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
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
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
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
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
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 