AN OVERVIEW
Introduction
to SVCC
Founded
in 1980, Student Volunteer Campus Community (SVCC) is a non-profit,
student group that has been providing the University and Edmonton community
with language sessions for over 25 years. Today, SVCC serves more than
270 members of all ages, levels and nationalities with the help of
75 volunteers every semester.
SVCC is composed of 6 Sub-groups: the English Language Group (ELG), the
Japanese Group (JLG), the Korean Group (KLG), the
French Language Group (FLG), the
Cantonese Language Group (CLG), and the Mandarin Language Group (MLG).
Sessions are conducted in 3 semesters a year, 11 weekly sessions a semester.
Sessions are held on Saturday mornings from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM on the
University of Alberta campus, in the Education Building.
SVCC is a registered student group at the University of Alberta, as
well as a registered society incorporated in Alberta.
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Mission Statement
The objectives of SVCC are:
- To provide educational services for the University of Alberta students and community
- To provide an English as a Second Language program to help international students
and new immigrants solve linguistic difficulties
- To provide to promote multiculturalism
in Canada
- To develop volunteer activities as a part of student life on campus
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History of
SVCC
When SVCC was originally founded by the late Father Firth and Rita
Chow, it was composed solely of an English Language Group intended
for new immigrants from Vietnam. At that 
time,
SVCC was known as "SVCC for Refugees" and sessions were held
at St. Joseph's College (a small college located on campus). When the
English Language Group grew in size to five sessions, SVCC was forced
to look for a larger space and moved over to the Education Building
where it still resides today.
In 1982, the growing number of ELG members also brought a demand for
day-care for the members' children at the front desk. The executives
entertained the children with stories and games and at the end of 1984,
SVCC decided to start a Cantonese Language Group for these children.
Over time SVCC has grown to meet the Edmonton community's needs, establishing
a Mandarin Language Group in 2005, a French Language Group in 2007,
Japanese Language Group in 2008 and Korean Language Group in 2009.
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Organizational
Structure of SVCC
(under review)
