Artificial intelligence is transforming how we work, engage communities, and deliver services across Canada. Nonprofits, municipalities, healthcare systems, and grassroots organizations are adopting AI to improve efficiency and reach. But alongside this innovation, we must ask the hard questions. As AI spreads, it can reproduce (or even accelerate) existing racial, environmental, and social inequities. For … Continue reading AI Can Create Racial and Environmental Disparities: What Volunteer Managers Can Do About It Through Volunteer Centered Service Design (10 Tips)
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Rethinking “Nice” at Work
February is Black History and Black Futures Month, a reminder that honouring Black history is not only about reflection, but also about engaging with the ideas, leadership, and work actively shaping our present and future. With that in mind, I am intentionally centering one Black author this month, Amira Barger, and her book, The Price of Nice (or, … Continue reading Rethinking “Nice” at Work
8 Tips for Beating the Winter Slump: At Home & Work
Winter has a way of rearranging us. The light slips out early. Mornings feel undecided. Emails multiply while motivation quietly packs a bag and heads somewhere sunnier. For some people, this seasonal shift is more than moodiness; it can be linked to Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a form of depression associated with reduced natural light. … Continue reading 8 Tips for Beating the Winter Slump: At Home & Work
Shaping the National Volunteer Strategy: The Role of Volunteer Engagement Professionals
If you work in volunteer engagement in Canada, you’ve probably felt it. Recruitment feels harder, retention isn’t what it used to be, expectations are shifting, and at the same time the need in our communities keeps growing. For decades, Canada has had a strong culture of volunteering. But in recent years, amid rising costs of … Continue reading Shaping the National Volunteer Strategy: The Role of Volunteer Engagement Professionals
What We Miss When We Confuse Performance With Productivity: Rethinking Work, Value and Equity
We are slowly moving away from a world where work is something you perform and toward one where work is something you produce. Some people are not ready for that shift yet. But technology, culture and reality are nudging us there anyway. And just to be clear there will always be a place for emotional … Continue reading What We Miss When We Confuse Performance With Productivity: Rethinking Work, Value and Equity
Small, Safe Acts of Big Compassion: Activism That Meets Us Where We Are
In moments when the state of the world feels overwhelming, like the sobering reality around the unjust and traumatic loss of Alex Pretti, it is easy to slip into despair or detachment. Yet, as Niila Hébert, Executive Director of The Minnesota Alliance for Volunteer Advancement, shared in an interview on the Dana’s Priceless Advice with Leaders … Continue reading Small, Safe Acts of Big Compassion: Activism That Meets Us Where We Are
Stop Waiting for the Weekend: The Art of Making the Most of Your Workday and Evenings at Home
There is a quiet habit many of us fall into without noticing. We begin to treat the workweek as something to get through rather than something to live. Days are measured by their distance from Friday. Evenings become recovery time. Life, it seems, resumes later. But most of our lives do not happen on weekends. … Continue reading Stop Waiting for the Weekend: The Art of Making the Most of Your Workday and Evenings at Home
Rethink, Refresh, Reengage: Creative Volunteer Engagement for Busy Teams
At the start of the year our manager invited us to choose a word for the year. One word to guide how we show up at work and support others. I chose creativity. That choice kept resurfacing for me in an unexpected place: a Febreze commercial. The ad asks whether we’ve become so accustomed to the … Continue reading Rethink, Refresh, Reengage: Creative Volunteer Engagement for Busy Teams
Slowing the Volunteer Exodus: Practical Ways to Foster Meaningful and Inclusive Volunteer Experiences
Psychological Safety and Voluneer Retention Picture this, you are in the office kitchen, coffee in hand, and someone casually asks, “Why do we never have enough volunteers, and why do the ones we recruit keep leaving?” Too often, volunteers are treated like spare parts, they are slotted in where needed, asked to fill gaps, and … Continue reading Slowing the Volunteer Exodus: Practical Ways to Foster Meaningful and Inclusive Volunteer Experiences
Life Skills for the Modern Age: Why Prompt Intelligence and Digital Hygiene Matter
January, being January, arrives with its familiar energy of optimism and new year intentions.This year, mine are modest and practical. I want to befriend artificial intelligence instead of resisting it, and I want to be more mindful of my online footprint, not in a grand, manifesto‑like way, in the everyday sense, paying attention, adjusting, retraining … Continue reading Life Skills for the Modern Age: Why Prompt Intelligence and Digital Hygiene Matter
Embracing A New World of Online Creativity
It’s Not Always Easy Being a Late Adopter Artificial Intelligence (AI) is oddly exciting, kind of like when I first got my cellphone. I was a late adopter and honestly an embarrassment to my friends. It got to the point where they would introduce me by saying, “Yes, that’s the one who doesn’t have a cellphone.” I … Continue reading Embracing A New World of Online Creativity
Boost Your Volunteer Program in 2026: Practical Insights from the ONN Report
Volunteers are the heartbeat of nonprofits and if you manage them you already know it. They are the ones keeping programs alive, showing up for your mission, and making your community feel seen. But let us be honest, 2026 is shaping up to be a year full of surprises. Between AI tools promising to streamline … Continue reading Boost Your Volunteer Program in 2026: Practical Insights from the ONN Report
In Defence of Proportion: Finding Perspective in a Noisy World
A sense of proportion, or rather, the ability to judge the relative importance or seriousness of things, and to put a situation into perspective, feels more and more like a lost art. Or maybe saying that is, in itself, a sign that I am losing my own sense of perspective. Okay, jokes aside. If there … Continue reading In Defence of Proportion: Finding Perspective in a Noisy World
Beyond the Bookshelf: Rethinking What It Really Means to Be Smart
For the longest time, intelligence was measured by the size of your home library and the quiet seriousness of your reading habits. Today, new research, audiobooks, and artificial intelligence (AI ) are transforming how we learn and who gets to be called smart. This is a love letter to curiosity in all its forms and … Continue reading Beyond the Bookshelf: Rethinking What It Really Means to Be Smart
Artificial Intelligence, You’re Not the Boss of Me! How to Embrace Your Own Writing Voice in an Era of Artificial Intelligence
Eight Tips for Writing With AI Without Giving Up Your Voice Let me take you back to when I was a teenager. My next door neighbour used to pay me twenty dollars at the end of each week. What for, you ask? For walking over, getting her two kids dressed, feeding them breakfast, and walking … Continue reading Artificial Intelligence, You’re Not the Boss of Me! How to Embrace Your Own Writing Voice in an Era of Artificial Intelligence
Volunteer Screening: Balancing Volunteer Risk Management with Accessibility and Inclusion
When most people hear “volunteer screening,” they think of background checks, long forms, piles of paper work and red tape, basically a process all about risk. But here’s the thing, great volunteer screening can do much more than protect your organization. It can open doors, making volunteering safe, welcoming, and inclusive for everyone. Whether it’s … Continue reading Volunteer Screening: Balancing Volunteer Risk Management with Accessibility and Inclusion
6 Smart Ways to Finally Beat Email Procrastination
You know the feeling, when you open your inbox “just to check something,” and 45 minutes later you’re knee-deep in a thread from three weeks ago wondering how your day got hijacked. Email procrastination isn’t laziness. It’s decision fatigue in disguise. Every unopened message is a tiny mental “to-do” that drains your focus before you … Continue reading 6 Smart Ways to Finally Beat Email Procrastination
A Modern Approach to Menopause at Work: Professional Strength Through Change
Common. Natural. And long overdue for the spotlight in workplace conversations. Menopause is a natural part of life; and for some, it can begin as early as their thirties. But when it coincides with deadlines, presentations, and the everyday pressures of modern work, it can feel like an extra full-time job. Hot flashes in the … Continue reading A Modern Approach to Menopause at Work: Professional Strength Through Change
Redesigning Volunteer Programs: Exploring the Decline of Long-Term Volunteering and the Shift Toward Short-Term and Event-Based Engagement
Volunteering used to look a lot like a long-term commitment. People signed up for weekly shifts, joined committees, or served on boards for years at a time. It was a rhythm - steady, predictable, and deeply rooted in community life. But lately, things have changed. Many nonprofits are seeing fewer long-term volunteers and more people … Continue reading Redesigning Volunteer Programs: Exploring the Decline of Long-Term Volunteering and the Shift Toward Short-Term and Event-Based Engagement
The Future Is Friendly (I Think?): Tips for Integrating AI & Technology in Volunteer Administration
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is everywhere these days - from helping us draft emails to suggesting what to watch next. But for those of us in the volunteer world, it can feel a little… complicated. We want to save time, streamline admin work, and maybe even make volunteer screening faster - but not at the cost … Continue reading The Future Is Friendly (I Think?): Tips for Integrating AI & Technology in Volunteer Administration
Reframing Health Care: Biomedical Discourse, Mental Health, and Social Work
Today health care is heavily shaped by a biomedical approach which focuses on diagnosing and treating atypical conditions. Disability and mental illness are often framed as problems to be fixed through medical intervention with medication and clinical treatment prioritised over other forms of support. While this approach has advanced medicine it can limit the ways … Continue reading Reframing Health Care: Biomedical Discourse, Mental Health, and Social Work
Design Thinking: Putting Service Users at the Heart of Service Design
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
Service User Support: Rethinking “Cultural Competency”
We hear the word culture all the time, but what does it really mean? It can mean shared values, languages, art, beliefs, customs, or even collective memories. But here is the thing, culture is complicated, it is often oversimplified, overused, or misunderstood. Helping professionals absolutely should consider culture, but they also need to see each service user … Continue reading Service User Support: Rethinking “Cultural Competency”
Catching Health in the Workplace
It’s relatively easy to sneeze a cold virus on to a coworker. Spreading great health habits, both personal and professional, however, is a much more complex task in the workplace. There’s no simple and fast way to do it but health is like a cultural virus and the ways that viruses spread can teach us a … Continue reading Catching Health in the Workplace
Creating Organizations that Foster Volunteer Loyalty
Boosting Volunteer Loyalty and Retention at Each Touchpoint The success and relevance of any business often depend on its ability to cultivate customer loyalty. When organizations make sure customers are satisfied at every touchpoint, whether in person, on the phone, by email, on their website, or through external media, that satisfaction can turn into loyalty. … Continue reading Creating Organizations that Foster Volunteer Loyalty
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
Reframing Self-Care Advice: Equity, Access, and the Social Determinants of Health
“The definitive factors in determining whether someone is in good health extend significantly beyond access to care and include the conditions in their life and the conditions of their neighborhoods and communities.” — John Auerbach Rethinking Self-Care Whenever the topic of self-care comes up with friends or coworkers, it sometimes feels… well, a little privileged. Because honestly, not … Continue reading Reframing Self-Care Advice: Equity, Access, and the Social Determinants of Health
The Value of Community Hubs: Four Reasons to Love Your Local Library
COMMUNITY HUBS SUPPORT COMMUNITY HEALTH: Do you know what a community hub is? You should. Community hubs promote healthy communities. According to the government of Ontario (2010), community hubs “make it easier for local residents to access the health, social, cultural, recreational and other resources they need together in one spot. It can be located in a … Continue reading The Value of Community Hubs: Four Reasons to Love Your Local Library
Peer Support 101: Strategies for Surviving College & University
College and university life can be exciting, and a little overwhelming. Between deadlines, finances, and everyday life, it’s easy to feel stressed. The good news? You’re not alone. Peer support can make a big difference. Connecting with other students helps you share experiences, swap advice, and build a community that cares. Here are three easy ways … Continue reading Peer Support 101: Strategies for Surviving College & University
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
Give Back, Feel Good: Your Guide to Volunteering
Volunteering isn’t just good for your community, it’s great for your health too! Whether you want to give back, meet new people, or support a cause you care about, there’s a volunteer opportunity waiting for you. And just to share some interesting stats, Canada’s charitable and non-profit sector makes up over 8 per cent of … Continue reading Give Back, Feel Good: Your Guide to Volunteering
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
Re-Evaluation Co-Counselling: Another Peer Support Tool for Your Self-Help Kit
Through professional roles supporting peer support in areas such as maternal health and community engagement, I have developed a strong interest in exploring diverse peer support approaches and sharing best practices. Individuals and communities often adapt what works from these approaches to fit their own needs. A good friend of mine did exactly that. He was inspired by Harvey … Continue reading Re-Evaluation Co-Counselling: Another Peer Support Tool for Your Self-Help Kit
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?
Making Friends in Adulthood
“Living a long life, the conventional wisdom at the time said, depended to a great extent on who we were—that is, our genes. It depended on the decisions we made—on what we chose to eat, and how much we chose to exercise, and how effectively we were treated by the medical system. No one was … Continue reading Making Friends in Adulthood
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)
A Local Pottery Studio to Visit
Joan Spears is the much beloved owner of Pleasant Pottery, located in the Eglinton and Mount Pleasant community. She has been working with clay for over 35 years; and yet it has not diminished her pleasure in seeing new forms emerge from a lump of clay. After losing her graphic design job in 1996, Joan … Continue reading A Local Pottery Studio to Visit
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
Start Your Day with a Morning Walk
Want an easy, energizing way to boost your health and mood? Try a morning walk! There’s nothing like fresh air and a little movement to wake up your body and mind. Fitness expert Bari Lieberman says that morning exercisers not only feel more upbeat and focused, but they are also more likely to stick with … Continue reading Start Your Day with a Morning Walk
Setting Your Life to Music
Music has a magical way of touching us, by lifting our spirits, calming our minds, and helping us power through life’s ups and downs. Yet, surprisingly, many of us don’t make a conscious effort to bring more music into our daily lives. Let’s change that! Here are three easy ways to weave more music into … Continue reading Setting Your Life to Music
Form Follows Function in the New User Friendly World of Work
REDEFINING WORKING AND THE OFFICE ENVIRONMENT: Form follows function is an architectural principle that suggests that “the shape of a building or object should be primarily based upon its intended function or purpose”. This principle is being applied more and more in the modern world of work (literally and figuratively, in regards to approaches to … Continue reading Form Follows Function in the New User Friendly World of Work
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
Civic Engagement Runs in the Family
Research shows that civic engagement, like voting and volunteering, often starts at home. Marion Menard (2010) found that parents and family play a big role in shaping young people’s sense of social responsibility. Early family conversations are often kids’ first lessons in debating ideas, expressing opinions, and standing up for what matters. A study by … Continue reading Civic Engagement Runs in the Family
The Middle Slice 