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Ontario Making Progress on Child Poverty

There’s some very encouraging news on the child poverty and housing fronts in Ontario’s recently released 2017 Poverty Reduction Strategy Annual Report.

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A Tribute to the Caledon Institute of Social Policy

The Caledon Institute is a social policy think tank. Co-founded by Alan Broadbent (Maytree) and Ken Battle (joined by Sherri Torjman and Michael Mendelson) in 1992, it has grown to become one of the most important organizations in Canada for its role in informing and influencing public opinion and fostering public discussion about poverty and social policy in Canada. After 25 years of remarkable work, Caledon will be closing its doors in December but its impact will live for many years to come.

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Understanding Measures: Moving from Counting to Accomplishing

A tsunami of measuring things has hit our community efforts over the past decade. For the most part, this "run it like a business" mantrahas done little harm, but it also has not gotten us to the promised land of transformative change.

There have been critics on both sides of the exercise.  Some will talk about their belief that important things, by their very nature, do not lend themselves to be measured.  While others will identify the insufficiency of the measures chosen.  Still more have called it a distracting fad that takes providers away from the important work of good people doing good things.

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Pathways to Change: Six Theories about How Policy Change Happens

Pathways to Change: Six Theories about How Policy Change Happens is a must-read for anyone who wants to better understand the public policy process and how to impact it.  Author Sharon Stochowiak outlines six common theories or pathways for policy change – summarizing some underlying assumptions; typical activities and outcomes; and, some tips on practical applications for each theory. 

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