Foundation's Purpose

The William Vince Foundation is dedicated to providing support to charitable organizations that assist youth in need from three areas of life that were Bill’s passions; film, sports and overcoming learning disabilities.

Film Outreach

A focus of the William Vince Foundations’ funding is the Intersections project. Created and supported by Bill’s production company, Infinity Features, Intersections is a non-profit, digital filmmaking skills development program that works with youth at risk in Vancouver. Its projects are designed to teach employment skills and life skills, while inspiring creativity, positive personal development, and healthy lifestyle choices in its participants. Supported by film industry mentors and role models, Intersections introduces the young participants to opportunities for personal, creative and career development through film and video production.

Vancouver is the home of the pilot project for Intersections. Bill’s objective was to build a template for the program in Vancouver that could be migrated to other cities in Canada. The William Vince Foundation will continue to pursue his goal by establishing Intersections’ programs in major cities across Canada over the next three to five years.

INTERSECTIONS MEDIA PROGRAMS:

Workshops: These are the entry point to the Intersections’ programs. Run in 8 week cycles by volunteer mentors, workshops teach the basics of digital film production, and editing, as well as enhance youth’s exposure to different aspects of the creative and learning process via thematic and creative sessions. Participation in the workshops is a prerequisite for youth to enter into the Intersections’ intensive programs. They act as an introduction to the youth community and as a way to engage and evaluate both youth and mentors.

Snapshots offers commercial video production services to the Vancouver community. The program combines the talent of Intersections’ mentors and its’ youth program participants with the professional expertise and oversight of Infinity Features. These video and audiovisual projects provide real world experience for Intersections’ participants. In addition, by providing a fee for service program, Snapshots contributes to the economic sustainability of the Intersections project.

Intersections Intensive works with youth at risk who have expressed a commitment to learning and working together to gain the technical and relationship skills necessary to tell dramatic stories through film. Through mentoring, training and hands on production experience, youth gain tangible filmmaking skills along with the fundamental life skills necessary to support and guide the development of realistic creative, career and/or educational goals. A social and economic sustainability project, Intersections Intensive is dedicated to helping youth learn steps that will help them move towards a self sufficient future.

Next Step: To ensure the graduates of the Intersections programs have a viable next step open to them in their career and educational goals, the William Vince Foundation will establish scholarship and internship opportunities in partnership with Canadian Film Schools, Production Companies and Film Unions. Graduates of the Intersections Intensive program will be eligible for either scholarships to continue their education at Canadian Film schools, internships with Canadian film or post production companies, or permitee positions on Canadian film productions.

Sports Outreach

A portion of the William Vince Foundation’s funding will be dedicated to helping youth sports groups in need of assistance. From purchasing equipment and uniforms, to helping facilitate sports figure appearances to deliver inspirational messaging to youth, the Foundation will provide assistance to charitable programs that raise the level of youth sports in Canada.

Language Arts Outreach

Bill Vince referred to his own severe dyslexia, not as a disability, but as a “benefit”. It required him to work longer and harder in any pursuits that involved reading, just to keep up with those around him. The perseverance he developed because of this carried over to all sides of his life, where his work ethic allowed him to overcome obstacles, time and time again, that those around him felt could not be conquered. The William Vince Foundation will allocate part of its resources to charitable causes that support overcoming learning disabilities. (Dyslexia and others)