Our History

OUR STORY

Acknowledgement

Vancouver Island Providence Community Association acknowledges that for thousands of years the Quw'utsun, Malahat, Ts'uubaa-asatx, Halalt, Penelakut, Stz'uminus, & Lyackson Peoples have walked gently on the unceded territories where we now work.

Providence Farm Board of Directors, staff and community stand in solidarity with Indigenous Peoples of Canada, affirming and supporting the recovery of spirit and relationship between and among people.

Together we acknowledge and grieve the loss of unaccounted small, beautiful souls, who, with their families, were denied the right to realize their dreams and fulfill their destinies.

Vancouver Island Providence Community Association will cooperate with any request from the Hul'qumi'num Treaty Group for actions to confirm the presence or absence of burial sites at what is now Providence Farm.

Farm History

In 1864, the pioneering Sisters of St. Ann acquired a 400-acre farm and opened a boarding school for First Nations' girls (1864-1876), which was later enlarged to make room for orphaned girls from Victoria. In 1904, the school became a boarding school for boys. In 1921, a larger school building was built and the number of students was increased. In 1950, girls were enrolled as externs and the student population grew to over 100. In 1956, the school became a day school for girls and boys. The school closed in 1964 and both students and teachers moved to the current Queen of Angels school site.

The 1960s and1970s was a period of change in much of the world. Social shifts encouraged efforts in building community and establishing a better way of working together. It was in this historical period when a group of people with varied backgrounds and interests got together to discuss the creation of purposeful community at the old school and farm.

Becoming VIPCA

From 1978 to 1979, meetings with the Sisters of St. Ann and other interested persons resulted in an agreement to formally establish a society named the Vancouver Island Providence Community Association (VIPCA) – named in memory of Sister Mary Providence, the founder of the school in Duncan in 1864. The mission, vision and values of the newly formed society was granted registered charity status, and VIPCA's therapeutic programming was begun. The farm site became known as Providence Farm

In 2009, at the celebration of Providence Farm’s 30th Anniversary, the Sisters of St. Ann generously and formally gifted the farm property to VIPCA who now owns this property and infrastructure. VIPCA has no direct affiliation with the Catholic Church.

Providence Farm continues to operate today as an independent, working, therapeutic, secular organization serving adults and seniors with a variety of mental health challenges, developmental and intellectual disabilities and age-related illnesses.

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Providence Farm Today

Our Participants

Each person who participates in the programs at Providence Farm brings along a unique story, a unique circumstance and a unique perspective. These elements come together to form at once the needs which are met by the programs at the farm and the strengths from which it has grown and produced fruit.

Adults from the Cowichan Valley who are coping with mental health issues, developmental disabilities and head injuries are a large part of the community at the Farm.

There are also opportunities for student practicum placements, work retraining, volunteerism and for other individuals seeking what our community has to offer.

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Participants

Staff

Our Staff

An excellent team of full-time and part-time staff are called to work in service to create the therapeutic community of Providence Farm. Our team offers a dynamic and diverse blend of skills, qualifications and abilities along with a genuine commitment to the people in our programs. Our compassion and dedication forms the core of our community which is something you FEEL the moment you join us on the Farm! Have a look at our annual report to see some our accomplishments from the past year.

Our Board of Directors

We have a committed group of community minded directors, several who have been involved since the early days of the formation of Providence Farm as a non-profit society. They come from many professions – private businesses, social work, farming, mental health, retirees – and as such, provide a balanced governance that has not wavered from the society’s original mandate.

Providence Farm is actively seeking new Board Members. Please contact us to learn how you may join this dynamic team.

2022/23 Board of Directors