Waska, autonomie et services techniques communautaires

2010-03-13T04:28:00.002-05:00

Become a fan of Waska's page on Facebook!

The Quebec City-based non-profit organization contributes to reducing the socioeconomic burden of the whole province by helping individuals and organizations acquire empowerment (autonomy), partake in community dialogue, share and perform mutual aid.

Feb. 12, 2010: Learn the computer, become bilingual or get empowered

2010-02-06T14:35:00.007-05:00

Waska, autonomie et services techniques communautaires is a non-profit organization in Québec City, founded in May of 2007 by advocates of the Waska Movement.

The Waska Movement is a non-formal association grouping benevolent individuals and humanitarian organizations in Québec City advocating:

autonomy (empowerment) - being able to earn your own living without depending on government money and charity;

responsibility - individually making sure one's actions has positive impact one oneself and on one's community; actively taking part in the community's development;

experiential learning - the method of learning through experimenting, guided by an adept;

community dialogue and mutual aid.

The Waska Movement began with the founding, in April of 1982, of Club 3E by students. When Club 3E later closed, the Movement continued on and its advocates founded similar organizations which, most of them, bore the name Waska: Club Waska, Waska & Associates, Médiagraphie-Waska, Union des clubs Waska, Fidé, Connexion Ouest, Communauté Waska, Projet Waska.

As for Waska, autonomie et services techniques communautaires's mission, helping individuals and organizations acquire autonomy (empowerment) means:

tutoring them - showing them the techniques how to earn their own living and how to maintain this quality of life;
being for them a resource centre - allowing them to come to Waska to get provisional help in their journey to autonomy;

being for them a mutual aid network - grouping peers who can share their own experience and feelings on their pursuit of autonomy, gathering contacts throughout the region who seek to help them with opportunities.

How? The organization reaches its goals through activities and services exclusively available to its members: experiential learning workshops, technical support, and operational help. Here are some examples:

experiential workshop: learning how to become autonomous;

experiential workshop: learning how to use the computer;

experiential workshop: learning how to improve your French;

experiential workshop: learning how to become bilingual for work purposes;

experiential workshop: introduction to doing business in French in Québec City for English-speaking businesspeople;

experiential workshop: tutoring - help in learning in general;

technical support: computer repair and maintenance;

technical support: assistance in buying and installing a computer or network;

technical support: switching to Linux and Opensource software;

operational support: get some provisional help for your non-profit organization, a helping hand in secretarial work, document typing, translation, correction, event planning, graphic design, etc..

All these services are aimed at showing how to become autonomous and collaborative in the community, while giving a helping hand in the process. The main goal is to learn how to do things by yourself.

The Waska Movement and the related organizations - such as Waska, autonomie et services techniques communautaires - are non-religious, non-political and very peaceful mobilization efforts. They work at helping people improve their quality of life, regardless of their culture, religious beliefs, social status, professional level, etc. Waskans do not take part in activist demonstrations. They work constructively at making better living conditions.

On Friday, February 12, 2010, at 5:00 PM, Waska, autonomie et services techniques communautaires meets up at La Brioche Pastry Shop where you can come and learn more about the organization and what it can do for you. Waska will be giving experiential workshops at La Brioche, starting Feb. 15, 2010. You can become a member by paying your annual membership fee of $10.00 (inidivduals) and $20.00 (organizations). Tariff for the learning session (90-minute weekly meetings, spanning over 10 weeks) is $225.00. Waska issues receipts. Welcome to all!

La Brioche pastry shop is located at 1325 De L'Église Road in St.Foy (Québec City)
(near the intersection of De L'Église Road & St.Louis Road)

The expression "organization" hereby includes non-profit organizations and associations, public organizations, micro-enterprises (10 employees or less) and social clubs.

Waska's relaunch business plan and four jobs created

2009-08-10T17:21:00.000-04:00

For the past 27 years, Waska has been operated mostly by volunteer workers. Some were paid by contract but for a very short period of time. The organization now engages in a major structural reform and prepares to hire four employees: three full-time and one part-time jobs will thus be created.

Aside from the job creation, Waska's relaunch business plan includes the opening of a new office somewhere in Quebec City's west end (boroughs of Haute-St. Charles, des Rivières and St. Foy-Sillery).

Waska continues to provide the same good services: empowerment workshops, learning workshops (computer learning and business language), office software technical support, web 2.0 conception and management, community dialogue, and the cybercafé. The new social economy business will revive its Theatre on Video (1983 to 1995) and add the new technical support service for computer repair and maintenance.

What makes Waska different is its welcoming atmosphere, its unique traditions and the way its office is decorated. Also, a major part of it is the social network of friends and mutual help that contributes to increase the positive thinking of Quebec City's people in need, help them regain dignity, empower them so they can become a pillar of the community.

You can read a summary of Waska's relaunch business plan (in French only for now) at http://waska.communautequebec.org/planderelance.html. You can also express your support to the cause by becoming a fan of Waska's page on Facebook.

Waska will submit the plan to the CLD towards the end of August or the beginning of September. Your support is welcome! Write to us at waskaquebec@gmail.com or phone us at (418) 407-3230.

Waska member's assembly, June 29, 2009

2009-06-20T07:55:00.003-04:00

Waska holds its general member's assembly on Monday, June 29, 2009 at 7:30 PM. The meeting takes place at 45 Arthur Dion Street, door 107, in Québec City (Loretteville Quarter).

All active members are invited. Honorary members are welcome but do not have a right of vote. However, they may upgrade their membership to "active member" by paying the annual $10 membership fee.

Agenda:

Opening and word of welcome
Adoption of the agenda
Adoption of the minutes of the previous assembly
Election of the Board of Directors (Members' Administration Council)
Business plan and relaunch plan
Members' tasks
Any other business
Closing and date for the AC meeting

At Council dissolution, administrators are Christian Tanguay (president), Steeve Robitaille (vice-president), Jean-François Néron (executive secretary), Manon Plante (treasurer) and one vacant seat after Monique Doré's departure last February. To this day, confirmed candidates are:

Christian Tanguay
Jean-François Néron
Martial Bigras
Shelley Levesque
François Bédard

Other members may submit their candidacy to the executive secretary, before June 26 at midnight. waskaquebec(a)gmail.com

Hoping to see you there!

Waska celebrates its 27th anniversary!

2009-04-25T02:04:00.003-04:00

Waska was founded on April 26, 1982, when students in a St. Foy, Quebec, technical institute join a "human relationships class" group in order to unite forces under one organization called "Club 3E". This non-profit entity has given itself a mission: to help people overcome problems with work exeperience and related training issues. Also, the club becomes a mutual help network. Then follows a great evolution over nearly three decades!

Right from the beginning, the organization takes a modular-shaped form of operation, where each of the elements pursue a specific goal, intended to a specific clientèle. Claudette Lemieux implements the "Aide-Amitié" section (help & friendship) taking care of the social needs of the members. Marc Dubé sets the "sports, activities and environmental awareness group". Jean-François Néron manages the learning workshops and experiential groups.

In 1983, the NPO is then renamed "Waska" and offers its workshops in a basement classroom of the St. Ursule Church in St. Foy, Quebec. To fund its humanitarian endeavours, the organization sells "English learning workshops" and "French as a second language workshops" at a fair tariff. To other associations in the neighbourhood, it is a strange mode of operation. Not used to social economy in those years, they make fun of Waska and dub it "insidious commercial entity". Today, social economy is the modern way (in Canada) to operate a non-profit organization. It is the way of the future since associations learn to be cost-effective and autonomous, which lightens the socio-economic burden of the community. Waska still offers the linguistic workshops and compiles 26 years of exeprience doing so!

1988 is a year marked by the entry of office automation in the widespread world of management. Waska launches its "computer learning workshops". Business is rolling and the NPO moves into its very own office, at 955 de Bourgogne Avenue in St. Foy, Quebec. Neighbouring offices shelter professionals such as doctors, insurance companies and lawyers. In 1991, the association moves its operations to the more prestigious Galeries Duplessis, flanking engineers and equally highly-regarded professionals. Waska adds one element to its modular structure: technical services intended to NPOs as well as individuals.

In 1999, Waska joins in with other NPOs in Quebec City and studies the phenomenon of poverty. It launches its programme "Exit poverty through autonomy/empowerment!", while promoting community discussion and solidarity (Connexion Ouest).

Today, the Quebec City-based organization operates in the cosy Loretteville quarter of the Old Capital City. Its mission is to help individuals and organizations gain empowerment; to implement a community network of solidarity, to promote environmental awareness.

Take part in Waska's 27th birthday

For its 27th anniversary, Waska is inviting you to join its various groups and causes on Facebook:

become a fan of Waska's Official Facebook Page;
join the group "Waska 1982-aujourd'hui/today"
support the cause "Empowered individuals and organizations"

Autonomy and empowerment constitute the key to human justice and dignity because it allows everyone to actively take part in collective success and live a comfortable, happy life.

Waska currently in boosting process and looking for new board members

2009-03-31T17:13:00.005-04:00

Our organization is currently in a vigorous boosting process! The board of directors is working hard on a new business plan in order to widen Waska's action spectrum and boost its operation strength.

Basically, Waska helps individuals and non-profit organizations gain empowerment, i.e. bring them to set themselves free from the dependency to public funding and charity, to generate their own revenues. Also, Waska implements a system of community dialogue, exchange and solidarity in order to link up NPOs, various public social workers, small businesses and the population in a way to promote social and commercial relations that help the community live.

Waska has given itself this mandate right from the beginning in 1982, when it was founded in a classroom of the formerly called Technical Pavilion in St. Foy, Quebec, now the Marie-Rollet Professional Training Centre.

In April of 2008, Waska opened a workshop room at 125 Racine Street in Quebec City, in the heart of the Loretteville Quarter (Borough of the Haute-Saint-Charles). Last March 1st, the organization decided to close the location to allow itself more room to manoeuvre, a leeway to carry out its revival plan and establish connections with new business contacts.

The new projects undertaken by Waska will soon be published right here and will allow the organization to reinforce its humanitarian endeavours towards the community, making people happy already for the past 27 years.

Waska president by interim, Christian Tanguay (photo above), invites all persons involved in humanitarian endeavours to join our board of directors in the upcoming election. To be part of Waska means building pillars of the community, reducing its social/economic burden, and help goodwill individuals regain their dignity. You may contact Mr. Tanguay at waskatechnicien@gmail.com or call him at (418) 407-1425.

Whether you are in Québec City or elsewhere, our membership network is awaiting you! We are inviting any person interested in contributing with concrete gestures, ideas, or contacts to the pursuit of Waska's mission. Annual membership fee is $10 for individuals and $20 for non-profit organizations. It allows you to benefit from high-quality services and to partake in social activities related to the organization's mission. You can register directly with Mr. Tanguay or by contacting the Executive Secretary, Mr. Jean-François Néron at (418) 847-4784 or waskaquebec@gmail.com.

Welcome to all!

Waska workshops relocated

2009-03-16T08:08:00.003-04:00

Today, Waska officials close the Racine Street office (Quebec City) and relocate the activities. The location will soon be announced on this blog.

Computer learning workshops will begin soon, you can register now by phone at (418) 407-3230 or by email at waska@communautequebec.org.

Keep posted for dates, times and places.

Heidi Couet, Quebec City artist painting vibrant tales

2009-02-26T19:00:00.004-05:00

Here is a very talented artist from Québec City: 22-year old Heidi Couet literally draws sentiments, sometimes harsh reality in the raw. Her pictures are poignant and - looking at them - you almost hear a story being told. Heidi's drawings are movies that stay still. As you can see on her new blog, "Heidi Couet Artiste", you can stay one, two or even five minutes, and notice new details that keep telling you a story and it does bring out one's feelings hidden deep inside.

As for myself, I follow her on Twitter to avoid missing any new stroke of her pencil and expression of her living colours. I have never felt so moved by any other artist in this world. Ever.

heidicouet.blogspot.com

Waska closes its office... Temporarily.

2009-02-22T19:08:00.002-05:00

February 28, 2009, Waska is temporarily closing its Quebec City office as the association will be working on a better business plan. Empowerment being the main ingredient of its mission, the non-profit organization is ensuring its own autonomy in order to better serve the population in need.

The activities will be relocated and further news will be published on this blog.

Changes at Waska

2009-02-08T16:32:00.003-05:00

"Waska, autonomie et services techniques communautaires" has modified its opening hours, activities and tariffs.

MONDAY FEB. 9 : EXCEPTIONALLY CLOSED FOR RESTRUCTURING
WEDNESDAY FEB. 11: OPEN 4:00 TO 8:00 PM
THURSDAY FEB. 12: CLOSED FOR RESTRUCTURING, CLOSED ALL FOLLOWING THURSDAYS.

New opening hours

MONDAY FEB. 16: 4:00 TO 8:00 PM.
WEDNESDAY FEB. 18: 4:00 TO 7:30 PM.
WEDNESDAY FEB: 18: 7:30 PM - CAFÉ-CONFERENCE (every third wednesday of the month) Topic: Learning and organizing the computer at home. Come and sip a heartwarming coffee and eat dessert with us. All welcome.
THURSDAYS : CLOSED.
MONDAY FEB. 23: 4:00 TO 8:00 PM.
WEDNESDAY FEB. 25: 6:00 TO 8:30 PM.
WEDNESDAY FEB: 25: 4:00 PM - HOT DOG-CHAT (every last wednesday of the month) Topic: come see what Waska does. All welcome. Hot dogs 50 cents.
THURSDAYS: CLOSED.
The Cybercafé is open all mondays and wednesdays, 4:00 to 8:00 PM, even when other events take place (café-conference and hot dog-chat).

We are updating the opening hours as fast as we can on the whole of Waska's web2.0 network. However, some sites may experience a delay in updating the data.

Computer learning workshops and Cybercafé

Annual membership fee: $ 10
Individual computer learning session, 10 meetings: $ 200.
Group computer learning session, 10 meetings: $ 100.
Individual computer learning session, 1 meeting: $ 22.
Group computer learning session, 1 meeting: $ 12.
Cybercafé: $ 1 / half hour.

NEW STUFF FROM WASKA?

2008-12-30T00:00:00.003-05:00

In fact, Waska created the Waska Theatre on Video 25 years ago! On a beautiful day of 1983 in Québec City, Réjean Bilodeau, Claudette Lemieux, Marie-Claude Gagné, Fernand Pelletier, Jean-François Néron and an array of talented Waskan members have thought of an interesting activity to promote social links - part of the organization's mission of sharing, cooperation and friends networking.

From 1983 to 1995, the WTV has written and/or produced many plays. Some of them are more memorable:

Histoires d'étudiants (Student stories) Québec, 1983.
Cinda Québec, 1983.
Les aventuriers de Waska (Waska's Adventurers) Québec, 1983.
Cinda II (theatre only) Gibsons, British Columbia, 1984.
Metal Health and The Number of the Beast Lip-Synch Gibsons, British Columbia, 1984.
Path - series I Toronto, 1985.
Path - series II Québec, 1987 to 1991.
Pas plus, pas moins - version I (No More And No Less) Québec, 1993.
Pas plus, pas moins - version II (No More And No Less) Québec, 1993.
Pas plus, pas moins - version III (No More And No Less) Québec, 1993-1995.

WTV is currently working at transferring all filmed shots from the VHS cassettes onto a digital media, more stable and easier to preserve. Also, members will be able to see themselves one or two decades younger!

Also, follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/waskaquebec_e

LORETTEVILLE AND ITS METAMORPHOSIS

2008-12-19T00:41:00.001-05:00

In 2001, Loretteville has ended its life as a poor, downspiralling city and merged with its larger neighbour, Québec City, along with most of the metropolitan area of the Old Capital City.

Now, Loretteville is one of the 35 quarters in the new Québec City. A lot of money and energy is invested to revive Racine Street and its boutiques. All renovated and refreshed, the store fronts are welcoming and display an architecture typical to the place, with a touch of Québec City-old buildings look and Wendat Huron look. Quarter life has since sprung and bubbles with unique Loretteville effervescence.

Boutik Flori really is, in itself, an attraction. A very surprising mix of racing cars and flower arrangements... You really have to see it, it truly is worth the stop.

Cordonnerie Loretteville is not an ordinary shoe shop. Everything that has to do with leather wear and accessories, footwear, backwear (back packs), sportswear and all the little knick knacks surrounding them.

The east end of Racine Street has a priviledged viewpoint over the Kabirkouba Falls, thundering down the St. Charles River. A photo/video must.

Alongside Racine Street, stretching a kilometre long, you will find a cobblestone walk where - regularly - family events take place. Tents are put up, kiosks of all sorts, corn or hot dogs are served and kids face-painted. For example, the Hallowe'en Mascarade draws people from kilometres away and hosts games, themes and activities. Quite a crowd! Summertime also brings its festive outbursts to the cobblestone walk.

By bus, routes 74, 84 and 87 take you there from the city centre and Metrobus 800-801. Route 72 takes you there from Charlesbourg and Metrobus 801. Route 75 takes you there from Galeries de la Capitale shopping mall.

Loretteville people are so welcoming that they salute you on the street even if they've never seen you before. You go home with this warmth impregnated. Welcome to you all!

EMPOWERMENT: PRACTICE OVER THEORY

2008-11-07T00:22:00.001-05:00

Empowerment is a big word that is best described by "the process of regaining power over oneself, over one's own destiny" and it starts by small steps. Earning one's own money is one step. Regaining dignity, pride and confidence is another. Climbing the ladder leading to autonomy is easier if there is help, concrete, down-to-earth, realistic help. Practical tools. Not just good words and fancy theories.

Empowerment begins in an environment where you meet sympathetic people, real persons who had it difficult and, now, can benefit from a happier life. It begins with easy to understand tools, applicable techniques and concrete results you can bring home everyday. Cumulative, tangible results build confidence and motivation, two key ingredients in the recipe of success.

Empowerment is not a battle. It is a slow but solid construction. Good tools, good materials and good techniques are needed, in a favourable environment.

Read on waska.communautequebec.org

HAPPY SLIP IN QUEBEC OR MONTREAL

2008-10-31T21:55:00.000-04:00

View all Montreal events at Eventful
Read on waska.communautequebec.org

LORETTEVILLE COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS SUPPER

2008-10-30T18:43:00.002-04:00

Waska invites you to the LORETTEVILLE COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS SUPPER, at the "Accueil St. Ambroise Hall" (door on the side of the C. Brouillet Library).

There will be turkey, meatpie, a Christmas log, the usual spaghetti and lots more! Children in their pyjamas will open their presents under the tree then adults will go crazy dancing at the sound of the 70s, 80s, 90s and today's music. Some prizes include a fully-ready-to-use refurbished computer.

ENTRANCE:

Children : $ 5 for supper and evening
Adults : $ 10 for supper only
Adults : $ 15 for supper and evening
Couples : $ 24 for supper and evening
Groups : $ 12 per person, for supper and evening

Proceeds of the event go to the "Autonomous individuals and NPOs" (see in Facebook) to help Waska provide the workshops.

DECEMBER 11, 2008 AT 6:00 PM
262 RACINE STREET, DOOR 5 (ON THE SIDE)
QUEBEC CITY (LORETTEVILLE QUARTER)
INFO: JF NERON AT 418-563-8125 & 418-407-3230

THE GREAT WASKA08 REFORM

2008-10-22T17:04:00.003-04:00

Waska is from a different kind of community organization. While most NPOs are funded through grants and charity funding, Waska sells services to the non-needy in order to help the needy. Everyone is a winner in this story.

Waska has a colossal mission: render individuals and NPOs autonomous. It simply means that they will stop depending from public funding and charity in order to survive. It also means that they gain empowerment. They become active members of the community, providing to it, powering it. That mentality of monetary dependancy cannot be in this economic turmoil. As a worker and a tax payer, I cannot afford to feed my kids and be chained to the survival of my community's NPOs. If an NPO does not survive on its own, maybe it's time to think about its purpose (and justification) in the community.

Waska is an autonomous organization and will proceed to reform its network of collaborators in Quebec City. The NPO has implemented a virtual network in accordance to the "Web 2.0" specifications in order to keep up-to-date with today's fashion to surf the net. The blog you are now reading is linked to Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and various other applications that help broadcasting the association's good deeds. This re-organization is tagged "Great Waska08 Reform" and - hopefully - will help the NPO in its quest to be known by many more collaborators in Quebec City and abroad.

Read on waska.communautequebec.org