I’ve always believed that the real experts in service user care are the people actually facing the issues. So to me, it only makes sense that service users should have a say in shaping their care and the services they rely on. With that in mind, I’ve often pushed for the idea that, as service … Continue reading Design Thinking: Putting Service Users at the Heart of Service Design
Volunteer Management 101: The Shift Toward a Risk-Smart Sector
After nearly two decades engaging volunteers at national, provincial, and local levels, I have seen a lot change in the volunteer world. But one of the biggest shifts has been how seriously organisations now take risk. These days, most groups understand that if something goes wrong, say a volunteer makes a mistake or acts carelessly, … Continue reading Volunteer Management 101: The Shift Toward a Risk-Smart Sector
Amplifying Community Impact through Research for Real Change
At its core, community based research (CBR) is exactly what it sounds like. It does not happen behind a desk. It is research done with communities, not about them. It is a way of asking questions, collecting insights, and analysing challenges together with the people most affected. CBR values lived experience as much as data and listens … Continue reading Amplifying Community Impact through Research for Real Change
Talking to Strangers & Leaving a Positive Community Footprint
Today, while on the train, a woman in her eighties gingerly took the seat beside me. We exchanged friendly smiles, and she offered me a digestive biscuit (though I’m not sure why they call it that, as they are anything but easily digested). I accepted a piece and asked if I could take a picture … Continue reading Talking to Strangers & Leaving a Positive Community Footprint
Non Profit Sector Work: Leading Yourself Through Change
Constant change has become a day-to-day reality for not for profit organizations. They must adapt to the changing needs and requirements of their stakeholders in areas such as funding and fundraising, community engagement, financial reporting and technology upgrades. The ability to be productive while accommodating multiple changes is a must-have skill for managers, staff and … Continue reading Non Profit Sector Work: Leading Yourself Through Change
Peer Support 101: Engaging Outside Your Support Group
Peer support groups provide individuals with a safe space to share experiences, address challenges, and receive encouragement from others who have faced similar situations (e.g., addiction, depression, diabetes, grief, etc.). However, chance encounters with fellow group members outside of the support setting can sometimes lead to uncertainty or discomfort. Many members may not be sure … Continue reading Peer Support 101: Engaging Outside Your Support Group
Peer Support 101: Using Peer Support to Tell Your Story
“Being heard meets a deep-seated human need for connection. The simple yet critically important act of being acknowledged, being listened to – truly being heard – changes everything. It changes the person being listened to and therefore everything connected to that person”. Center for Digital Storytelling We hear our first stories at home. These early stories shape our sense … Continue reading Peer Support 101: Using Peer Support to Tell Your Story
The Toronto Distress Centres Support Social and Mental Health in Toronto
Many people in Ontario struggle to access mental health support that is both affordable and available when they need it. Since 1967, Toronto Distress Centres have been stepping in to fill that gap, providing critical support exactly when it matters most. The centre offers free, confidential, 24/7 phone support for anyone feeling lonely, stressed, or … Continue reading The Toronto Distress Centres Support Social and Mental Health in Toronto
Election Day is Approaching: Are You Ready To Vote Canada?
Voting matters! And, just as important as voting is “understanding” who - and what - you are voting for. Before you vote, take some time to find out about all the registered political parties (i.e. visit their websites, research their political track records, research what causes or policies they are supporting, etc.). Elections Canada tries to make … Continue reading Election Day is Approaching: Are You Ready To Vote Canada?
They Left Us Everything: A Memoir (Plum Johnson Book Reading)
“EVERYONE IS INTERESTING, AS LONG AS YOU ASK THEM THE RIGHT QUESTIONS" –PLUM JOHNSON Author Plum Johnson won the 2015 RBC Taylor Prize, for her book They Left Us Everything: A Memoir. As the winner of this annual award, which celebrates excellence in Canadian literary non-fiction, she received $25,000. Since receiving this award, Johnson has … Continue reading They Left Us Everything: A Memoir (Plum Johnson Book Reading)
Continuing Education: Building More Inclusive and LGBTTIQQ2SA-Friendly Services
In a wonderfully diverse country like Canada, and an even more diverse city like Toronto, those of us in the helping professions, whether in health, social services, social justice, or beyond, are constantly learning how to best meet the needs of the people we serve. Continuing education is not just about professional growth, it is … Continue reading Continuing Education: Building More Inclusive and LGBTTIQQ2SA-Friendly Services
Rethinking Loneliness in a Hyperconnected World
In a culture obsessed with competition in every form, it is getting harder to feel content, whether we are alone or with others. We are constantly fed these perfectly staged glimpses of happiness on television, which is pure fantasy, and on social media, which is just a moment frozen in time. And then we assume … Continue reading Rethinking Loneliness in a Hyperconnected World
The Middle Slice 