IONS is situated in Mi’kma’ki, the unceded and ancestral territory of the Mi’kmaw people. Unceded means that the Mi’kmaq have never relinquished, sold, traded, or transferred ownership of their land to European settler colonies, yet land was taken over without their consent through various processes of settler colonialism. This territory is covered by the Treaties of Peace and Friendship, which the Mi’kmaq and Wolastoqiyik people first signed with the British Crown in 1726. These Treaties did not involve the surrendering of rights to the lands and resources they had traditionally used and occupied. We are all Treaty People.

We further acknowledge that Nova Scotia is the birthplace of Black culture and heritage in Canada. People of African descent have shared these lands for over 400 years, and over 50 strong and resourceful African Nova Scotian communities exist here today.

We are committed to the struggle against systems of oppression that have resulted in profound inequities and the denial of self-determination rights. We are working actively to deepen our learning at an individual level, provide learning opportunities about anti-racism and decolonization, and to develop partnerships with organizations serving and led by underrepresented groups.
  • PERSPECTIVE: Reduced-hour work week feasible for some

    PERSPECTIVE: Reduced-hour work week feasible for some

    Contributed by SaltWire By Annika Voltan, Erika Shea, Lori Burke and Maggy Burns This op-ed was originally published by SaltWire on January 12th 2024 and can be found here.  It’s tough to make enough money to support a good quality of life. We are facing a crisis of inequality, where billionaires are getting richer and…

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  • Put Your Oxygen Mask on First: Discussing Health Benefits in a Caring Sector

    Put Your Oxygen Mask on First: Discussing Health Benefits in a Caring Sector

    Lydia Phillip Content Strategist Clary Chambers Engagement Lead This blog started with a conversation between Lydia and Clary on a noisy park bench in Halifax. Writing a 2,500 word piece is more difficult for Clary, who is dyslexic. Contribution happens in different ways, voice memos, verbally, Teams chats, etc. and though Lydia’s writing is the medium…

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  • How to Embed Rest in Your Organization’s Policies and Practices

    How to Embed Rest in Your Organization’s Policies and Practices

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  • Rest is Social Currency: Who’s Banking It?

    Rest is Social Currency: Who’s Banking It?

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  • People, Picket Lines & Power: Where is our Collective Voice?

    People, Picket Lines & Power: Where is our Collective Voice?

    Over the past few years, the landscape of our province has shifted drastically, becoming an increasingly difficult place to survive, let alone live in. Employment uncertainty, increasing costs, racism and discrimination, and inadequate housing and healthcare access continue to be top concerns for sectors that are chronically undervalued and often led by women – as…

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  • 2SLGBTQIA+ Learning Journey

    2SLGBTQIA+ Learning Journey

    2SLGBTQIA+ Learning Journey Alphabet Soup: Queerness at the Kitchen Table AN E-LEARNING SERIES EXPLORING 2SLGBTQIA+ DISCRIMINATION, COMMUNITY, HISTORY, AND HOPE ACROSS NOVA SCOTIA. Each series and each session will have a different learning theme. These sessions are designed to enhance personal reflection and to open a dialogue on how to implement change in our organizations.…

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  • What do you do? Side Hustles and the Meandering Career Path

    What do you do? Side Hustles and the Meandering Career Path

    Jody Nelson Director, Learning & Engagement Moonlighting, freelancing, gigging, side hustles, or just a second job – those who work in community often live their values and passions, or their survival (as the case may be) after-hours or on weekends. Here in Unama’ki (Cape Breton), on this island that I love, there’s a long history…

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  • Resisting a Rest: How Urgency Culture Polices our Work

    Resisting a Rest: How Urgency Culture Polices our Work

    How do you challenge the status quo when you’re just trying to keep your head above water? Urgency culture is sinister in the way that it wreaks havoc on rest and keeps us in the overwhelm, allowing the status quo (white supremacy, capitalism, and colonialism) to thrive.

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  • We’ll Get Back to you Monday: Reclaim Friday, Rest, and Repeat

    We’ll Get Back to you Monday: Reclaim Friday, Rest, and Repeat

    Reg Manzer Research & Evaluations Manager When I tell people that IONS is piloting a four-day work week, I am immediately met by curiosity and interest, “You must work longer days then?” and “How much was your pay reduced?” When I respond that I don’t work extra hours to make up for it and that my…

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  • Going Slow to Go Fast: Finding Our Focus and Flow

    Going Slow to Go Fast: Finding Our Focus and Flow

    Annika Voltan Executive Director, IONS Reaching Our Limit These days everywhere we turn there are conversations about burnout, staffing challenges, and how to create boundaries around work. In our research, we consistently hear that heavy workloads and burnout are the top issues affecting the Community Impact Sector – second only to funding challenges.   IONS is…

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