IONS Impact Report
2023-2024
Shaping our strategy, deepening our commitments to justice and equity.
Welcome
Shaping our strategy, deepening our commitments to justice and equity.
Annika Voltan
Executive Director
2023 was the year of growing into our identity as IONS as we explored who we are and the impact we want to make. Our scope of work grew and our team nearly doubled as we leaned into new values-aligned activities and projects.
IONS has been on a journey since 2020 in response to massive changes in the world resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, confronting systemic racism, reconciliation with Indigenous communities, accelerating polarization, rising costs of living and homelessness, and mounting climate and geopolitical crises. We can no longer ignore the fact that current systems and ways of working are not serving us. The Community Impact Sector is not well – demand for services is increasing, and work overload and burnout are being felt everywhere. Without healthy staff and volunteers in this sector, we won’t be able to provide the support needed to care for others.
We are committed to changing how we work at IONS to center equity and justice, so we can share what we learn and inspire others to experiment too. We developed four accountability filters to help us make decisions that are responsive to sector needs, center reciprocity and relationships, and reimagine new possibilities.
Over a six-month period, IONS staff and board members worked with coaches to examine our intended impact and outcomes. Instead of one-way information sharing, we are leaning into interactive learning spaces to build relationships. We know that many organizations are struggling to attract and retain diverse staff and volunteers. We launched our Beyond Decent Work campaign to offer inspiration and resources for those seeking to support their people more holistically. We shared stories about our own journey in the hopes that it would give others confidence to try as well.
In 2023 we worked with several provincial government departments including Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage (CCTH), Labour, Skills and Immigration (LSI), the Office of the Status of Women, and Seniors and Long-term Care (via a partnership with Community Links). Through targeted projects we facilitated community engagement and research to deepen understanding of the community-based senior-serving sector, youth employment, the field of gender-based violence, and employment and adult learning services.
We also played a role in stewarding the Nova Scotia Nonprofit Coalition, a group of 20+ provincial organizations committed to raising awareness of issues facing the sector, offering solutions, and informing policy. By working with the provincial government and the Coalition, IONS is better positioned to affect systems change.
Overall, the year was filled with deep conversations, new relationships, and renewed drive for helping people move toward new systems and ways of working that center well-being, justice and equity. We are even more passionate about the work being done across the sector and the impact people are seeking to make in the world. Together, we can find ways to strengthen community belonging and quality of life, despite the crises we’re facing.
Annika Voltan, Executive Director
Our Strategy
and Ways of Working
Long-Term Outcomes
To get to the change we want to see, in the long term we are working toward:
- Policy decisions that reflect priorities, needs, and ideas generated by impact organizations.
- Funding and resources for impact organizations that is adequate, keeps pace with rising costs, and is equitably distributed.
- Workplaces that are accessible, healthy, safe, equitable and inclusive.
- Activating community-led change through connecting people, deepening relationships, and spurring collaboration.
Medium-Term Outcomes
We’ll know we’re on the right track if over the next 4–5 years:
- The Community Impact Sector is at the table shaping public policy.
- Individuals and organizations have the knowledge, skills, networks and resources to activate community-led change.
- More impact organizations are committed to implementing practices that center justice and equity.
- People in the sector are tackling big challenges through coordination and collaboration.
Four Main Elements
Design Principles
Our strategy is grounded in four main elements based on our intended impact, the unique role we play, our strengths, and the needs of communities. We treat these elements as design principles for all the work we do.
- Model change from the inside out
- Practice justice and equity in all our work
- Create spaces for connection and generating new ideas for action
- Connect the dots to someplace new
Filters for Accountability
Inspired by the Mi’kmaw concept of “Netukulimk”, we seek to use values of sustainability and stewardship to guide decisions related to our work. Our “4 Rs” provide a lens for reflection and accountability.
- Relational: We create spaces and opportunities to connect that intentionally build trust, alignment and mutual care.
- Reciprocity: We make sure that information, opportunities, and impact flows in both directions.
- Responsive: We seek to deepen our understanding of what people need and act on it with our networks.
- Reimagining: We look inward and outward to spark new ideas for change that meets what we need now, and what we need to create a just future.
ActIONS
Seasons of Activity
New followers across social media platforms
New followers across social media platforms
Resources published
Impressions on LinkedIn posts
%
Average open rate on newsletters
Activity |
Engagement |
| Exploring Sector Needs for Gender-Based Violence Prevention Community-based research in partnership with Status of Women to guide the development of Nova Scotia – Canada Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence | ~100 individuals and organizations engaged across Nova Scotia, 3 facilitated sessions, 20 interviews and focus groups, and survey |
| Strengthening Community-Based Senior Serving Organizations Research to explore the strengths, needs, and opportunities of groups working with older adults (55+) in partnership with Community Links with funding from the NS Department of Seniors and Long-term Care | ~550 individuals engaged across Nova Scotia, 8 facilitated sessions,15 interviews, 7 focus groups, and survey |
| Ethical Story Building for Narrative Change Two-part training series on harnessing narrative power towards social change | 146 registrants |
| Funding Community Impact Series Two-part series on equitable funding in partnership with Association of Fundraising Professionals, Nova Scotia Chapter | 147 registrants |
| ED Connections Monthly community of practice for sector leaders | 119 registrants, 3 sessions |
| Social Impact Leaders: Discover Benefits for Your Organization Event launching a partnership with Community Services Benefits Trust and New Ground Financial on a Sector-Wide Employee Group Benefits Program and Employee & Family Assistance Program |
20 registrants |
| Community Impact Sector Day of Recognition A full-day sector gathering in partnership with United Way Halifax to celebrate the sector | 315 registrants, 179 attendees |
Activity |
Engagement |
| Digital Transformation Community of Practice Online course and monthly community of practice over 11 months | 40 participants, 20 organizationst |
| Pathways to Action Research phase of a larger project to support the design of a justice and equity self-assessment tool and resource hub | 25 interviews with sector leaders |
| Strategy and Action Plan Launched strategy and implemented new seasonal operating rhythm | |
| Atlantic Social Impact Exchange Summit Presented alongside sector leaders in St. John’s about the collective voice and impact of the community impact sector | 35 attendees |
Activity |
Engagement |
| Beyond Decent Work Campaign Launched a campaign on building just, equitable workplaces |
3 new resources focused on policy, 2 new blogs, a “Possibility” Brief, and media engagement |
| AISC Conference Presented at the pre-conference Governance Forum |
60 attendees |
| Association of NS Museums Keynote Presented a keynote address to museum staff and volunteers about the importance of addressing and presenting burnout |
150 attendees |
| Pathway to Actions (continued) Co-design of a justice and equity self-assessment tool and resource navigation hub with community partners |
Two-day design sprint 13 participants |
| Good Governance Research phase of a project aiming to strengthen governance practices in collaboration with the NS Department of Labour, Skills, and Immigration and its service providers | 19 interviews, 57 survey respondents |
| Community Conversations: Equitable Policy In-person workshops in Digby and West Hants on equitable organizational policy development |
2 sessions 50 registrants |
| Canadian Federation of Nonprofit Networks gathering Attended a conference in Ottawa of national and provincial network organizations that support the community impact sector |
|
| Board-Staff Retreat Annual gathering of board and staff in Tatamagouche, with a focus on living justice and equity and reimagining governance | |
| Nova Scotia Nonprofit Coalition Retreat The Coalition gathered to develop a strategy and action plan | 15 organizations represented |
| Sector Holiday Party In-person event to connect and celebrate the sector | 66 registrants |
| ED Connections (continued) Monthly community of practice sessions | 60 registrants, 3 sessions |
| Digital Transformation (continued) Monthly community of practice sessions | 3 sessions |
Activity |
Engagement |
| Good Governance Continued research phase | 3 new resources focused on policy, 2 new blogs, a “Possibility” Brief, and media engagement |
| Pathway to Actions Community engagement sessions to gather feedback on justice and equity self-assessment tool and resource navigation hub | 60 attendees |
| 2024 IONS Exchange Launched the 2024 IONS Exchange gathering and Reimagining Work award | |
| Beyond Decent Work Campaign | # resources # blogs |
|
External Presentations Presented on the Beyond Decent Work campaign at several events, including:
|
6 presentations 325 reached |
| ED Connections Monthly community of practice sessions | 77 registrants, 3 sessions |
| Digital Transformation Monthly community of practice sessions | 3 sessions |
ReflectIONS
Stories of Impact
Network Mindset
Living Our Values
Putting relationships first and connecting the dots between people, sectors, and ideas.
We often talk about IONS as a “network of networks” and the importance of collaboration in our work. By distributing leadership, looking outward, seeing our work – individual and collective – as part of a larger web of activity, we strengthened our capacity for systems change. Here are some of the ways that the IONS’ team is part of a larger ecosystem of change with the many hats they wear.
LYDIA PHILLIP (she/they)
Content Strategist
Community affiliations outside IONS:
I am a writing fellow for The Philanthropist Writing Fellowship for Black and Indigenous Writers, I was named a 2024 Future of Good Young Impact Leader, I have served on numerous community boards, and am heavily involved with the air cadet program.
What does a network mindset mean to you?
I think it’s more than just a mindset, but the actuality that we are in relationship with others and the land. We can shape, mobilize, empower, and ideate from our individual spheres.
ANNIKA VOLTAN (she/her)
Executive Director
Community affiliations outside IONS:
I’m on the board of Research Nova Scotia, the national Federation of Nonprofit Networks, the Association of Industry Sector Councils (and their Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility committee), and the Atlantic Social
Impact Advisory Committee. I’ve also been doing some volunteer work to support Circulate Community, a community sauna enterprise in the valley.
What does a network mindset mean to you?
It’s about seeing the bigger picture – the system lens – and the interconnections
between people and ideas, and then facilitating new connections and relationships to bring ideas to life.
Why is a network mindset important and how does it show up in your work?
No one group or organization can solve complex problems on their own. More than ever, we need to work together for a better future and networks are critical to making this happen. It shows up every single day – whether I’m introducing people to each other, forming partnerships with other organizations, or connecting the dots of knowledge and ideas in meetings I’m in.
LISA FIAMELLI (she/they)
Executive Assistant
Community affiliations outside IONS:
I am a relief youth worker at Phoenix
Youth Programs. I work at Phoenix Youth
Shelter, a 24/7 emergency shelter, and at Phoenix Centre for Youth. I also volunteer at Women AWARE, cofacilitating a support group for women & non-binary folks. I am also a board member at this organization.
A time when my community affiliations influenced my work at IONS:
Being a front-line worker at a community impact organization in Halifax has influenced my work at IONS, because it really helps me understand the needs and
realities of the community impact sector in Nova Scotia firsthand. The challenges of the sector, that we have heard many folks share (through questionnaires, conversations and other sources) are realities I have noticed and myself experienced. For example, when working on the Welcoming Workplaces Toolkit that I am working on with other team members at IONS, I have been able to
contribute what should be included in this
as a front-line worker myself, something
that I would like to see and that would be
helpful for organizations.
BERNADETTE MELITA (she/her)
IONS Board member
Community affiliations outside IONS:
I work in government, and I am an Indonesian with Chinese ethnic identity. I am deeply connected to the Indonesian Nova Scotian community and have active trusting relationships with the African Nova Scotian community.
What does a network mindset mean to you?
To me, a network mindset is the understanding that you are only a part of something bigger, which is all interconnected. Everything that you are and that you do influence and will be influenced by others and your environment.
A time when my community affiliations influenced my work at IONS:
I am part of a transformative leadership circle that centers BIPOC leaders at its centre. Being in that circle has shown me how powerful active listening can be. There is so much that people say. Bearing witness to people is deeply profound and it really puts you in a vulnerable space–perfect starting ground for a beautiful relationship. I have applied this in how I show up at IONS and it has served as a fertile ground for budding relationships.
ALISHA CHRISTIE (she/her)
IONS Board member
Community affiliations outside IONS:
I am a coordinator of the lead team for the Homeless No More Initiative and I work for the Town of Kentville as the Housing and Community Partnership Coordinator. I am also a committed member of local theatre organizations, Women of Wolfville and the Fezziwig Society.
What does a network mindset mean to you?
A community asset-based approach drives a network mindset and results in resiliency. Operating from the lens of collective impact, our network mindset can create a web of community resources, skills, knowledge, and connections, allowing the sector to continue moving the work forward while the capacity of organizations in the sector shifts and flows.
A time when my work at IONS influenced my other roles in community:
As a board member, I had the unique opportunity to collaborate with IONS staff in hosting policy workshops in rural Mi’Kam’ki (Nova Scotia). Rural service providers, particularly those working in response to the homelessness crisis, are on the frontlines. Their work is often in immediate response, leaving little room for long-term policy development. By partnering with IONS, Homeless No More (HNM) brought policy resources into the community. The sector responded by feeling supported and understood by IONS staff and recognized the value of a network mindset in enhancing and amplifying our sector’s work.
Justice and Equity
Living Our Values
Reimagining new ways of working and modelling the change from the inside out.
We know that practicing ways of knowing, being, and doing that center justice and equity are critical to addressing the systemic challenges we face across our society. This year, we walked the talk by adjusting our organizational design, experimenting with new practices, and sharing our learnings with the sector.
Living JEDDI Lab and Team Coaching
The Living JEDDI Lab was an internal learning process supported by a consultant to strengthen JEDDI (justice, equity, diversity, decolonization, and inclusion) in our work. We held regular team sessions throughout the year to explore topics around decision-making and agency, self-leadership, feedback, pay transparency, leave and flexibility, and growth and recognition. These conversations led to policy and process changes that increased collaboration, distributed leadership, and heightened feelings of autonomy. Alongside the lab, we participated in individual and team coaching to develop generative conflict and psychological safety skills.
“This work has helped me become more open to seeing “change” as “emergence” (and therefore something not to be feared first) and they have helped me notice and question the behaviours and reactions that I hold that were impacting my ability to show up as a good team member in this emergence.”
“This work has helped me become more open to seeing “change” as “emergence” (and therefore something not to be feared first) and they have helped me notice and question the behaviours and reactions that I hold that were impacting my ability to show up as a good team member in this emergence.”
Equitable and Inclusive Recruitment
We consciously iterated our ways of approaching the recruitment of staff, board members, and even the procurement of suppliers and service providers – all with the goal of shifting power dynamics to support a more relational approach. For example, we:
• Shared salary range and features of the work culture in job briefs
• Provided a ‘What to Expect’ document to candidates
• Provided interview questions in advance
• Provided multiple time options for interviews and ability to self-select times
• Provided an honorarium to job interviewees
• Offered reverse reference checks
• Published explicit statements about our justice and equity commitments in hiring
“I was treated as a whole person, not just as a candidate, throughout the entire process. The reverse reference checks were completely new to me; I was able to speak with an IONS team member to get an accurate and honest depiction of the management style I would be working with and the manager I would be reporting to. From beginning to end of the hiring process, I felt that there was an intentional and thoughtful approach in being inclusive, and that is so important for me when choosing an employer.”
%
Increase in diversity of applicants
Operating Rhythms and Four-Day Work Week
We explored our relationship to time and implemented a new operating rhythm of seasonal cycles to combat urgency culture. The new rhythm includes regular reflection seasons to create the space for rest, the four-day work week, annual board-staff retreats, and a culture of care practices.
“At IONS board-staff retreats, we create the time and space to connect on a level that is not just about IONS and the organization, but individually and more personally. When you connect more on a personal level, you can work together better.”
Sharing Our Learnings
We shared our justice and equity journey in our blogs and are making our policies and practices public through our Beyond Decent Work campaign.
Blogs
- A Leader’s Perspective on Reconnecting with Our Creative Selves through Seasonal Work Cycles
- Quiet Quitting or Loudly Advocating? A Gen Z’s Guide to Knowing Your Worth
- Welcome Aboard: How Organizations Create Belonging for New Hires
- Put Your Oxygen Mask on First: Discussing Health Benefits in a Caring Sector
- Off the Clock? Exploring Our Relationship With Time and Work
Media
- IONS Strategy Launch (CTV Atlantic)
- Diversity beyond HR: Applying a DEI lens to procurement (The Philanthropist)
- Why ‘urgency culture’ in the workplace is failing everyone (Globe and Mail)
- The new non-profit workplace: Considerations and solutions (The Philanthropist)
Knowing my worth and making change
Haley Moriarity, IONS Communications Coordinator
Read Story
Pay isn’t always easy to talk about, and it can be hard as a young person entering the workforce to navigate these conversations. A few months after I started at IONS, I was feeling strained financially and felt it was time to ask for a cost-of-living adjustment. During this time, as a team we were also having conversations about growth and recognition through the Living JEDDI lab. Compensation is an important topic as there’s different needs for different family situations (single-income households, childcare, people working multiple jobs, housing, etc.).
I was excited to have this team conversation initially, but quickly felt that there was an “elephant in the room”. I felt we were not being as transparent as we could have. I voiced my frustration that the team wasn’t aware of what others’ salaries were, even though we advocate for pay equity in the sector, and named my own salary to start the conversation. After the meeting, four team members came forward to thank me for being so open with what I had brought up and disclosed their salaries as well.
Shortly after, we published the IONS salary scale publicly – a huge step! I wrote a blog on workplace advocacy where I was able to highlight some of the tools I have used in my career to help empower others to ask for what they are worth. The blog really resonated with people and overall the team has really grown since those initial conversations. The tough stuff often needs to happen before we can actually get to where we are aspiring to be.
Blog: Quiet Quitting or Loudly Advocating? A Gen Z’s Guide to Knowing Your Worth
Resource: IONS Pay Scale Policy
Leading with a mindset of abundance and growth
Janet Barlow, IONS Board Chair and Executive Director of Hike Nova Scotia
Read Story
I joined the IONS board in the fall of 2022 because I believed in what IONS stood for – fair wages, decent work, etc. Plus, their use of abundance language, like calling us the ‘Community Impact’ rather than ‘nonprofit’ sector, really struck a chord with me.
Shortly into my time with IONS, I was browsing the 2022 State of the Sector report when I noticed the comparisons of average salaries of various positions in Nova Scotia and Canada. I realized that at Hike NS, our salaries were lower than the provincial averages – which were already lower than other parts of the country. And when I look at the impact of our organization, it’s clear we are doing great work. I thought, “We ought to be compensated better!” I looked at our budget, and we had some flexibility, so… why not?
I took this information to my board and made a case for salary increases given Hike NS’s strong performance and the rising cost of living. Fortunately, our board is excellent and thoughtful – and they said yes! Soon after the raises, we also got approval for a health benefits plan.
At Hike NS, we are starting to offer subsidies to our programs and courses for equity-deserving communities if there is a cost barrier to attend. We are partnering more with Indigenous groups. I am challenging mindsets about work by sharing IONS’ resources and bringing more openness and flexibility to the way I lead. If we want to create a world where the sector’s impact is fully valued and recognized, it begins with us.
Being on the IONS board has also helped me question settler colonial ways of working. I am a privileged, white, cisgender woman – there’s lots of learn and unlearn. I’m grateful to get to learn from and be continuously inspired by my fellow board members, who are exceptional people with incredibly deep knowledge and lived experience in justice and equity. I’m a better ED for it.
Exchange and Reciprocity
Building Community Capacity for Change
Creating spaces for connection and reciprocal flows of resources and impact.
We believe that people learn and innovate better when they are in spaces that are engaging, generative, and relational. This year, we strengthened collaboration across the sector through communities of practice, network building, and community gatherings.
ED Connections
This year we continued to host regular ED Connections sessions to engage sector leaders in peer learning around a range of topics, including decolonizing board governance, board diversity and inclusion, resilience, boundaries, recruitment, and creating welcoming workplaces.
subscribers to the ED Connections newsletter
%
open rate
“Thanks to IONS for the opportunity to meet, learn and share with other EDs across the province and across sectors. The value of networking with others who get what I do cannot be overstated. In a sector where the budget for professional development opportunities for staff is very small, sessions like this make a big difference in my organization’s growth and development.”
Community Impact Sector Day of Recognition
In partnership with United Way Halifax, we held the annual Day of Recognition for the Community Impact Sector on May 12, 2023. This event brought together sector staff, volunteers, supporters, and elected officials from all three levels of government. It featured workshops on storytelling and media, performances by African Nova Scotian and Mi’kmaw artists, and the announcement of the Invisible Champions Awards. Through a partnership with CBC Radio Information Morning, award recipients were featured each day leading up to the event. By far, attendance at the 2023 Day of Recognition was the largest in the event’s history.
attendees
invisible Champions recognized
“Day of Recognition” proclamation by the Government of Nova Scotia
Recognizing NS' Invisible Champions
(CBC Information Morning) Click here for full story.
“This award is very special to me. Sometimes it is hard to look back and recognize the work that we accomplish. I sometimes describe the work as soul crushing, something very challenging to negotiate and this award allowed time to truly think and look back on the triumphs and successes over the last decade.”
Sector Day of Recognition Mural by Bria Miller
(click image to enlarge)
Possibilities and opportunities at ED Connections
Mary Pat Mombourquette, Executive Director, Cape Bretons Miners Museum Here
As the ED of a small museum in Glace Bay, I am always looking for ways to maximize our limited resources. IONS has been a lifeblood for me. They understand our needs and challenges, provide ways to connect around exceptionally relevant topics, and offer ideas and resources that actually work for organizations like ours.
Read Full Story
As the ED of a small museum in Glace Bay, I am always looking for ways to maximize our limited resources. IONS has been a lifeblood for me. They understand our needs and challenges, provide ways to connect around exceptionally relevant topics, and offer ideas and resources that actually work for organizations like ours.
That’s why I make time for the monthly ED Connections. It re-invigorates me to connect with others and share ideas, especially in the small breakout groups. After these sessions, we all go back to our desks thinking, ‘We can do this!’. It’s time well spent.
Our museum shares the history of coal mining in our region, and the ED Connections session on equity, diversity, and inclusion helped me see how we could tell more than a white man’s story. We were in the middle of our exhibit renovations at the time, so I went back to the design team and said, ‘We have to be really intentional here.’ We hunted for stories of people from all around the world who had come to work in the coal fields. The new exhibits are now going up and we hope more visitors will see themselves reflected in this region’s story.
In another ED Connections session, I met someone who spoke from lived experience about the importance of accessibility beyond physical access or mobility. I had never really thought about this before. Later, when I was asked to join the consulting and design team for NSCC’s new campus, I shared what I had learned about accessibility and encouraged them to invite the person I had met onto their consulting team – and they did!
The ideas that IONS shares feel possible for a small organization like ours. I am now using their resources to create a more welcoming workplace and to be a better coach and listener for my staff. The sector is so diverse, yet IONS’ work is consistently relevant, helping us serve our communities best and take care of ourselves.
This is absolutely essential work.
Skills for Transformation
Building Community Capacity for Change
Generating new ideas and activating sector transformation
Our conversations with impact organizations often reveal the need for practical support and ready-to-use resources and templates. This year, we developed tools and training opportunities around two trending topics: equitable policy development and digital transformation.
“IONS pays attention to the needs of the not-for-profit sector in Nova Scotia and provides practical opportunities for those working in the sector to address a range of challenges.”
Equitable Policy Development
In partnership with Homeless No More, we held in-person workshops in Digby and West Hants to dialogue and share resources around equitable policy development. Using a World Cafe facilitation style, we gathered input from community that will inform a future resource called the “Welcoming Workplaces Toolkit”.
Feedback from the sessions:
Event met expectations
Content was useful
Learned something new
Strengthened skills
Created a new connection
Would recommend to colleagues
“I enjoyed hearing everyone’s stories, ideas, feedback and getting to meet new people!”
Digital Transformation
This year, we launched the Digital Transformation Community of Practice, which guided 20 organizations in a 12-month journey to improve their capacity to navigate digital transformation, adopt technology in their organizations, and respond to tech challenges as they arise. In partnership with The Human Stack, this program included access to the Digital Driver’s Ed course, monthly sessions, weekly student hours, and subscriptions to additional services. The program ends in June 2024, but we are already hearing that it has demystified the work and helped leaders and staff identify tangible ways to improve digital systems and culture.
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVOURITE PART OF THE DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION COHORT?
Peeling back the curtain on digital transformation
Bonnie MacDonald, IT Technician Team Lead, Employment Solutions Society
I applied for the Digital Transformation program for our organization hoping it would help us measure how we were doing digitally and learn new strategies to bridge the skills gap between our staff and the population we serve.
Read Full Story
We are nine months in, and if someone considering the program were to ask me about it today, I’d say, ‘Do it!’ in a heartbeat.
As the only tech person at my organization, I haven’t always had many people to confer with. By attending weekly student meetings, I realized that I’m not alone and that there are others out there experiencing the same IT barriers whom I can reach out to for support.
I’ve been at the Employment Solutions Society for over 22 years! A lot of my work is done automatically, as I always look for ways to automate systems and tasks. This program has helped me – and my colleagues – see the work more clearly. For example, I started asking staff to fill out a digital form when they had tech requests or issues, and I was shocked to discover just how many requests I was getting.
I also hadn’t realized that we had more than 21 tech systems until we were asked to write them down. That’s a lot of tech for anyone to learn, let alone new staff. This program is changing how I approach onboarding and tech support. We just hired a summer student, and instead of simply handing over a fully set up laptop like I used to, I invited her to be part of the device setup process. Many times during that two-hour session, she said to me, ‘I didn’t know that this was how much work it takes to get me a computer to work with.’
When you get used to a certain way of doing things, it can be hard to adopt new systems. I’m realizing that the more people see and understand what IT looks like behind the scenes, the less intimidated they are. This program has taught me to always be mindful of the human component to any technology – it’s probably your biggest hurdle and supporter. I want to stay approachable so that my colleagues reach out to me with their issues, and we keep solving problems and growing together as an organization.
Beyond Decent Work
Research and Advocacy
Responding to community and advocating a more just and equitable sector
This year, we launched our first communications and engagement campaign “Beyond Decent Work” around building just, equitable workplaces that prioritize people and provide everyone with access to a dignified life.
Focusing on the subtheme of “Welcoming Workplaces”, we published our version of a “policy” brief, resources, templates, and blogs around implementing people-centered strategies that attract and empower staff in their work.
We continued to offer critical services to the sector, including our online sector job board, sector database and network map, Sector-Wide Employee Group Benefits program, and the Employee & Family Assistance Program.
| Resources |
Possibility Brief: Improving Total Compensation in the Community Impact Sector Shifting Power Dynamics in the Hiring Process Understanding Team Working Styles |
| Media |
Beyond Decent Work: How to improve working conditions for NS nonprofits (CBC Information Morning) Burnout and Pay Inequity Burden Nonprofits (All Nova Scotia) Perspective: Reduced-hour work week feasible for some (Saltwire) Retaining employees at non-profit agencies easier with benefits: IONS (Atlantic Business) |
| Shared services | |
| Examples of Impact |
Making the leap to a
four day work week
Genea Teskey, Executive Director, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Colchester
Read Story
For years, I had been following the research on Four-day Work Week (4DWW) with keen interest. But with the many in-person activities we run at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Colchester, I wasn’t sure if it would work for us and left it on the ‘maybe someday’ list…
If you want to go far,
go together
Lori Burke, Executive Director, Cape Breton Centre for Craft and Design
Read Story
Having been an ED for 10 years, I can safely say that it can be an isolating and lonely role. IONS’ ED Connections sessions have been incredibly valuable – they remind me that I’m not alone in how I am feeling and provide a space where I can be vulnerable…
Navigating Change, Embracing Vulnerability, and Finding Support
Sara Burgess, Executive Director, Veith House
Read Story
I am the ED of Veith House, a community hub in the North End of Halifax. This is my first ED role. One year in, and it still feels new. What has surprised me most? Just how much time and energy the HR function takes. In small organizations…
Bridging Community
and Government
Building cross-sector collaborations for community impact
Our sector is stronger and more influential when we work together. This year, we strengthened collective impact and advocacy by supporting the work of the Nova Scotia Nonprofit Coalition, leading research to inform government policy, and bringing government partners and impact organizations together to co-design better programs and services for the sector.
Nova Scotia Nonprofit Coalition
Stewarded by a working group consisting of IONS, United Way, and Community Foundation of Nova Scotia, the Nova Scotia Nonprofit Coalition is a network of provincial impact organizations working collectively to strengthen the sector by raising awareness of the opportunities and challenges in the sector and sharing experiences with government. This year, we developed a three-year strategy which will soon be launched. We also connected with similar coalitions in Ottawa, St. John’s, Scotland, and Wales!
“Already have strengthened relationships – we’ll be having [member organization] support us through improving our sustainability plan.”
Informing Policy through Sector Research
We engaged in research projects focused on two subsectors:
- Community-based senior-serving organizations (in partnership with Community Links) to better understand the context of the groups and organizations helping people to age in communities.
- Gender-based violence and women’s serving sector to gather input for the Nova Scotia – Canada Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence.
Through in-depth community engagement including surveys, interviews and in-person sessions across the province, we assessed the current state, needs, challenges, and opportunities within these subsectors. Recommendations for strengthening the subsectors were shared directly with funders and supporters, including the need for increased, long-term core funding and systems shifts to address inequities.
“It was interesting to hear different organization’s perspectives. People pointed out features that I wouldn’t have considered. I didn’t feel like IONS was leading or taking over the conversation. It was really collaborative and there was a lot of space for people to talk and provide input. Conversations about equity and justice can get intense, but IONS created a very positive and relaxed atmosphere that facilitated a lot of good thought and reflection.”
Human-Centered Design for Equity and Good Governance
We integrated design thinking methodologies into two projects that interfaced government and community:
- Pathway to Actions: In collaboration with the NS Department of Communities, Culture, Tourism, and Heritage (CCTH), we explored how we might provide organizations with pathways to navigate tools to increase knowledge, confidence and action for equity-centered action with communities.
- Good Governance: In collaboration with the NS Department of Labour, Skills, and Immigration (LSI), we explored how we might strengthen the governance capacity of organizations providing employment and adult learning programs and strengthen relationships between LSI and service providers.
Through community research, design sprints, card sorting exercises, learning labs, and more, we brought government funders and community organizations to the table to co-create new capacity building opportunities for the sector.
Access a pathway of curated resources and tools to create more inclusive, equitable workplaces here: www.pathwaytoactions.ca
“I want to thank you for inviting me to be part of your design sprint. It was very engaging and uplifting. I feel I also gained a lot from it to bring back to my own organization and board. I look forward to seeing what the results are!”
Advancing equity and inclusion through partnership
Aja Joshi, Director of Community Outreach and Inclusion, Nova Scotia Department of Communities, Culture, Tourism, and Heritage (CCTH)
At CCTH, we fund community organizations across the sector from arts to culture and heritage, to sport and recreation, and more. Some time ago, we launched an initiative to review our funding programs and to ensure we embed an equity lens throughout the process. Advancing equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility (EDIA) is very important to us. We talked to many organizations and heard that they need support in their own EDIA journey. But how do we proactively provide EDIA tools and resources that are relevant, scalable across the province?
This question sparked our partnership with IONS on the Pathway to Actions project. Working with IONS made sense – they are recognized as a sector council by community and had already delivered learning journeys around Indigenous reconciliation and anti-Black racism.
Instead of the typical funder-grantee relationship, we approached this project as a co-partnership. IONS formed a design team with CCTH and community organizations, and together, we participated in hands-on sessions to co-design a tool that would be helpful for the sector. Everyone was able to share their unique perspectives across the many rounds of feedback.
This co-creative and inclusive way of working has been refreshing. It has been insightful for me to see how intentionally IONS approaches this work. They really take the time to listen to a wide range of feedback, making space for different ways of participating, and not jumping to solutions. We hope it might inspire more partnership relationships between government departments and the Community Impact Sector. We also hope community finds this tool helpful to support their EDIA work and can’t wait to hear their feedback!
Our 2024-2025 Action Plan
In the spirit of responsive and iterative planning, IONS focuses on one-year Action Plans that are updated on an annual basis in alignment with our strategy and the evolving context we’re working in. The Action Plan timeframe commences in September each year and spans 12 months. We are aiming to complete the following in 3 Activity Areas by September 2025:
Building Community Capacity for Change
This year we seek to develop our Learning Networks team so we can do more to support learning, relationship development, and communities of practice. We will aim to develop resources and training opportunities that are informed by the needs of the Community Impact Sector.
Deliverables include:
- Launching and promoting the Pathway to Actions self-assessment tool and resource hub for individuals and organizations to advance their commitments to equity and justice.
- Finalizing our Good Governance project in partnership with the NS Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration, including sharing learning and recommendations for evolving governance practices.
- Developing and launching a welcoming workplaces toolkit comprised of resources for organizations to adapt and implement to create accessible and inclusive workplaces.
- Adding a consultants catalogue to our web site so people in the sector can find contractors to support their work.
- Launching 2-3 online courses focused on equitable human resource management practices, evaluation and storytelling.
- Absorbing the Association of Volunteer Management Professionals Nova Scotia (VMPNS) and supporting a community of practice for volunteer managers.
- Partnering with United Way to support knowledge and resource sharing for advancing public policy strategies.
• Developing an overview of IONS’ approach to communities of practice and launching new groups in response to sector interests. - Hosting a series of regional gatherings focused on nurturing welcoming workplaces.
- Continuing to host and support ED Connections, a peer group of sector leaders.
- Hosting sector socials in December and June.
Research and Advocacy
This year we will continue our “Beyond Decent Work” campaign, which we plan to wrap up in spring 2025 prior to moving to a new campaign theme. The goal continues to be to highlight challenges and inspire change related human-centered policies and practices for recruitment and retention. We will also tie the advocacy efforts of the NS Nonprofit Coalition to IONS’ communications more intentionally in our shared efforts to advance policy change.
Deliverables include:
- Launching the IONS podcast!
- Supporting the release and promotion of the NS Nonprofit Coalition strategic priorities.
- Updating our web site to better align with sector priorities and make information easier to find.
- Publishing two new possibility briefs, including one based on a series of interviews with the sector on labour market conditions.
- Publishing new blogs and editions of our newsletter.
- Providing information and resources for the sector to engage their networks to vote in the provincial election.
- Conducting a new State of the Sector survey and report.
- Updating our online interactive sector map and dashboard.
Living Our Values
This year we will continue to advance our work related to nurturing a welcoming, accessible and inclusive culture and IONS that aligns with our commitments for justice and equity. This includes continuing to adjust our organizational design, experimenting with new practices, and sharing our learnings with our network.
Deliverables include:
- Taking an online course on Generative Conflict as a full team.
- Continuing to implement reflection seasons intentionally designed with space for project debriefs, team learning and individual reflection.
- Sharing IONS’ policies and practices as part of the welcoming workplaces toolkit.
- Welcoming new board members with a values-driven orientation process.
- Continuing to develop and implement our approach to impact assessment and producing an annual impact report.
- Examining how governance is done at IONS and exploring how community relationships can be more intentionally integrated into our governance structure.
- Developing an accessibility guide for IONS.
Sector Love
And the heroes we know don’t wear capes costumes or suits
It’s the volunteers, and non-profits and all the grassroots
Who do something with nothing and somehow produce
Out of soil bare and rocky you make gardens bear fruit
You make fireworks shoot
For when someone is down it’s you gives them a boost
And they say we should pull on the straps of our boots
But instead you get down and you walk in our shoes
…
So many forgotten who fall through the cracks
Who you offer a hand or a shoulder or back
And so many don’t see, and so many don’t act
And then there’s you who meet needs sometimes before they are asked
…
And when we ask why you do it you say simply, because
Because no one should exist as though they are invisible
Because caring for each other is what makes this life liveable
Because in this rich country some water’s undrinkable
Because love is a word that takes only one syllable
Because sometimes a smile is enough when you’re miserable
Because all of us together are damn near invincible
Because for you, not to help is something unthinkable
…
But every life that we touch is a seed that we plant
When they say it’s half empty you fill up the glass
And it’s you that guides all of us onto new paths
And then someone comes back and shows the life that you’ve touched
And all of those struggles they crumble to dust
Though so much of what you do stays silent and hushed
Trust in your heart that it’s more than enough
And we see the result when we do what we must
Because humanity’s work is a labour of love.
El Jones, excerpt from spoken word poem written for the 2023 Community Impact Sector Day of Recognition (video performance)
If the sector didn’t exist…
…people would fall through the cracks of society, wouldn’t know where to go or where to turn.
– Shannon Gumbs, Bryony House
…our province would be so broken.
– Jarah Gregory, Couch of Hope
…our quality of life would be totally different.
– El Jones, Mount Saint Vincent University
If IONS didn’t exist…
“My job would be a lot harder. I would really feel the lack of connection with other organizations.” – Genea Teskey, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Colchester
Where would the resources for organizations trying to make change within the organizations and within the community be held?
– Sara Burgess, Veith House
There would be a lack of forward thinking research for the community sector. – Lori Burke, Cape Breton Centre for Craft & Design
There would be a gap in community leadership. – Aja Joshi, Nova Scotia Department of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage
Thank You!
In closing, we would like to extend our heartfelt appreciation to the IONS team and board (past and present), partners and service providers, and our extended team members for their passion, energy, and wisdom. In addition, we would like to express gratitude for our funding partners – Department of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage (CCTH), Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration (LSI), Nova Scotia Advisory Council on the Status of Women, Association of Industry Sector Councils (AISC), Community Services Recovery Fund (via Red Cross), and Community Links.
Together, these contributions have helped shaped IONS into who we are today and how we show up in the sector. We have the privilege of working on meaningful endeavours and engaging with community stakeholders toward a more just, equitable future. We look forward to what’s next and building upon the strong foundation we all co-created.
2023-2024 IONS Team
Alexandra Theroux
Annika Voltan
Clary Chambers
Diane Connors
Haley Moriarity
Jeanine Kazungu
Kristen Faulkner
Lisa Fiamelli
Lydia Phillip
Priya Andrade
Tyler Colbourne
Thank you to our past team members:
Christopher Phillips (Summer Student)
Jody Nelson
Reg Manzer
2023-2024 IONS Board of Directors
Janet Barlow (Chair)
Sylvia Parris-Drummond (Vice Chair &
Co-chair of HR & Gov committee)
Bryce Cross (Treasurer)
Sally Ng (Co-chair of HR & Gov committee)
Rebecca Slaunwhite
Gurmit Kaur
Schuyler Smith
Alisha Christie
Bernadette Melita
Navdeep Parmanand
Kelly Bennett
Thank you to our past board members:
Chris Googoo
Jayne Hunter
Tim Crooks
Templeton Sawyer