GRACIOUS KWAPA

Seasoned Marketing and Communications professional with 8+ years of experience, resourcefully utilizing various communication tools to share data, information, and stories of impact. Dynamic change agent adept at planning, developing, and implementing communication strategies to advance organizational goals, and objectives while collaboratively supporting individual and team readiness. Transformational leader who believes in strength-based growth and capacity building experiences that are REDI and community-centric. Extensive experience developing stories of impact and liaising with diverse audiences, including municipalities, government relations, and non-profit organizations. Knowledgeable in principles, theories and concepts of Organizational Change Management and industry practices.

• Provided communications, advice, and support for the launch of a new Vancity branch and 3other branch locations with key partners
• Managed a marketing campaign at the Wesbrook Community branch and exceeded member acquisition targets by 91%
• Managed, trained, and facilitated HIV/AIDS educational programming, advocacy, information, and resource sharing to break stigma of HIV/AIDS
• Provided leadership in the piloted Integrated Community Partnerships Strategy throughout branches, developing guidelines, community engagement strategies, community needs assessments, sustainability measures, adjudication processes and stories of impact
• Provided leadership for Vancity Emerging Leaders identifying and developing capacity building opportunities and facilitating leadership empowerment workshops for staff from all business units
• Launched new training program to boost employee skills and executed a survey to evaluate outcomes which showed a growth in the staff confidence rate from 40%-65%

New Westminster Integrated Community Planning Committee - 2016 - 2019

• New Westminster Homelessness Coalition : Supported the coalition through the grant application and adjudication process.
• Supported the work with community partners to set strategic investment priorities and plans in consultation with sector partners (e.g., municipal, and provincial housing staff, Indigenous and equity deserving communities, grassroots community homeless groups, persons with lived and living experience, non-profits etc.)
• Administered, guided and supported a community and equity centered grant proposal process from solicitation through to fund dispersal, contract management and reporting based on the principles of trust-based philanthropy

Community Partnership Program - Granting adjudication committee 2016 - 2019

• Reviewed and adjudicated grant applications of $10 000 and above.
• Provided leadership and support to the Program Officers to ensure strong relationship building and fostering, community engagement and delivery of program mandate in collaboration with the Program Manager Vancity Community Investment, Finance and Risk

Racial Equity Employee Resource Group, 05/2020 to current

Vancity – Vancouver, BC

· Collaboratively develop strategies that increase the employee experience and peer support of racialized employees while increasing awareness within Vancity of the experience of racialized employees

· Develop communications plan and messaging related to REDI including the calendar and milestones of important dates meaningful to work, brand and partners

UNICEF- Girl Boy Education Movement Program: 2001- 2003

· GBEM is a youth leadership development program which seeks to reduce risky behaviors amongst school learners/youth through inter-class competitions

· Project managed, trained, and facilitated HIV/AIDS educational programming, advocacy, information, and resource sharing to break stigma of HIV/AIDS.

· The main objective of the Girls and Boys Education Movement clubs is for boys and girls to work together to promote girls' enrolment. I've successfully recruited over 11+ girls over 2years to register for and complete studies in STEM fields, since girls have historically been disadvantaged in these fields.

Lifeline Botswana: Peer approach to counseling by Teenagers Program: 2004- 2007

· Coordinated the implementation/activation of PACT program to raise awareness about mental health and reduce the stigma affecting youth in secondary schools.

· Facilitated 4 workshops to empower youth to manage and access mental health resources, and to guide them in discussing and addressing issues that are of concern to them in their schools and communities, and to act together to bring about positive changes in their lives and those of their peers.