The Latest

Contribute. We love to hear your thoughts, your musings and your latest work. Please share with us!
Write a post

A Common Purpose

Posted by Geraldine Cahill on September 13, 2018

In 2016, an international group of partnership broker trainers convened in Wales to reflect on the key principles involved in partnership processes. The gathering followed a 20 year journey initiated by Ros Tennyson and Michael Warner who wanted to promote professionalism and integrity in cross-sector partnering.

Read More

Abundant Community: An Interview with Paul Born

Posted by Myrisa Schubert on September 12, 2018

I sent an email to Paul Born, the other day. It was a quick exchange – and from this a blog post was created. 

For this interview, I did not personally know anyone that was an abundant community pioneer, so I reached out to some of the resources listed in the back of a book. I got a response from Paul Born, who is the Co-CEO of Tamarack Institute in Canada. This institute focuses on being a connecting force for community change by offering tools, training, consulting, and learning communities to get from theory to practice to impact. Paul is also the author of four books, including two Canadian best sellers. The interview questions I asked were the following;

Read More

Welcoming the Stranger

Posted by Paul Born on September 12, 2018

In the next 25 years, if things go as planned, Canada will accept some 7.5 million immigrants and will receive nearly 1.5 million refugees. But, how many of us think things will go as planned in the next 25 years?

Read More

What to Expect When Joining Your Local Poverty Alliance

Posted by Hillary Geneau on September 4, 2018

At the end of 2017, I was looking for ways to get more involved in my community. When I first heard of the Leeds Grenville Poverty Alliance, I was intrigued, but could not figure out exactly what their mission was. When I attended my first meeting, I was quite intimidated, walking into a large boardroom with people who work on these issues every day. It soon became apparent that the work they do is meaningful, and that I was fortunate to be able to listen and learn. The following are some of the things I’ve learned about being a part of this group.

Read More

Canada’s First Poverty Reduction Strategy: Opportunity For All

Posted by Alison Homer on August 29, 2018

The Government of Canada’s first Poverty Reduction Strategy, Opportunity For All, was released on August 21, 2018 in Vancouver, BC. Based on a vision of a Canada without poverty, and on the principle that all Canadians deserve a fair and real chance to succeed and live with dignity; the strategy commits to strengthening the middle class and helping those who are working hard to join it. Informed by an extensive community engagement process, Opportunity For All is organized by three pillars, establishing a working definition of poverty and official income poverty line, and a commitment to reducing the poverty rate in Canada by 50% by 2030.

Read More

Friends, Neighbours and the Sweet Taste of Community

Posted by Thomas Froese on August 28, 2018

Taking time to share food with the people close to us — whether it’s friends, neighbours, or a bit of both — is good for the belly, and the soul and the people around you.

It was a long time ago and a ridiculous day.

I went for a sleepover. "Chris has invited you," I was told by the grownups around me. So with my pyjamas and such, I walked some distance to my friend's house. Chris wasn't home, so I sat and waited. His sister looked at me like I was from Mars. I waited. And waited.

Finally, Chris came home with his mother. Neither knew a thing about any sleepover. Then that mother gave Chris supreme %$^&*. "Christopher! Have you been fooling around with that phone again?" she yelled. Nobody, least of all me, knew what was going on.

Read More