Advertise on podcast: Impact Conversations

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 Portal https://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

We’re focused in this conversation on a collective approach being taken in Halton to support young people as they transition from the care of CAS, at age 18-24. Halton Region identified this as a priority area, creating a Community Safety and Wellbeing table, and it truly is a community effort. With the Oakville Community Foundation holding the backbone or coordinator role, leveraging support from the Halton Granters Table, many local youth serving organizations have come together to support youth transitioning from care to support their goals in education, employment and training. We hear from Steve Levac, Manager of Youth Services, and Jennifer McKnight, Transitional Youth Worker with Halton Children’s Aid Society, about the history and journey of this collective, the results, and their hope that this is a model for systems change to be further leveraged in Halton and many other communities.    Resources  Halton CAS:  http://haltoncas.ca/   Oakville Community Foundation: https://www.theocf.org/   Halton Youth Collective Program Report : https://www.theocf.org/initiative/halton-cas-youth-initiative/   Halton Community Safety & Wellbeing Plan: https://www.halton.ca/The-Region/Projects-and-Initiatives/Community-Safety-and-Well-Being-in-Halton   Some of the participating youth-serving organizations  ADAPT: https://haltonadapt.org/   Centre for Skills Development: https://www.centreforskills.ca/   CMHA Halton: https://halton.cmha.ca/   Halton Region Housing: https://www.halton.ca/For-Residents/Housing-Supports-and-Services   HCDSB: https://www.hcdsb.org/   HDSB: https://www.hdsb.ca/Pages/Home.aspx   HIEC (Halton Industry Education Council): https://www.hiec.on.ca/   ROCK (Reach Out Centre for Kids): https://rockonline.ca/   Sheridan College: https://www.sheridancollege.ca/   STRIDE: https://stride.on.ca/   Town of Oakville: https://www.oakville.ca/   YMCA Oakville: https://ymcaofoakville.org/   Laidlaw’s YouthCI: https://laidlawfdn.org/yci-projects.html       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, Sonia Theroux, the Executive Director of Leadnow speaks with Sally about what progressivism means, the movement, and how activists and change makers can think about and stay hopeful about the moment we are in.    Sonia is a campaigns and communications specialist, passionate about organizing and community building. She has seen the power of people talking to people about something they care about. She has led or advised on successful electoral campaigns at the municipal, provincial and federal levels. As a consultant with a digital civic tech company, she advised local governments on effective public engagement strategies.    Now, serving as Executive Director of Leadnow - a people-powered multi-issue progressive campaigning community, she sees this organization as a much-needed non-partisan opportunity for people to engage with, and strengthen, our democracy.    In this conversation, Sonia shares her ideas about how to build unity around the things that are important to our communities. She talks about how leadership in this moment is about vision building, while making space for civil discourse about the systemic and structural barriers to achieving the just and equitable society we want. Sonia also shares what keeps her hopeful in this moment.     Leadnow: https://www.leadnow.ca/team/    Sonia Theroux: Twitter @soniatheroux    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

Our guest on this episode is Dr. David Danto, who is the Head of Psychology at the University of Guelph Humber. Dr. Danto’s clinical and research interests include Indigenous wellness and culture-based approaches to addressing intergenerational trauma in local and global contexts. David is involved in allyship and decolonization efforts within the discipline and the academy.     Dr. Danto has worked in psychiatric hospitals, counselling centers, private practice, and correctional facilities in Canada and the United States. In partnership with Indigenous Knowledge Keepers, he developed a field course on Indigenous Mental Health, which he has delivered in Mushkegowuk Territory along the James and Hudson Bay coast for the last ten years. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA), he recently chaired the CPA Task Force on Responding to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report, and he currently Chairs the CPA Standing Committee on Reconciliation.    In this episode Sally and Dr. Danto talk about the early experiences and influences that brought David to this work. We also talk about David’s work learning alongside his students from the people in the Mushkegowuk territory in Northern Ontario.  David shares his thoughts about how far we have to go toward achieving justice and true reconciliation, and how the first step is to learn the truth of the experience of Indigenous people in Canada and connecting in a spirit of humility and openness with Indigenous people.     “Learning isn’t enough. A genocide has happened here. I think there is a growing awareness that is just really beginning. And despite that, there is such a great warmth of spirit, generosity and resilience within the indigenous community, which is, according to some research, one tenth of the population of indigenous people that existed pre contact. That needs to be understood, respected and appreciated.”    Resources:     Indigenous Knowledge and Mental Health: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-71346-1    Psychology’s Response to the Truth and Reconciliation Report: https://cpa.ca/docs/File/Task_Forces/TRC%20Task%20Force%20Report_FINAL.pdf    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