA Metro Vancouver maintains a relationship with YMCA organizations including YMCA BC and YMCA Canada. This is accomplished via YWCA Metro Vancouver’s receipt of YMCA annual reports and publications.

Records consist of annual reports, occasional reports, and publications from YMCA BC and the YMCA of Canada.

References:
“Our Mission.” World YMCA, 2023, https://www.ymca.int/who-we-are/the-worldwide-ymca-movement/the-ymca-history/mission/.
“Sir George Williams - Founder of the YMCA.” World YMCA, 2023, https://www.ymca.int/who-we-are/the-worldwide-ymca-movement/the-ymca-history/sir-george-williams-founder-of-the-ymca/.

Series encompasses YWCA Metro Vancouver’s programming for YWCA members and YWCA program participants. Activities represented include the planning, promotion, operation, documentation, and evaluation of programs.

Records consist of programs, reports, brochures, photographs, meeting minutes, and other material arising from the management of YWCA programs.

Series is arranged in three subseries: 1. Fitness and adult education; 2. YaWaCa; and 3. General programming.

Subseries documents YWCA Metro Vancouver’s programs, clubs, conferences, and workshops for special interest and social groups. The YWCA’s identified priorities have typically influenced the direction of its general programming. From the 1930s to 1960s, focus on leadership development for teenagers resulted in the high school YWCA club called Hi-Y or Y-Teen. This program reemerged as Soromundi between 1982 and 1991. A mentorship program began around 1990 to assist young women in enhancing their interpersonal skills and exploring career opportunities. The YWCA also developed and involved itself in programming including: several clubs at Pender Y engaging with the Chinatown community from 1940 to the 1970s; the Housewives Holiday, later called Take a Break, a program for home makers from the 1950s to 1970s; Single Mothers’ groups and the Annual Single Mothers’ Conference from the 1970s to 1990s; and the Mature Women’s Conference from 1987 to 1989.

Material in this subseries arises from Hi-Y and Y-Teen activities, About Town programs, the Mature Women’s Conference, and other programs, clubs, conferences, and workshops run by the YWCA.

Records consist of reports, programs, newsletters, brochures, photographs, and other material arising from planning, promoting, and running these programs.

File holds the first publication in the series, "Three Studies for Discussion and Reflection."

Photograph features predominantly white children in various cultures' traditional dress.

File contains the second publication in the series "Three Studies for Discussion and Reflection."

Subseries documents meetings of the Board of Directors, the Management Team, and the Nomination Committee. Elected from and by YWCA Metro Vancouver Members, the Board of Directors is responsible for managing the affairs of the full organization, including policy- and priority-setting, planning, budget management, and evaluation of programs and services. The Management Team coordinates staff and volunteers organization-wide. The Nomination Committee is responsible for assisting with nomination appointments of the Board and for conducting elections at the Annual General Meeting.

Records consist of meeting minutes, reference material accumulated for these meetings, audiocassettes recording meetings, and other material arising from the business of these committees (e.g., memoranda, reports).

YWCA Metro Vancouver has interacted with and/or been a member agency of several non-profit community service organizations located in British Columbia, including the Community Chest and Councils of Greater Vancouver, United Way BC, and the United Community Services Co-op. YWCA Metro Vancouver maintains these relationships through participation in the aforementioned organizations’ general meetings and commissions, fundraising campaigns, and budget negotiations.

Records consist of reports, meeting minutes, memoranda, awards, and other records arising from YWCA Metro Vancouver’s interactions with and participation in these agencies’ business.