Hannah Askew started as Executive Director at Sierra Club BC in late 2018 with a mandate to bring an Indigenous lens to the work of Sierra Club BC, alongside the traditional scientific lens. As a lawyer, prior to this role, Hannah practiced public interest environmental law and was deeply involved in learning from Indigenous communities about their systems of law and governance. You’ll hear that Hannah is a big proponent of the McConnell Foundation’s Innoweave program “Impact and Strategic Clarity”, which they completed in 2019. It’s how they developed a Theory of Change (see the podcast resources), building clarity around what the organization aimed to achieve and how they would do it. While it was a difficult process, coming in as a new Executive Director and with this big change mandate, they've come through the other side and landed in a strong position to face the challenges of COVID-19. They’re able to leverage their clarity of purpose, shared values, and bonds as a team as they work remotely. They have greater direct participation from Indigenous peoples in the work. This clarity has also led to a stronger funding position. Sierra Club BC’s experience highlights the need to check our biases and identify things we may take for granted. It also shows how challenging it can be to question our values, and change, but it also highlights the great value in doing so. Resources Sierra Club BC: https://sierraclub.bc.ca Sierra Club BC’s Theory of Change: attached Hannah Askew: 2018 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Report: https://www.ipcc.ch/2018/10/08/summary-for-policymakers-of-ipcc-special-report-on-global-warming-of-1-5c-approved-by-governments/ Thank you for listening to Impact Conversations with Lynn Fergusson & Sally Fazal . Find out more about our work at Social Impact Advisors: https://socialimpactadvisors.ca
Sarah Midanik, Executive Director of the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund shares a message of hope, as she reflects on the important work of reconciliation requiring us all, and non-Indigenous Canadians in particular, to take action. We hear about the important work to be done to address systemic racism and how this national charity found a way, working from the ground up, to address the history not previously being told in the school curriculum, providing tools and resources into some 6000 schools within 4 years. And that’s just one example. Resources Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund: https://downiewenjack.ca/ ReconciliACTIONS: https://downiewenjack.ca/our-work/reconciliactions/ Thank you for listening to Impact Conversations with Lynn Fergusson & Sally Fazal . Find out more about our work at Social Impact Advisors: https://socialimpactadvisors.ca
Selina Young, Director of the City of Toronto’s first Indigenous Affairs Office speaks with us about Toronto’s Reconciliation Action Plan, recently unanimously approved by Council. We hear about the process, informed by various Indigenous community leaders, which pushed Selina and her team to revise the plan, ensuring big, bold action towards reconciliation. It’s also made clear that this plan is not for Indigenous folks to undertake, but rather actions for non-Indigenous folks to be taking, namely by the City and its some 38k people, leveraging its role as service provider, policy developer, partner, system navigator, convenor, negotiator and regulator. Resources City of Toronto Reconciliation Action Plan: https://www.toronto.ca/city-government/accountability-operations-customer-service/long-term-vision-plans-and-strategies/reconciliation-action-plan/ Toronto Aboriginal Support Services Council (TASSC); https://www.tassc.ca/ CAMH reconciliation plan: https://www.camh.ca/en/camh-news-and-stories/camh-launches-truth-and-reconciliation-action-plan OPG reconciliation plan: https://www.opg.com/building-strong-and-safe-communities/indigenous-relations/reconciliation-action-plan/ Yellowhead Institute: https://yellowheadinstitute.org/ Thank you for listening to Impact Conversations with Lynn Fergusson & Sally Fazal . Find out more about our work at Social Impact Advisors: https://socialimpactadvisors.ca
Veronika Berlicki, co-founder and leader of CityHive, shares how they are transforming the way young people engage in shaping their cities. Based in Metro Vancouver, this 5-year old nonprofit has revisited its initial strategic plans, to assess the impact its been making and see what changes that might mean for the way forward. They’ve engaged key stakeholders along the way and had some tough conversations as a team, looking at the change they want to be making and considering the trade-offs. They’ve developed a Theory of Change that is not only guiding their work but providing momentum, as they aim for youth facing systemic barriers to have an increased and lasting sense of civic agency. To really understand the youth they aim to serve and the solutions they might need to serve them, we hear about a 10-point continuum of civic agency they’ve created, from not really being interested in engaging around 1, to those working with their municipality to create change. They’ve further dug in to understand what it might take to create that sense of civic agency, uncovering things like voting at the first possible election. All of this puts CityHive in a strong position to take action, assessing everything they take on against the impact they seek. Resources: CityHive: https://cityhive.ca Thank you for listening to Impact Conversations with Lynn Fergusson & Sally Fazal . Find out more about our work at Social Impact Advisors: https://socialimpactadvisors.ca
Bianca Caramento is the Manager of the Bay Area Climate Change Council, leading the collective impact initiative to advance and accelerate climate change action in the cities of Burlington and Hamilton. She shares with us the structure behind this collective, with her “backbone” role housed in the Centre for Climate Change Management at Mohawk College, supporting a collective of 14 community organizations. We hear about their Theory of Change – the master plan for reducing green house gases in the community by 50% by 2030, towards becoming net zero cities by 2050, and how this work was informed by data and community consultation. We see the power of this collective, supporting the work of the cities to address climate change while holding them to account. BACCC provides a model for catalyzing change that many seek to emulate in their own communities, be it for GHG reductions or for using a collective approach to address other local issues. Resources Bay Area Climate Change Council: https://bayareaclimate.ca BACCC plan/Theory of Change: https://bayareaclimate.ca/zero-carbon/#our-plan BACCC Regional GHG inventory: https://bayareaclimate.ca/zero-carbon/#ghg-inventory BACCC Indigenous Collaboration Policy: https://bayareaclimate.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/BACCC-Indigenous-Collaboration-Policy.pdf BACCC members: Burlington Economic Development Corp Burlington Green Clean Air Hamilton Conservation Halton Environment Hamilton Hamilton Chamber of Commerce Hamilton Conservation Authority Hamilton Health Sciences Hamilton Industrial Environmental Association Hamilton Regional Indian Centre Sustainability Leadership United Way Halton & Hamilton Thank you for listening to Impact Conversations with Lynn Fergusson & Sally Fazal . Find out more about our work at Social Impact Advisors: https://socialimpactadvisors.ca
Foreseeing COVID negatively impacting women’s ability to stay and thrive in the workforce, Pamela Jeffrey, Founder and lead of The Prosperity Project was concerned about the impact this would have on not just the women themselves, but Canada’s prosperity.So, she took action, focusing on women, and particularly women of equity-deserving communities, including Black, Indigenous, racialized, LGBTQ2S+, and physically challenged. Pamela shares how this project came to be and the unique seed funding approach, with 60+ senior professional women committing to the cause – personally and financially.She breaks down the 5-point plan laid out from the start, aligned with 5 marketable programs including a goal-focused professional volunteer program supporting charities that focus on women and girls, and a Rosie the Riveter inspired initiative to get more women and girls into skilled trades and STEM for good, well-paying jobs.We uncover an important adjustment to the plan along the way, after recognizing a better approach to achieve their desired impact through advocacy for affordable childcare. Resources The Prosperity Project:https://canadianprosperityproject.ca/ Volunteer matching program:https://canadianprosperityproject.ca/matching Rosie Resource Portalhttps://portal.canadianprosperityproject.ca/ 2022 Annual Report Card on Gender Diversity and Leadership: The Zero Report:https://canadianprosperityproject.ca/data-tracking Pamela Jeffrey:https://www.linkedin.com/in/pamelajeffery . Thank you for listening to Impact Conversations with Lynn Fergusson & Sally Fazal . Find out more about our work at Social Impact Advisors: https://socialimpactadvisors.ca
The Home Depot Canada Foundation has recently revisited their role and plans by developing a Theory of Change and Strategic Plan. We hear about the journey and results from Amy Bilodeau, Sr. Manager, Community Investment for the Home Depot Canada, a role which includes supporting the Home Depot Canada Foundation's mission to eradicate youth homelessness in Canada. This mission has remained intact, and with a renewed commitment, with the Foundation continuing to aim higher on its fundraising goals, and then applying those significant funds for systemic change. We hear about the importance of engaging all stakeholders in this work, from Home Depot Canada suppliers and vendors, to charities the Foundation supports, to youth who have experienced homelessness. They’ve taken on a more intentional focus on serving equity-deserving populations. We also hear that it’s about more than funding, and there’s a great fit for Home Depot Canada to be providing skills trades experience to youth, as an act of preventing homelessness. Resources The Home Depot Canada Foundation: https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home/corporate-information/our-community/the-home-depot-canada-foundation.html Tradeworx: Helping youth experiencing homelessness access careers in the trades: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ptce8Knxzo&t=2s Thank you for listening to Impact Conversations with Lynn Fergusson & Sally Fazal . Find out more about our work at Social Impact Advisors: https://socialimpactadvisors.ca
B Corp is a global movement of more than 4800 companies, with almost 400,00 employees in 79 countries around the world, all focused on making business a force for good. Together, B Corps are working to shift our global economy from a system that profits few to one that benefits all: advancing a new model that moves from concentrating wealth to ensuring equity, from resource extraction to energy generation, and from individualism to interdependence. We are happy to have Ian Kelly and Elaine Adema from PeaceWorks Technology Solutions, a fellow B Corp, on today’s episode. PeaceWorks is an employee- owned social enterprise that provides IT Services and Support, based out of Waterloo, Ontario and Winnipeg, Manitoba. They are a technology company, motivated by the impact their clients are making in the world. 65% of their clients are non-profit. They have been making the benefits of technology affordable and accessible to all organizations, including those with limited resources, for more than twenty years. In today’s episode, Ian Kelly, General Manager, and Elaine Adema, Account Manager at Peaceworks, talk about what motivates them about the B Corp movement, what the certification process is like, and the evolution of new B Corp standards around the world. They talk about how employees and customers respond to and are motivated by the B Corp mission, and the hope it brings. Resources: Peaceworks site: https://peaceworks.ca Peaceworks B Corp certification: https://www.bcorporation.net/en-us/find-a-b-corp/company/peaceworks-technology-solutions/ About B Lab and the B Corporation movement: https://www.bcorporation.net/en-us/movement/about-b-lab . Thank you for listening to Impact Conversations with Lynn Fergusson & Sally Fazal . Find out more about our work at Social Impact Advisors: https://socialimpactadvisors.ca
Show notes: Kara Peck, Senior Director, Strategy + Partnerships, B Lab US & Canada shares their journey to strategic clarity for their organization and for making a real difference in the world. Leveraging a time of organizational and societal change, they have developed a Theory of Change, creating alignment around a new focus for the B Corp-certifying nonprofit, to support the business sector in taking collective action towards addressing racial equity, climate justice and stakeholder capitalism. Resources: B Lab US/Canada Theory of Change: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=og0iYy52ZjE B Lab: https://bcorporation.net/about-b-lab B Corp Impact Assessment: https://bcorporation.eu/certification?_ga=2.224228763.1436296932.1624646817-1194428511.1465581593 Kara Peck: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karapeck Sweet Livity: https://www.sweetlivity.com Revolution Foods: https://www.revolutionfoods.com . Thank you for listening to Impact Conversations with Lynn Fergusson & Sally Fazal . Find out more about our work at Social Impact Advisors: https://socialimpactadvisors.ca
In this episode, Sally speaks with Shelley Zuckerman, who has been the Executive Director of North York Community House for the past 30 years, about her long career in the non-profit sector, how her organization has navigated the challenges of the past two years, and her advice for the next generation of leaders in the sector. Shelley shares what makes her optimistic for the future, both for our sector and more broadly. As she nears retirement this year, Shelley reminds us about how far we have come, and shares her confidence in the next generation to go further on issues of social justice, building on strengths in community and amplifying the voices of the people the sector serves. She advises leaders to be continuously curious and learning, and to support new leaders by giving them opportunities to share and try their ideas. North York Community House serves more than 15,000 residents in northwest Toronto every year. The help transform lives by working with people, understanding their needs, and supporting them in achieving their goals. For over 30 years, NYCH has been opening doors for new Canadians; supporting youth, parents and seniors in becoming active, engaged citizens; and creating opportunities for residents to improve their lives and lead positive change in their neighbourhoods. Resources North York Community House: https://www.nych.ca NYCH Twitter and Facebook: @nychonline . Thank you for listening to Impact Conversations with Lynn Fergusson & Sally Fazal . Find out more about our work at Social Impact Advisors: https://socialimpactadvisors.ca