Ontario

Excerpted from event description

Let’s gather in-person to reconnect, collaborate and strategize to shape the future of our sector, together.

Nonprofit Driven is not just Ontario’s largest public policy forum- it is also an important gathering for nonprofit leaders, community organizers, and policymakers to collaborate and form strategic partnerships while having a bit of fun! 

This year’s conference schedule will intentionally include longer breaks and built-in opportunities for attendees, staff and supporters to connect. Through facilitated activities and quiet spaces for one-on-one conversations, art, a photo booth, and a social at the end of Day 1, there will be lots of ways for you to reunite with fellow colleagues and meet new ones! Before attending the conference, please review our Being Together Agreements guidelines that outline ways we will share space together.

MC’s: Erin Kang and Tamer Ibrahim

Registration

ONN members receive a $100 discount on all early bird and regular tickets. Only ONN members are eligible to access and use these discounts. If you would like to access discounted tickets for the conference, you can become an ONN member to save. Registration is for one person only. Registration cannot be shared by multiple people. For more details on registration, please read our policy. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact our team at info@theonn.ca.

Nonprofit Driven: Care team

The conference will have an onsite care team and spaces to support attendees. The team includes ONN staff and active listeners who can be considered “go-to” people throughout the conference. All attendees will also have access to a quiet space, and mental health/wellness resources. 

Active listeners: Amanda Lederle (they/them) and Donovan McKenzie (he/him)

Amanda (they/them) is a neurodiverse, queer Chinese-Canadian born, recovering perfectionist and empathic human living in Tkaronto (Toronto). Their goal is to leave every conversation knowing that the individual feels a little more heard than when they began. Amanda loves to discuss creativity and mental health. They have been trained as a peer support, completed their Mental Health First Aid certification and is a Movies for Mental Health facilitator for Art with Impact Canada.

Donovan McKenzie (he/him) is the founder of Heart of a Man, an organization created to help communities overcome their inner battles, elevate their voices and inspire others by sharing their struggles openly. His work aims to find ways to support and encourage those in need. He is working on rewriting the narrative of what it means to be a human struggling with emotional and mental stress, one conversation at a time, by turning his pain into purpose.

COVID protocols

We are taking the steps needed to help ensure your safety at the conference this year. The details are outlined in our COVID mitigation policy but here are some key points:

All attendees will be required to be vaccinated. 

Attendees are strongly encouraged to mask at the conference, rapid test before attending, and stay home if they are experiencing symptoms. Full refunds will be provided so there is no concern about financial implications of canceling.

There will be a colour coded sticker system at registration to make it easier for everyone to communicate and consent about physical touching and boundaries (handshake, hugs, etc.).

Accessibility

ONN understands the importance of accessibility. ASL interpretation will be provided at all plenary sessions during the conference. The event at Metro Toronto Convention Centre (South Building) will occur on Level 700 and a map of the space is available online. Should you require specific accommodations, please let our team know as soon as possible.

In this first workshop, educators will be introduced to the Canada Wide Early Learning and Child Care plan, the new social and economic policy for Ontario intended to offer affordable, accessible, and quality care for families with young children. The onset of this policy invites consideration of new guidelines and regulations for those utilizing and working within the Early Years Sector and is set to unravel over the next five years. Through guided conversation, educators will identify, discuss and interpret key policy components that influence our profession's day-to-day practice.