Social Innovation and System Change

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We recognize that immigrant and refugee women are the experts of their own lived experiences, and we aim to provide the platform to uplift their voices and expertise to affect the systems and policies that impact their lives. Together, we implement advocacy and social innovation projects to influence decision-making and address gender equity issues.

Current projects

Our current social innovation and system change projects include:

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Building a Childcare System that Works for Immigrant and Refugee Women

The Building a Childcare System that Works for Immigrant and Refugee Women project is a 2.5-year PIRS initiative funded by Women and Gender Equality Canada. It supports a feminist response and recovery from the current impacts of COVID-19 through systemic change in the childcare sector.

Learn more about the Building a Childcare System that Works for Immigrant and Refugee Women project.

Immigrant Women Advisory Committee (IWAC)

The Immigrant Women Advisory Committee (IWAC) is a platform that takes small but meaningful actions to close service gaps and break down barriers for immigrant and refugee women to thrive in Canada. 

Learn more about Immigrant Women Advisory Committee (IWAC) Projects

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Woman playing with infant at childcare

Mobile Child Care Project  

The Mobile Child Care Project (also known as Pop-up Child Care) is a social service delivery that aims to improve the accessibility of childcare in Metro Vancouver. We do this by developing innovative solutions to help address gaps in the childcare system, while also providing equitable employment for immigrant women.

The project operates supervised, play-based child care in settlement agencies and provides substitute staff to licensed child care centres. While being connected and exposed to a variety of early learning environments, our childcare staff receive continuous training, mentorship, and support making their careers in the early learning and childcare industry more rewarding.

Visit the Pop-Up Child Care website

Past Projects

See our Past Projects.

More info
If you are interested in partnering on an initiative with us, please contact us at info@pirs.bc.ca or at 604-298-5888.
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27,502

Women and children served

Since 1975, PIRS served 17,716 women and 9,116 children and counting.

Newcomer Support

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84

Women trained

84 women completed training programs in 2023 to become more effective leaders in their codmmunities.

Women Leadership & Development

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3,679

Food hampers distributed

448 people continue to be served weekly through the emergency Food Hub.

Social Innovation & System Change

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We need donors like you to help newcomer women and their children thrive in Canada.