The Women's Centre is committed to building a campus community that is safe for people of all genders, races, religions, abilities, and sexual orientations. This is accomplished by organizing numerous events and ongoing programs.
If you are interested in getting involved with a women's centre event feel free to contact us or fill out our volunteer form. We always welcome volunteers of both genders.
Events
Interested in one of our upcoming events? Check out the details here! If you're interested in planning an event of your own feel free to drop by one of our collective meetings or fill out our event proposal form (coming soon).
Knit and Bitch
Crochet Queen Negin is running our Knit & Bitch group! Every Thursday from 12:15-3:15 the first half is for women only in the lounge while the second half is open to all genders and operates out of the office.
We supply hooks, books, needles, and yarn you supply the conversation. No expeirence necessary as we will teach the basics.
Women's Self Defense
The Women's Centre is interested in hosting a women only self-defense class at Surrey on wednesday nights. But we need more interested participants so please sign up.
The cost for the class is subsidized at $25-50 sliding scale for 12 hours of instruction. The program, called Wenlido, is built by for and arround women their needs, and physiology. Children are welcome to attend the class and we encourage women to bring their sisters, mothers, cousins and friends with them as this class is open to all women.
Sexual Assualt Support Centre Working Group
A number of interested students, staff, and groups on campus are coming together to help develop a sexual assualt support centre on campus whose purpose would be to do education and prevention work, as well as provide support to survivors. Alarmingly few victims of sexual assualt opt to access help or support and it is up to members of the SFU community to change this. Meetings are held biweekly at a time to be determined by the committee shortly. All memebers of the SFU community (including men) are welcome to contribute. Over the summer semester this working group plans to build further community support and develop a blog about sexual assault on campus.
Volunteer Opportunities
The Women's Centre has a ton of volunteer opportunities for students, and we work to cater the types of volunteer activities to your experience, skills and interests. We are also committed to providing training and building up our volunteer's skill sets. If you are interested in volunteering fill out the form on the get involved page.
Collective Volunteer - Great for students who want to get involved in feminist decision making and event planning. This is the group that sets the vision, policies, and function of the centre.
Library Volunteer - Great for students who want to check out for a few minutes, are interested in going into library sciences, or who have a love of literature.
Public Relations - Great for students who love or want to become better public speakers, OR who want to develop their communication/marketing skills.
Workshop Volunteer- Great for students with a love of event organizing and a passion for teaching. Learn to host your own woman-positive workshop or discussion group on a topic of interest.
SACSWG - Great for students who are passionate about stopping sexual assault on campus.
Writing Volunteers- We need students to start writing for our blog. This is a great opportunity to talk about what you love most from arts and culture, to racism, to creative writing. Learn not only how to write, but how to articulate a feminist perspective.
Events from Past Semesters
What kinds of events and activities has the women's centre put on in the past?
Well every semester we have an open house open to all genders (most of us know it as the women's centre pancake breakfast). These pancake breakfasts are often hosted to celebrate Women' History Month, and International Women's Day. We've also hosted a chai tea party, put on a bathbombing workshop and worked with SFU dietician Rosie to bring nutrition and cooking workshops into the women's centre. We have also worked with the TSSU advocacy committee to commemorate the national day of rememberance of violence against women (December 6) with a memorial, social, and convo mall display. In 2010 the women's centre hosted a December 6 memorial in convocation mall with speakers from Power of Women and a male ally from the White Ribbon Campaign, as well as a tea and disucssion in the Women's Centre. Some of our programming initiative have included yoga classes, women's self-defense workshops, belly fit classes, and knit and bitch sessions.
Our events have been such a success thanks to the work of our many volunteers, staff people, and workshop organizers. We would never be able to do so much without your support.
