What is PovNet?

PovNet is an online resource for advocates, people on welfare, and community groups and individuals involved in anti-poverty work. It provides up-to-date information about resources in British Columbia and Canada. PovNet links to current anti-poverty issues and also provides links to other anti-poverty organizations and resources in Canada and internationally.

Qu'est-ce que PovNet?

PovNet est un site Internet à moteur de recherche destiné aux intervenantes et intervenants, aux personnes assistées sociales et aux groupes communautaires travaillant à des actions anti-pauvreté. Le site comprend des renseignements à jour sur les lois concernant l'aide sociale, le logement et les ressources disponibles en Colombie-Britannique (Canada). PovNet offre aussi des liens sur les enjeux anti-pauvreté actuels et vers d'autres organisations et ressources de lutte contre la pauvreté au Canada et à l'échelon international.

All of PovNet's content is under the umbrella of anti-poverty advocacy but we have divided up the site into different categories so it is easier for you to find what you are looking for. We have asked the following questions to help divide up the site:

Browser	Menu Items	Macintosh Shortcut	Windows Shortcut
Internet Explorer	View > Text Size > Largest	.	.
Firefox, Netscape	View > Text Size > Increase	Command+	Ctrl++ Ctrl+-
Opera	View > Zoom > %	Command+ Command-	+ or 0
Safari	View > Make Text Bigger	Command+	.

What are PDFs?

PDF (Portable Document Format) files have become a standard format on the internet because they allow for the preservation of all the fonts, formatting, graphics, and color of any source document, regardless of the application and platform used to create it. Basically the PDF creater program takes a "picture" of a document. That "picture" can then be shared via the internet or email and, no matter what type of computer they are using, whoever sees it is seeing exactly what was written and/or designed.

We want to make PovNet as easy to use as possible for as many users as possible. We hope this Help page will enable you to make the most of the site. If you have any difficulties or suggestions, please contact us.

How to Make this Website more Accessible

For information on website accessibility visit the PovNet Accessibility page.

How to Find Information on PovNet

We have created a variety of ways to help you find information on PovNet. The two main ways are by conducting a search or by browsing. For more information on how we have divided up information on PovNet see the Category Definitions.

Browse PovNet

With the navigation bar on the left side of every page, you may browse by Issue, Region, Online Resources, Find an Advocate, and Links.

The Issues page is divided by different categories as well as by location. Each Issue has news, online resources, links, applications, and government information.

The Regional page is divided by province, territory, Canada, US and International.

We would like to make PovNet accessible and easy to use for as many people as possible. We know that some users have slower Internet connections or older web browsers, some users use assistive devices, such as text readers, some readers are not able to use a keyboard or mouse and some users have difficulty seeing small text or certain colours. We created the site using the PovNet Accessibility Guidelines based on the World Wide Web Consortium’s (W3C) Web Accessibility Initiative (WIA). WIA creates the guidelines which are considered the international standard for Web accessibility.

If you have any problems or you want to suggest how we can make our site more accessible or easier to use please contact us.

Accessibility Tips

• How to Increase Text Size
• How to Use PDF Files
• Need Help Using PovNet?

To order PovNet bookmarks contact us.
Let us know:

1. How many you would like;
2. Whether you want the English/French version or the English/BC links version;
3. Your name, name of organization, and full address.

The bookmarks are free.

Personal Information Protection Policy of PovNet

This policy statement concerns PovNet's collection, use, disclosure and retention of personal information about our members, our users, and members of the general public. A separate policy statement which is available upon request concerns personal information about our employees, volunteers, and board members, and applicants for those positions. These policies have been established pursuant to the Personal Information Protection Act of BC.

PovNet's News Feeds link to the following mainstream and independent news sites, blogs, advocacy organizations, non-profits and government sites to with various keywords.

Blogs

• Wellesleyinstituteblog
• Poverty News Blog

Government

• Alberta Government News Feed
• BC Government News Feed
• Canada Government News Feed
• Manitoba Government News Feed
• Nova Scotia Government News Feeds
• Ontario Government News Feed
• Saskatchewan Government News Feed

Mainstream Media

Local/National

• The Toronto Star (Editorial)
• The Toronto Star (Top News)
• The Province
• The Vancouver Sun (West Coast News)
• Globe and Mail
• CBC - BC
• CBC - Toronto
• CBC - Ottawa
• CBC - Canada
• CBC - North
• CBC - Top Stories
• CBC - New Brunswick
• CBC - Nova Scotia
• CBC - Calgary
• CBC - Edmonton
• CBC - Manitoba
• CBC - Newfoundland
• CBC - Montreal
• CBC - PEI
• CBC - Saskatchewan
• CBC - Archive
• National Post
• Vancouver Sun (News)
• Times Colonist News Feed

International

• The Guardian (International + UK)
• New York Times
• Google News

Independent Media

• Mostly Water
• The Dominion
• The Georgia Straight
• The Tyee