Building Leadership Capacity Among Women and Girls in Atlantic Canada – for Action on Underlying Conditions Impacting their Lives, their Families and Communities

Authors:

Patsy Beattie-Huggan, Barbara Clow,

Julie Devon Dodd, Anne McMurray

Presentation Overview

• Introduction Atlantic Summer Institute• Project fit with ASI• Project activities and model development• Impact of the project• Lessons Learned• Overview of the model• Conclusion and Next Steps• Thank you – and contact us!

Atlantic Summer Institute on Healthy and Safe Communities (ASI)

• The ASI focuses on building regional capacity for healthy and safe communities by addressing the linkages between the determinants of health and the root causes of crime and victimization.

• It is a focal point in Atlantic Canada for learning and training; intersectoral networking and collaboration; a facilitator of research; a promoter of healthy and sustainable policies; and a catalyst for social justice and equity.

Project Goal

• To develop and/or augment the skills of women in Atlantic Canada who are recognized or emerging as community leaders to strengthen community action on underlying conditions that impact the lives of women, their families and communities.

With generous funding from Women’s Community Fund, Status of Women Canada Dec. 2010-Nov. 2013

Confirming Regional Need

Advisory Committee – representative of provincial Advisory Councils on Status of Women (NS, PEI, Nunatsiavut NL), Women’s Secretariats (NB, PEI), Atlantic Centre of Excellence in Women’s Health, Renaissance College (UNB)

Environmental Scan - – 44 programs in Atlantic Canada offer leadership training for women,

yet few were geared to supporting women to take up roles as community leaders

– Attention to the impact of gender roles and relationships and gender discrimination was made explicit in only one description of program design – pointing to the need for increased awareness

Management structure inclusive of Advisory Committee and consulting expertise

Facilitator consultation May 2011 Draft Program, consultation with local facilitators,

development of curriculum with lesson plans 2011 Partnerships with 6 regional partners for training local

facilitators and to host /adapt workshops 2011-1012 Youth engagement ASI 2012; Girls Action Foundation April

2013 Model consultation November 2012 Outcome evaluation and model synthesis Dec. 2013

Activities(2011-2013)

Curriculum to support the Integrated Model isgrounded in adult learning principles. Workshopsand lesson plans were developed and adaptedduring the project, contributing to model development and encouraging learners to: explore their leadership journey to date reflect upon and identify their leadership passion develop a plan of action for their leadership journey evaluate and expand on their existing support networks

Curriculum

• I did not realize how much of a leader I am until now. I have two dreams that I can now start to plan activity on,

with time. Before this workshop, it seemed like my dreams were too big to start planning. Small steps.”

•  

• (Nain, Nunatsiavut, NL Regional Community Leadership Workshop Survey - hosted by Nunastiavut Status of

Women)

• 256 women from across Atlantic Canada received leadership training; the majority – gained a better understanding of gender influences and leadership

(71%), – increased their confidence in their leadership skills (73%), and– feel ready to use what they learned in their work/communities (77%).

• 16 young women between the ages of 18 and 28 years participated and 10 facilitators were trained

• In a six month follow-up survey, 86% report using leadership skills, 57% report initiating community action, 79% report using partnership skills.

Project Outcomes

The Model

The Integrated Model on Community Leadership for Women and Girls provides a framework for better understanding the paths to women’s and girls’ leadership as well as tools and supports for those on the journey.

At the centre of the Circle of Health is the Medicine Wheel – a visual that reminds us about goals of wholeness and balance in ourselves, families, and communities:•Physical (Body)•Mental (Mind)•Emotional (Heart)•Spiritual (Soul)

Model Development - Integrating the concepts

Initial Integration

Further Integration

Supports many leadership pathways through a variety of

contexts, using diverse archetypes for growth

and change.

Integrated Model of Community Leadership for

Women and Girls

Model Interpreted

Ultimately, the Model is designed to foster and promote transformational change – fundamental and enduring shifts in individual beliefs and behaviours as well as in cultures, societies, and systems in the service of equity.

Lessons Learned

• Leadership training must be targeted to the needs and experiences of women as well the gendered barriers they face in taking up leadership positions.

• Youth engagement does not imply a youth only program – young women quest for intergenerational knowledge exchange and mentoring

Lessons Learned

To become allies in leadership, both women and men would benefit from:

sex-specific groups to explore their socialization and experiences of leadership and to define their own strengths as collaborative leaders.

joint groups, to share experiences, positioning and enabling them to work together as leaders

“...one thing I learned is how important men are in the cause of leadership and women and the importance of educating

the men and not creating a divide between men and women when working together...another thing I learned is to support

fellow women, don’t create a divide between women...”

 

(Mi’kmaw Legal Support Network Community Leadership Workshop, Truro, NS Spot Interview)

Commitment and shared values and vision are as critical as having a conceptual model and a curriculum. Process for implementing, adapting/mainstreaming or scaling up the curriculum is equally important.

Lessons Learned

“I learned a lot about leadership...when I heard the word leader before, I personally thought power. Now I know it’s

more than power, I can be a leader even if I’m not a big leader...”

(New Brunswick Coalition for Pay Equity, Fredericton, NB - Regional Community Leadership Workshop Spot Interview)

Conclusion

By capitalizing on the gender profile of the ASI, the project:

Designed, delivered a workshop series and developed an Integrated Model for Community Leadership Development for Women and Girls that addresses the specific needs of women and girls in the context of gender equity, cooperation and collaboration thereby successfully assisting the Status of Women Canada to achieve its goals.

New and enhanced partnerships Environmental Scan Leadership workshop curriculum Regional Workshops Trained facilitators Model of Community Leadership for Women and Girls Evaluation Report You Tube Video - ASI YouTube Channel:

http://youtu.be/Bxvhw4kPXtc

Deliverables

Over time, the reach of this model will be felt in policies and programs that contribute to healthier, safer, stronger communities in a future where female and male leaders work together effectively.

“

Vision

“I think we should give this kind of workshop to all women who are new in Canada because it makes them move forward to something better in life.”

 

(Immigrant Settlement and Integration Services - Halifax Regional Community Leadership Workshop Survey

“I think we should give this kind of workshop to all women who are new in Canada because it makes them move forward to something better in life.”

(ISIS Halifax Regional Community Leadership Workshop Survey

Practical resources for implementation : A guide for implementation based on the experience of the projectFully developed curriculum based on the integrated model including learning materials and online resource

a) Tested processes for intergenerational dialogue in leadership development

b) Facilitator training and licensing to deliver the program

Local partnerships for community engagementContinuing quality improvement and evaluation

Coordination of mainstreaming by a central organization (ASI)

Next Steps

Renewing Democracy through Social Justice: Adding New Voices The 2014 Atlantic Summer Institute on Healthy and Safe Communities

Charlottetown, August 19-22Inquiries: info@asi-iea.ca

www.asi-iea.ca

2014 ASI

Thank you

The ASI Board is interested in disseminating the Model and offering workshops in other settings.

Please contact:Patsy Beattie-Huggan, CoordinatorAtlantic Summer Institute on Healthy and Safe CommunitiesTel: 902-894-3399E-mail: info@asi-iea.ca