SVP Toronto Newsletter - Spring 2010
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Dear Partners and Supporters, I hope spring finds you well. We had a marvellous annual general meeting at the end of March at which partners shared their concepts of what success will look like and how we’ll recognize. This has given great fodder to the leadership committee and our evaluation-measurement workgroup. We’re analysing our recent partner survey. Educational events continue to be superbly received. Projects are underway with the Phoenix Print Shop and MicroSkills, and the capacity assessment is just winding up with Skills for Change. Our Investment Committee is assessing potential ways to strengthen how we make our investment decisions. And, new partners are bringing skills to our investees and committees. This is my last note to you as founding chair of SVP Toronto. I will step down in the summer, around the time I give birth. I’m very excited about the changes in my life, and look forward to a lasting relationship with SVP. As always, SVP couldn’t achieve what we do without all of you. Thanks. Kathryn Wortsman Welcome new Leadership Committee members At our annual general meeting, held on March 24th, partners acclaimed Debra Campbell, Sandra Lang, Lorraine Loeb and Steve White to Leadership Committee – welcome. And, thanked Jordy Koski, who has stepped down.
Over an hour was used for partners to talk about success and how we’ll recognize it. A great conversation. Financial and activity reports were given, and priorities for 2010 were shared. You can find notes from that meeting on our intranet and see slides. The first time you use the intranet you need to log-in; the standard id is svp\yourname (eg. connieclement); the standard password is 12345. For non-partners, please contact staff. SVP Toronto intranet
Our intranet for SVP partners & staff is progressing well. If you’re a partner and you haven’t visited yet, please do so: https://intranet.svpi.org/. A number of partners have created e-profiles so we can all learn more about each other. And, later this spring we’ll be asking you how (if) you want to network more electronically.
Our community investments & investee projects
Our 2009 Annual Report, summarizes our projects with investees last year. Find a copy on our website. (If you’d like a paper copy, please contact staff.) We’ve done a lot, achieved a lot, learned a lot.
This spring, lead partners from all three investees will meet together, and will do so a couple of times a year to learn across projects, improving as we go. The Investment Committee has new members and is delving into improvements that can evolve from what we learned in our first two investment cycles. The Committee will be meeting monthly this spring, is suggesting that we not make a 4th investment until 2011, and will develop ways to ensure partner engagement and learning by linking with Education Committee. Education
Four excellent and varied educational events have been held between January and April. We held our first workshop – What is Capacity Anyways?, designed and led by partners to deepen our understanding about organizational capacity and how we can support investees to build greater capacity. In February, Uzma Shakir talked about the colour of poverty, sharing her personal story and hard-hitting analysis about the ways in which poverty is racialized in Toronto. In March, three speakers talked to us about approaches to Microphilanthropy and how it’s changing giving. In April, a panel presented about Social Enterprise: Opportunities & Changes.
The fall line-up is in development and will be announced later this spring. [A reminder of a previous announcement: We’ve cancelled the Ontario Poverty-Reduction Strategy event, initially scheduled for May 25.] Measurement & evaluation workgroup
A new workgroup is underway. Members are Debra Campbell, Ben Levin, Jaishal Kotak, Lorraine Loeb, Daniel Stein. The group is starting by developing a map (logic model) of SVP’s goals, objectives, strategies, activities, outputs, outcomes, impacts. From this, we’ll develop an evaluation plan. We’re not sure how yet, but we’re keen to find ways to workshop this material when it’s in draft with interested partners – both as a way to sharpen our plans and as a way to learn together. Stay tuned.
Paul Brainerd, SVP Founder
Some months back Paul Brainerd, founder of SVP, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. A few of our partners have had the pleasure of meeting Paul. He is, by all reports, a force of nature. In addition to conceiving of the SVP approach to combine volunteering and financial giving, managed by a group of partners, Paul co-founded Aldus which brought the first ever desktop publishing software (PageMaker) to market. He’s credited with coining the term ‘desktop publishing.’ Kathryn is putting together a page from us to be added to a wishing/thanks book for Paul. For those of you who don’t know him, check out this video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAqS7wPJtmk (apparently not the greatest production value, but a good listen, none-the-less).
Our staff - working for us
Never hesitate to contact Connie Clement (416-642-5468) our executive director if you have suggestions, questions or want to offer to do something. Connie’s here for us. Jennie Tao continues to be our stellar administrative coordinator, supporting our communications, records and events. |
Upcoming Events Thursday, May 20 and Tuesday June 22 Wednesday, June 9 Thursday, June 10 MicroSkills Gala MicroSkills will be hosting the 13th Annual Gala and awards Presentation on Thursday, May 27 at the Pearson Convention Centre between 5:30pm - 10:00pm. As previously shared, Denise Zarn and Johanna Robertson, lead partners, are keen for other partners to join them at the Gala dinner. See www.microskills.ca for more details. My Charity Connects Come out and learn more about social media. SiG@MaRs with Canada Helps are presenting My Charity Connects 2010, June 7 & June 8, a conference to support charities to use technology & social media better. Partner Profiles BEN LEVIN BARBARA WIKTOROWICZ Do you find it hard to recruit others to SVP? Here’s an article about questions donors ask & how to answer them. This article is part of a special edition of The Chronicle of Philanthropy. To subscribe (free), visit here. Changing careers New intiative re: non-profits in Ontario Follow us on Twitter! |
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