Labour Community Advocates

For more information, contact labourinfo@uwbc.ca.

Interested in changing lives and strengthening our communities? 

Take the following courses offered by United Way British Columbia’s Labour Participation Department at the 2018 CLC Pacific Region Winter School.

Labour Community Advocates – Level 1

The Labour Community Advocate (formerly Union Counselling) Program is a Canadian Labour Congress training program delivered by Labour Programs and Services staff and funded through the United Way Centraide. This program provides participants with information about the social issues faced by working people and the resources available in their community.

Participants are trained in communication skills, interviewing and referral techniques so they can assist union members to find the appropriate resources. The Labour Community Advocate Training helps workers to find effective solutions and community support for issues outside the scope of their collective agreements. Labour Community Advocates are often the first contact for co-workers with problems and are a valuable resource within any union.

Labour Community Advocates – Level 2

Labour Community Advocate Level 2 continues to train and educate union members about social issues faced by working people and the resources available in their community to help individuals deal with the personal, workplace or family challenge(s) they are experiencing. In the Level 2 course, Labour Community Advocates will share their experiences as they continue to expand and deepen their knowledge about the various social issues Labour Community Advocates might encounter, and explore the creation of a Labour Community Advocate program in the union.

Level 1 training must be completed before registering for Level 2.

Unions in the Community

The labour movement has always played a strong role in the social change movement. As part of the United Way and CLC Labour Community Advocate Program, the course provides training on community involvement and working with community partners as a board, committee or coalition partner. Participants learn how to organize around and participate in community social service issues, while exploring the ways in which unions and other labour bodies can help build resilient and respectful communities. The tools provided help strengthen labour’s community presence and develop new activists and support for issues based campaigns. Participants are also trained to identify community issues where unions can play a role through collective bargaining or social action.

For more information please contact the Labour Participation Department at labourinfo@uwbc.ca

To register for United Way Labour Community Advocates courses, please click here.