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.
  • Lead with Pride: Best Practices for Advancing 2SLGBTQIA+ Leadership

    Lead with Pride: Best Practices for Advancing 2SLGBTQIA+ Leadership

    ,
  • Nominations Open! Invisible Champion Awards 2023

    Nominations Open! Invisible Champion Awards 2023

    , ,
  • This is Not a Hula Hoop: Practicing Self-Leadership to Live your Values

    This is Not a Hula Hoop: Practicing Self-Leadership to Live your Values

    Alexandra Theroux Operations Manager Last month during our Fall Board and Staff retreat, the staff team were lead through a simple activity with a hula hoop. The goal was to get the hula hoop from one place on the ground to another about a meter away. The rules were simple: 1) We could only use…

    ,
  • 2022 State of the Sector Launch

    2022 State of the Sector Launch

    Share On Facebook Share On X Share On Linkedin Copy URL We’re launching the 2022 State of the Sector Offerings: Survey Report, Data Dashboard, & Sector Network Map!   In January 2022, IONS conducted the 2022 State of the Sector Survey to understand trends across the Community Impact Sector and to learn more about what’s…

    , , , , , , ,

  • Leading Nature-Based Retreats

    FireLoch Folkschool is pleased to  host Heath Dawson, an experienced forest school and nature-based retreat leader from Dublin, Ireland. Heath will be travelling to NS in August for an international axe throwing competition and has offered to extend his travels to join us as a facilitator at FireLoch. Together, Heath and the FireLoch team have…

    ,
  • Reimagining Productivity Article Series

    Reimagining Productivity Article Series

    , ,
  • Pulse-check with sector leaders on mental health

    Pulse-check with sector leaders on mental health

    ,
  • Forget about one-size fits all solutions to complex problems

    Forget about one-size fits all solutions to complex problems

    When you subscribe to the systems approach, you must accept that the only constant is change. As an Executive Director and holder of a PhD in social entrepreneurship, Annika has worked for many years on collective solutions to social issues, engaging a range of stakeholders in collaborative actions for change.

    ,
    ,
  • Reimagining Productivity: A Power Conversation with Annika Voltan

    Reimagining Productivity: A Power Conversation with Annika Voltan

    We’re taught to equate productivity with output. To bulldoze through even when we’re running on empty. To constantly do more. But what if we told you that notion is harming us, our teams, and our work? That reflection, relationship building, and even rest can be productive?

    ,
    , , ,
  • Black girls gather to break down barriers, build successful careers in Nova Scotia

    Black girls gather to break down barriers, build successful careers in Nova Scotia

    , ,