FRIENDS' Identity Statement

Vision:
A truly inclusive, equitable and welcoming Canadian society.
A Filipino-Canadian community that is empowered by an awareness of its strength and its ability to lead change.

We advance our mission of
Building the capacity of the Filipino-Canadian community to fully participate in the social, economic, cultural and civic life of our city, province and country.

We seek to promote
the principles of grassroots participation and community empowerment,
the Filipino values of pakikipagkapwa-tao, malasakit and bayanihan,
and the commitment to building brave spaces for dialogue

by engaging and mobilizing
primarily members of the Filipino-Canadian community and Filipino community organizations

and by collaborating with
other organizations and institutions who share our purpose, including: grassroots organizations, service agencies, governments, media, ethno-cultural groups, businesses, faith communities, and the academic community

in
Alberta primarily and across Canada as needed by our mission and purpose

through
Community organizing and mobilizing towards active civic participation
Public information, research, and policy advocacy on key socio-economic issues
Development of individual and collective community leadership
Collaboration as a way of addressing important issues and concerns
Service programs that are culturally relevant and responsive to the community

and emphasizing our unique advantages of
A committed, passionate, skilled, and resourceful membership and volunteer base
Inclusive, welcoming, and accessible initiatives and activities
Deep relationships and connections to the broader community
Capacity for and commitment to grassroots empowerment
Ability for intergenerational engagement
A track record of pioneering and transformative approaches
Ability to engage across different sectors, groups, and alignments in the community.

We are sustainable by
nurturing a vibrant volunteer base and having diverse funding from government and philanthropic grants, membership dues, sponsorships, participation fees, fundraising, and social enterprise.

Strategic Directions 2024 - 2027
These broad strategies outline both the areas of our work where we strive to achieve specific goals and objectives as well as our approaches and methods of work.

1. Community Organizing and Mobilizing for the Future of Our Next Generations

Focus on this issue to mobilize a broad segment of the Filipino community and draw attention from policy makers, funders, and other institutions on the often invisible issues faced by the community.

  • Collaborate with researchers and other partners to present a more complete picture of the issues faced by the community
  • Secure additional resources for further research, community mobilizing, and recommended solutions
  • Use the platform of Philippine Heritage Month in June 2024 to provide initial presentation to the community and supporters
  • The Future of Our Next Generations can be the anchor theme for FRIENDS’ response to social issues such as racism and mental health

2. Develop and Implement a Community-based response to mental health

Develop FRIENDS’ community-based overall response to mental health, bringing the gains and learning from Project WEAVE, and our research on crisis response. Responding to mental health leads to understanding and confronting root causes of the issue in the community – racism, bullying, destructive immigration policies, intergenerational gaps, and family conflict.

  • Develop and support multi-sectoral responses through the community working group – artists, youth, faith communities
  • Revive Sikolohiyang Pilipino series to help develop de-colonizing practices
  • Work with collaborators like ActionDignity and Filipino researchers to undertake systems and policy change initiatives

3. Work collaboratively with artists for social change 

Support artists in our community so that their practice can grow and enhance our community’s vibrancy and collaborate with artists so we can collectively work for social change. Artists, art and creative activities are essential in building community, in shedding light on our collective realities and in imagining social change.

  • Support regular artists’ gatherings and community-building activities.
  • Continue to work with artists on initiatives around mental health and intergenerational dialogue.
  • Jointly develop a longer-term plan with the current artist group around our shared interests and purposes.

4. Deepen our community’s understanding of issues through research and public information

Collaborate more deliberately with academic and community researchers in Alberta and other parts of Canada to deepen our understanding and our advocacy on important issues like racism, mental health and others identified in previous community conferences.

  • Undertake research on the Face of Racism in the Filipino community
  • Organize regular community forums on issues (e.g. quarterly)
  • Identify one to two key policy issues that FRIENDS will focus on for the next three years

5. Strengthen leadership capacities of community organizations and groups

Develop resources to build capacities for individual and collective leadership, and organizational strengthening. Ethical, effective and innovative leadership is important in the overall empowerment of the Filipino community. 

    • Develop and implement a community leadership program with focus on supporting youth and emerging leaders from the community.
    • Map out and support Filipino leadership in key areas of the community (e.g. public office, civic organizations).
    • Document promising practices of leadership in the Filipino community as sources of learning.

6. Strengthen Youth Engagement and Leadership

Build youth involvement and leadership in finding solutions to our community’s issues. 

    • Explore the establishment of a FRIENDS Youth Council/Circle
    • Co-Design and implement with youth a leadership development  program
    • Collaborate with existing youth groups on joint initiatives.

7. Strengthen FRIENDS’ membership and volunteer base

Build FRIENDS’ membership base. Nurture and sustain a corps of volunteers to participate and lead FRIENDS’ various initiatives.

    • Create a volunteer committee to oversee volunteer engagement and retention.
    • Provide training, work experiences, internships and on-going volunteer opportunities
    • Ensure volunteer appreciation and recognition

8. Scale up and diversify FRIENDS’ funding base

Solidify and diversify FRIENDS’ donor and support base.

  • Develop and implement a fund development strategy that includes securing resources for key initiatives and  generating unrestricted funds.
  • Apply for grants for specific projects and programs.
  • Apply for an AGLC casino license.
  • Explore possible social enterprises for FRIENDS.

9. Build FRIENDS’ Marketing and Communications Capacities

Develop a clearer brand for FRIENDS that embodies our vision and values. Create and implement a marketing strategy.

    • Develop an effective social media strategy.
    • Create merchandise of the brand as part of promotion and as revenue stream.
    • Use signature activities and events for effectively communicating what FRIENDS is as an organization.