The Latest

Sustaining Collective Impact Efforts – How to build your approach

At the most recent Champions for Change workshop for backbone leaders, I was asked to develop a workshop which focused on the challenge facing many collective impact efforts – how to build a sustainable approach.   

This is a challenging conundrum for collective impact efforts which are designed purposefully to move the needle of vexing community issues, work with an eye to complexity and exist in an ever changing community context.  The variables inherent in collective impact efforts lead to many more questions:  

Read More

Sustaining a culture of giving through Canada’s Volunteer Awards

Over the past 150 years Canadian communities have flourished with the help of volunteers.

In fact, Canada is known for its generosity. In 2015, we ranked sixth in the World Giving Index which provides insight into the scope and nature of giving around the world.

Many people and organizations have an important role in sustaining the well-being of communities. They share a common goal with many of us: to make a difference.

Recognising such efforts is why the Canada’s Volunteer Awards are so important.

Read More

How Housing Policy Benefits from a Socioeconomic Perspective

On November 17, I delivered a webinar presentation for the Canadian Housing and Renewal Association titled “The Missing Piece: How Housing Policy Benefits from a Socioeconomic Perspective.”

The presentation focused on both macroeconomic factors and factors pertaining to Canada’s social welfare system in general; I argued that leaders in Canada’s non-profit housing sector should be mindful of such issues (and not just focus on housing and homelessness).  My PowerPoint presentation can be downloaded here; the entire webinar can be viewed here.

Here are 10 things to know:

Read More

CommuniTEA Infusion Project

The CommuniTEA Infusion experience is essentially a mobile tea house that comes to a neighbourhood street and creates a kind of town square where people can come together, get to know each other better and strengthen connections. One reason this is important in our fast paced society today, is that fewer persons are connected in meaningful ways with community. If however the gathering place comes right to your door, there is a greater chance for meaningful exchange to take place.

Read More

Adaptive Learning - A Pivotal Competence for Collective Impact

This session will introduce an integrated set of adaptive learning competencies that are essential for generating effective, collective, community impact. These competencies are: systems thinking, conversational capacity, and 'yes to the mess'.

Read More

Why We Can’t Afford to Take Charities for Granted

Imagine you're the crew of a ship sailing from Italy to Canada. You arrive in Hamilton, Ont., only to discover that complications related to the sale of your vessel means it's in limbo in the harbour, you with it. Who will look after you?

This happened to the crew of the 9,000-ton Italian freighter Ardita in April. The ship is still there.

Read More