Story of a Women's Centre

Publisher:  Press Gang, Port Coquitlam, Canada
Year Published:  1979
Pages:  117pp   Resource Type:  Book
Cx Number:  CX2080

Abstract: 
The book Story of a Women's Centre is a history of the Port Coquitlam Area Women's Centre (PoCo). The authors outline the various political, social and economic issues and struggles that the women of Port Coquitlam have encountered since 1974 when they decided to set up a Women's Centre.

A number of women met for a lecture series called Women Today in 1974. The authors tell us about this series and the effects it has had on many of the women who attended the lectures. They tell us that out of this series arose the interest for a Women's Centre. The major steps the women took to secure a building to get support from the city, and to find funding are outlined in detail. The many services of the Centre included in the story of the Centre, and some of the problems that are part of the services are related.
The various solutions the Port Coquitlam women found are also related. The services include a Library for the purpose of educating women, a consciousness raising process around issues of specific concern to women, a newsletter, and a drop-in information service.

The authors discuss the collective and volunteer nature of the Centre, the steps it has taken to become a recognized non-profit society, and many of the everyday administrative policies and procedures. The Centre has developed through all these stages, to the point where it sponsors Special projects such as a Transition House and Child Minding Project. It has also become involved with such other feminist organizations as the British Columbia Federation of Women and the National Action Committee on the Status of Women.

Subject Headings

• Women's Centres