Title and statement of responsibility area
Title proper
General material designation
- Photographic materials
- Textual records
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Title notes
- Source of title proper: Title of the fonds is based on the name of the organization.
Level of description
Reference code
Edition area
Edition statement
Edition statement of responsibility
Class of material specific details area
Statement of scale (cartographic)
Statement of projection (cartographic)
Statement of coordinates (cartographic)
Statement of scale (architectural)
Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)
Dates of creation area
Date(s)
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1976 - 1987 (Creation)
- Creator
- Vancouver Women in Trades
Physical description area
Physical description
88 cm of textual records
4 photographs
Publisher's series area
Title proper of publisher's series
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Archival description area
Name of creator
Administrative history
The Vancouver Women in Trades Association (VWITA) was formed in 1979 and incorporated under the British Columbia Societies Act in 1983. It became inactive in 1987. The organization functioned as an advocacy and support group for women working in, or seeking to work in trades and technology. It sought to facilitate contact among tradeswomen, improve their working conditions, promote greater representation of women in skilled, blue-collar occupations, and further women's access to trades education and training. In pursuing these goals, the Association frequently acted in liaison with other groups, government agencies, unions, businesses and educational institutions. The group also maintained links with other Women in Trades Associations across Canada, including the Women in Trades Kootenay Council. Membership in VWITA generally ranged between forty and fifty women. Annual general meetings and regular monthly meetings were forums for collective decision making, while a number of elected standing committees and coordinators initially carried out on-going business. In 1983 one paid staff position was created (Office Administrator) and in 1985 staff was expanded to three (Office Coordinator, Research Coordinator and Liaison Coordinator). These positions were primarily funded through government grants. Prior to the Association's incorporation in 1983, it was also known as the B.C. Women in Trades and the Women in Trades Association of B.C. Officers of the organizations included Joan Blair, Judy Doll, Alison Stewart, Carolyn Sawyer, Kate Braid, Suzanne Gerard, and Lynn Ryan.
Custodial history
The Vancouver Women in Trades Association originally operated out of members' houses, then maintained a base in the offices of the Vancouver Status of Women organization. Upon dissolution, its records passed into the possession of one of its members, Carlyal Gittens, and subsequently to another member, Kate Braid.
Scope and content
The fonds of the Vancouver Women in Trades Association consists of records created and received in the course of administering the organization and providing support and advocacy for women working in trades and technology in the Vancouver area. Activities documented include annual and monthly meetings; office administration and funding; liaison with other groups; advisory work on vocational curricula; outreach projects; and advocacy around specific issues. Document types include constitution, minutes, correspondence, logbooks, worksheets, policy statements, briefs, reports, speeches, questionnaires, and photographs and illustrations. The fonds also contains published reference material, whose publication dates in some instances precede the foundation of the Association itself.
Notes area
Physical condition
Immediate source of acquisition
The records were donated to the Archives by Kate Braid in 1996.
Arrangement
Records were originally used and maintained by the Association as a single unit of office files. Series titles and arrangement have been supplied by the archivist in order to facilitate intellectual access to the documents. The arrangement was chosen to reflect activities falling under a similar function and generating related records. Nevertheless, overlap among groupings occurs, and the entire file list for the fonds should be reviewed to determine the existence of all files on a particular subject. Researchers should also be aware that strict chronological and alphabetical order was not originally maintained within files nor has it been supplied by the archivist.
Language of material
Script of material
Location of originals
Availability of other formats
Restrictions on access
Some files contain personal or confidential information. Access to these files may be restricted as stipulated by Archives policy or the donor. Access to files marked 'restricted in whole' will be provided only through a research agreement. Files marked 'pending review' must be reviewed by an archivist prior to release, and as a result of the review access restrictions may apply. Please see the file lists and consult the archivist for more details.
Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication
Finding aids
File list is available.
Generated finding aid
Associated materials
Consult the inventory of the Kate Braid fonds (F 10) for additonal material on women in trades.
Accruals
All accessions have been processed as of March 2006. No further accruals are expected.
General note
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 4 photographs located in F-9-4-0-7
Alternative identifier(s)
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Dates of creation, revision and deletion
Finding aid prepared by Richard Dancy, Frances Fournier, Enid Britt (March 1997).
Updated by Richard Dancy (March 2006).