Black Families Un-Conference officially at capacity for both weekends; A waiting list has begun for the events

Thank you for your interest in the Black Families Un-Conference. Please note due to high interest from families in Toronto, we have reached capacity for both October (28th-30th) and November (4th-6th) dates. We have begun a waiting list for those who are interested and we strongly recommend that you register, as we will be drawing from this list should families drop out or if additional spots/ or dates are made available.

Register link below for the Black Families Un-Conference:

https://timscamps.typeform.com/to/TIbEkWfS?typeform-source=theblackdaddiesclub.com

Much love and gratitude to all those individuals who have shared this initiative with your networks and to the families who have already registered for these events.

This overwhelming positive response speaks to the need for Black and Racialized families to connect with each other and create positive memories together in green spaces in Canada.

Many thanks to this Black Families Un-Conference partners Justice Fund, Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC) and Tim Hortons Camp, this opportunity for the countless families signed up would not be possible without your partnering with the Black Daddies Club to make this happen.

For all the families who have registered, a one page document will be sent to you after the deadline for The Black Families Un-Conference (October 13th, 2022 at 4pm). The one pager will include more details for your preparation for the Black Families Un-conference.

Black Families Un-Conference adds second date due to overwhelming response from Families in Toronto

The Black Families Un-Conference, has received overwhelming positive response from Families across Toronto, we have reached capacity for the October Friday 28-Sunday October 30th dates and we have added a second set of dates for Friday November 4th- Sunday November 6th.

We will begin a waiting list after we have reached capacity for the November dates  for those who are interested in attending the Black Families Un-conference and we strongly recommend that you do continue to register, as we will be drawing from this list should families drop out or if additional spots/ or dates are made available.

What is the Black Families Un-Conference?

The Black Families Un-Conference is a three-day gathering for families who identify as Black or Racialized to take part in a camping experience for the entire family that will take place in one of Tim Hortons Camps in Ontario, at no cost to the families that attend.. The idea behind the Black Families Un-Conference is to create positive memories and experiences for these families (parents or guardians and their children) as a whole in a safe environment that they may not be able to afford. This initiative is a collaboration with Justice Fund, Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC), Tim Hortons Camp and the Black Daddies Club.

To register for the November 4th-6th dates, please use this link https://timscamps.typeform.com/to/TIbEkWfS?typeform-source=theblackdaddiesclub.com, please register before deadline of October 13th 2022 to avoid disappointment.

Regards

(Gender Pronoun: He/ Him)

Brandon Hay, MES

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(Business); Social Impact, Social Enterprise, & Sustainability

Founder-Black Daddies Club

Therapist-in-Training at The Gestalt Institute of Toronto

Black Daddies Club celebrates our 15th year anniversary with the Black Families Un-Conference

This November 2022, will be Black Daddies Club 15th year anniversary doing work with Black fathers and their families, and we are extremely excited to co-present the Black Families Un-Conference in partnership with Justice Fund, Toronto Community Housing Corportation (TCHC) and Tim Hortons Camp.

The Black Families Un-Conference is a three-day gathering for families who identify as Black or Racialized to take part in a camping experience for the entire family that will take place in one of Tim Hortons Camps in Ontario, at no cost to the families that attend.. The idea behind the Black Families Un-Conference is to create positive memories and experiences for these families (parents or guardians and their children) as a whole in a safe environment that they may not be able to afford.

To register https://timscamps.typeform.com/to/TIbEkWfS

We look forward to seeing you and your families in attendance.

Black Daddies Club Co-Presents The Black Families Un-Conference registration is now open

We are excited to say the registration for The Black Families Un-conference is now live.

Register here https://timscamps.typeform.com/to/TIbEkWfS

Keeping with Black Daddies Club (BDC) focus on Black families in 2022, we are launching a new initiative that we have been conceptualizing for the past 5 years.

The Black Families Un-Conference is a three-day gathering for families who identify as Black or Racialized to take part in a camping experience for the entire family that will take place in one of Tim Hortons Camps in Ontario, at no cost to the families that attend.

The idea behind the Black Families Un-Conference is to create positive memories and experiences for these families (parents or guardians and their children) as a whole in a safe environment that they may not be able to afford. The Black Daddies Club (BDC) over the 15 years of operating in the Greater Toronto Area, has created programs which promote creating positive memorable memories within green spaces for Black families and their allies. 

This initiative is a collaboration between Justice Fund, Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC), Tim Hortons Camp and The Black Daddies Club (BDC). The dates for Black Families Un-Conference will be October 28th, October 29th and October 30th 2022. The location of the Black Families Un-Conference will be at a Tim Hortons Camp in Ontario which will be announced at a later date. 

Black Families defined:

Black folks are not a monolith and we have various entry points into our Blackness and this means the same goes for our families. So for Black families who identify as hetero-normative, nuclear, LGBTQ+, mixed raced, adopted a Black a child, Black parent or child with a disability, etc. The Black Families Un-Conference welcomes you to take part in this gathering.

The purpose of the Black Families Un-Conference is four folds: 

* Black and Racialized Families engage and learn from nature
* Black and Racialized Families learn about themselves in a setting outside of the city 
* Black and Racialized Families create new positive memories together in nature through experiential learning 
* Black and Racialized Families get to meet other families, promoting networking decreasing isolation during the gathering, and potentially maintaining those relationships afterwards 

Partnering with Justice Fund: is critical for making the Black Families Un-conference accessible for Black and racialized families, who have been disproportionately impacted financially by COVID-19 and Anti- Black racism in Toronto. Justice Fund will cover lodging, food and transportation costs for all attendees taking part in BDC Black Families Un-Conference. 

Justice Fund is dedicated to the social and economic well being of communities from the Northwest & Northeast of the GTA. Violence in Toronto continues to be an increasing challenge and youth who experience poverty are impacted more by this violence than any other demographic.

All cost for The Black Families Un-Conference will be supported through Justice Fund and includes: 

* Charter bus pick up and drop off at a designated site in East, Central and West Toronto 
* Lodging at Tim Hortons Camp for Black and Racialized 155 families for the three days and two nights 
* Food (breakfast, lunch and dinner) for the three days and two nights 
* All activities on the Tim Hortons campground  

Partnering with Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC), ensures that BDC is able to outreach to the residents on their property. TCHC is the second-largest housing provider in North America (behind the New York City Housing Authority), with over 58,000 units of housing and an estimated 110,000 residents. We will be working with TCHC to identify and outreach residents and their families who will be interested in participating in the Black Families Un-Conference.

What can families expect at the Black Families Un-Conference:

Camp Features: (Some of these activities may not be accessible depending on the weather that weekend)
* A zipline that travels over 400 feet.
* Trails for hiking and mountain biking.
* Canoeing, kayaking and boating. (Not available due to time of year)
* Swimming and fishing (Not available due to time of year)
* High and low ropes adventure courses.
* Climbing tower.
* Disc golf course.
* Fields for soccer, baseball, and football.

Black therapists on site at Black Families Un-Conference to support parents and families if they desire the support. We are providing two Black identified therapists (male and female) for the entire three days at the Black Families Un-Conference that will be on-call for the duration of the un-conference for any families that would like to speak to a therapist about something that they are navigating.

Black Families financial strategies workshop sponsored by Alterna Savings. We will have a plenary during the Black Families Un-conference for Black and racialized families looking at various strategies around money management strategies for all ages.

Workforce development opportunities for Black and racialized youths through Tim Hortons Camps, there will be an information session given by Tim Hortons Camp at the Black Families Un-Conference on employment opportunities at Tim Hortons Camps. Black and Racialized youths will be able to get more information on these opportunities at the Black Families Un-Conference and apply to become Tim Horton’s Camp counselors at the one their many camps across Canada for the summer, this is a great opportunity for young people to gain experience, get paid and travel.


Vaccination: Youth do not have to be vaccinated. Adults need to declare if they are fully vaccinated or have taken a rapid test morning of camp. This info is only on the honor system and no test results or proof of vaccination is needed. 

Registration and paperwork deadline is Thursday, October 13th 2022 at 4pm. Register at the link today to avoid disappointment.

Register here https://timscamps.typeform.com/to/TIbEkWfS

Black Daddies Club collaborates with Prince’s Trust Canada for Job readiness program for Black and Racialized Families facing Barriers to employment in Toronto

Black families in Canada have been hit the hardest by unemployment during the Covid-19 pandemic, in a recent StatsCan’s research that reported that:
 
 “Young Black Canadians (aged 15 to 24) have been particularly hard hit, with a jobless rate of 30.6% — almost double the 15.6% rate for non-minority youth.”, the report also acknowledged that “25 to 54 age group, Black Canadians also had a higher unemployment rate than non-minority Canadians (9.4% versus 6.1%)”, read more about the report here.
 
Prince’s Trust Canada (PTC) and Black Daddies Club (BDC) are teaming up to co-create an employment readiness program for Black and Racialized parents 18-30, who are experiencing barriers to accessing employment. The virtual focus group will take place on August 20th 2022 from 11:00am-12pm. To register for this focus group, please access this link.


We want to hear from you!
* What are the current barriers to accessing sustainable, equitable employment?
* Which types of employment/career opportunities are you looking for?
* Which job-related skills would be valuable to learn?
* What type of job-related support do you need to have the tools to succeed with your employment/career goals?



Each participant who attends the full virtual program and completes the survey will receive a $30 Amazon gift card.

Prince’s Trust Canada (PTC) and Black Daddies Club (BDC) are Teaming up to Co-create Focus Group for Black and Racialized Families with Barriers to Employment

Prince’s Trust Canada (PTC) and Black Daddies Club (BDC) are teaming up to co-create an employment readiness program for Black and Racialized parents 18-30, who are experiencing barriers to accessing employment. The virtual focus group will take place on August 20th 2022 from 11:00am-12pm. To register use QR code.

We want to hear from you!

  • What are the current barriers to accessing sustainable, equitable employment?
  • Which types of employment/career opportunities are you looking for?
  • Which job related skills would be valuable to learn?
  • What type of job-related support do you need to have the tools to succeed with your employment/career goals?

Each participant who attends the full virtual program and completes the survey will receive a 30$ Amazon gift card.

The Black Families Investment Club: Barbershop Financial Community Forums

The Black Daddies Club (BDC) co-presents The Black Families Investment Club: Barbershop Financial Community Forums, on Tuesday, July 26th 2022, 6pm-8pm at Onyx Barbers (90 Adelaide St E, Toronto), this is a free in-person community event.

This barbershop community forum will look at what financial strategies Black and racialized families are currently using to stay afloat during these challenging times. There will be guest speakers offering various strategies that families can use in their homes.

There will be two-parts to this barbershop event:

Black Families Investment Club with BitBuy

Bitbuy has collaborated with BDC to co-create a cryptocurrency financial tool for Black and racialized families to gain income, while they invest and share the tool with other folks in their networks. A representative from Bitbuy will be discussing more about this financial tool during the first part of the event.  To find out more about Bitbuy and their services check out their website at this link

Financial Strategies for Black Families’ Barbershop Forum with Alterna Savings

Alterna Savings has collaborated with BDC for this grassroots barbershop forum to engage Black and racialized families, who are interested in having a discussion around what financial strategies can our families use to manage our financial resources during these times of high inflation for daily living costs.

To find out more about Alterna Savings and their services check out their website at this link

Register for this free community event on Eventbrite

Black Families Investment Club- Barbershop discussion series Tickets, Tue, Jul 26, 2022 at 6:00 PM | Eventbrite

Why the barbershop?

Black Daddies Club (BDC) returns to their roots by collaborating with Onyx Barbers, who BDC collaborated with 15 years ago in 2007 to do our first barbershop sessions. In 2022, we decided to collaborate again for these financial series, as we have seen in research and our own experience over 15 years that barbershop works for community engagement specifically for Black men and Black fathers, because these barbershop spaces normalize the idea of Black men speaking and communicating with each other and it’s a place where we can practice being comfortable being vulnerable and honest in our dialogues with each other.

Alterna Savings collaborate with Black Daddies Club for Financial Barbershop Forum for Black Families

Black Daddies Club Co-Presents: Financial strategies for Black families barbershop forum

This barbershop community forum will look at what financial strategies Black and racialized families are currently using to stay a float during these challenging times. There will be guest speakers offering various strategies that families can use in their homes.

Where: Onyx Barbers (90 Adelaide St E, Toronto)

When: Tuesday, July 26th 2022, 6pm-8pm

Cost: This is a free community event

Register for the event at this link below

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/black-families-investment-club-barbershop-discussion-series-tickets-379319854897

About Alterna Savings

Alterna Savings and Credit Union Limited – the Good in Banking for over 110 years!

Alterna is the third-largest credit union in Ontario and one of Canada’s Top 10 Credit Unions.

Alterna Savings members enjoy:

  • Banking with one of the largest credit unions in Canada
  • Having a say as a member-owner
  • Feeling cared for by a financial institution that puts people above profits
  • Competitive rates and friendly, transparent advice
  • Convenient digital banking solutions and a bilingual Contact Centre open seven days a week
  • A network of branches across most of Ontario
  • Access to thousands of surcharge-free ATMs in North America with THE EXCHANGE Network in Canada and the Allpoint Network in the US
  • A dedicated team of Commercial Service and Community Business Banking professionals that can help you reach your business goals;
  • An industry-leading online brokerage and investment management services with Alterna Wealth;
  • Watching communities grow through Alterna’s volunteer work, mentoring, innovative financing and support for local interests and sports;
  • The strength and security of a resilient financial institution.

To find out more about Alterna Savings, check out their link

https://www.alterna.ca/AboutUs/

BitBuy and Black Daddies Club, collaborates to present: Black Families Investment Club Barbershop discussion series

Bitbuy and The Black Daddies Club co-presents Black Families Investment Club series,will be a quarterly barbershop series, and the first of four discussions will take place on Tuesday, July 26 th from 6pm-8pm. This will be an in-person event.

This barbershop session will be a conversation with Black and racialized families around what strategies are we using to keep a float amidst challenges around food and housing inflation, job loss and other things impacting Torontonians.

Supporting Black families is the 2022 theme for the Black Daddies Club (BDC), and one of the areas that BDC is focusing on this year is on economic betterment for Black families in Toronto through collaborations with various community stakeholders such as Bitbuy.

Unemployment was one of the areas that Black fathers in Toronto mentioned was a barrier for them in the 2013 research project called Gathering Our Voices: The Lived Experience of Black Fathers in Toronto that was led by University of Toronto (OISE) , York University, The Black Daddies Club and Funded by the City of Toronto. The COVID-19 pandemic also shown to impact Black families in Toronto at a disproportionate higher rate in both contracting COVID-19 and Job loss, as stated by the \Canadian Government and Black Health Alliance Black and racialized Canadians has experienced “Higher representation in lower paying jobs and disproportionate rates of job loss”.

About Bitbuy

Bitbuy was designed for both new traders seeking a simple interface and for advanced traders who know their way around the crypto world. Their mission is to provide fellow Canadians convenient, dependable, and secure access to Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. find out more about Bitbuy at this link.

Register for this free event

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/black-families-investment-club-barbershop-discussion-series-tickets-379319854897

Black Daddies Club collaborates with Justice Fund to bring Black Parents and their Children to Scarborough Shooting Stars Basketball game

In keeping with the theme of co-creating positive memories for Black families for 2022, the Black Daddies Club (BDC) will be taking a group of Black parents and their children to watch a game with the Scarborough Shooting Stars of the Canadian Elite Basketball League in action. These tickets have been graciously provided to BDC by Justice Fund, who have been fantastic work in the community creating opportunities for Black and racialized families in the city of Toronto.

If you are a Black parent living in Toronto and is interested in taking your children to watch the Scarborough Shooting Stars basketball team in action at no cost. Please contact info@theblackdaddiesclub.com, no later than Sunday, June 19th 2022 at 11pm, in your email please write in the Subject line (Scarborough Shooting Starts), in the body of the email indicate how many adults and how many children, limit of 5 tickets per family, as we want to ensure we are able to engage multiple Black families with this opportunity. 

Event information

Date: Saturday, June 25th, 2022

Time: 7:30 PM

Venue: Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre 

Address: 875 Morningside Ave, Toronto, ON M1C 0C7

Teams: Scarborough Shooting Stars vs. Hamilton Honey Badgers

* All cost related to food, parking and transportation to and from the game is the responsibility of the families that attends.

A Movement Built on Love