2021 New Year’s resolutions: 10 ways changemakers are approaching social impact work differently this year
Why It Matters
The organizations that will thrive in 2021 are those led by people who are open to learning and growing from the twists and turns 2020 presented. These leaders’ social impact New Year’s resolutions will inspire you to do the same.
From reimagining philanthropy and fundraising to grappling with new pandemic-induced equity challenges — like fair vaccine distribution and supporting COVID-19 survivors — to looking inward at the sector’s own systemic problems, this past year has taught the world of social impact a lot.
As we say goodbye to a year of intense learning and growing, leaders in the sector are starting to think about how they’ll apply 2020’s lessons to 2021’s work. Future of Good reached out to 10 such leaders to ask about their New Year’s resolutions — one way they’ll approach social impact differently this year.
The following quotes have been edited for length and clarity.
Bonnie Foley-Wong | Head of investment strategy, Equality Fund
Over the 13 years I’ve actively been in the impact investing space, I’ve had to practice speaking up and finding my voice. I’ve been silenced and shamed for speaking my mind. I’ve been tone-policed. I’ve worked on speaking assertively and disagreeing well. This year in particular, leading with empathy especially with people I disagree with has been resonant. I’m heading into 2021 focusing on responding to disagreements or conflicting views in a trauma-informed way. I plan to keep communicating ideas and change, and if I disagree with someone, to do so with grace and empathy.
At the Equality Fund, we had some intense discussions about the impact of extractive companies on women and girls and how climate risk intersects with gender inequality. I committed to writing about our process of hearing different perspectives on the issue, the lessons we learned so far, and what we see as opportunities for change and improvement.
Herleen Arora | Partnership development officer, Future Skills Centre
My focus for 2021 will be to support communities that have faced barriers throughout this pandemic (and prior to that) through research, advocacy and community development initiatives. The ultimate goal is to change poorly designed policies that for too long have created barriers that marginalized communities.
Jennifer DeCoste | Founder, LifeSchoolHouse
In 2021 we will be working with six new communities to launch LifeSchoolHouse folkschool programming across Canada! Scaling our work is very exciting, but we are resolved to move slowly and with intention, learning from each start up in equal measure with what we are sharing with them. Community development projects like ours will take on the flavour and spirit of each unique community and so this coming year will be a journey of peer mentorship and sharing.
Jocelyn Formsma | Executive director, National Association of Friendship Centres
Don’t wait until the New Year to make changes! I believe that anytime is a good time to start something new! I plan to rest and recharge over the holidays and I will just continue with what I’m doing and make adjustments throughout the year as needed.
The National Association of Friendship Centres has accomplished many new things this past year as the pandemic has been unfolding. The next thing on our agenda for 2021 is to be a part of the vaccine roll-out to ensure that urban Indigenous communities have appropriate access to and are well-informed about the vaccine.
Katherine Hay | CEO, Kids Help Phone
I don’t believe in New Year’s resolutions in the traditional sense. For those of us working in the social impact space, we’re making resolutions all year long to create impact and then delivering on those resolutions day in and day out – essentially living lives of continuous impact. But in terms of how I will personally commit to making an impact in 2021, I’ve come to realize that the frontline workers in Kids Help Phone’s world – our counsellors who speak with young people every single day – don’t just need a cheerleader letting them know they’re doing an amazing job. They need to hear their leaders acknowledge that they’re exhausted, that they’re doing incredibly challenging work and that we see them, we hear them and we believe in them. So for 2021, I am committing to changing the way I thank our people – not so much a resolution as a recognition of what I need to do to be a stronger leader.
Kayla Isabelle | CEO, Startup Canada
My New Year’s resolution is to align every touchpoint of Startup Canada — from programming to staff and partners — with the sustainable development goals. We are committed to more impact that benefits women, social entrepreneurs, Indigenous entrepreneurs, cleantech entrepreneurs, and beyond.
Nadine Duguay-Lemay | CEO, Dialogue NB
I have gone by the mantra “control the controllable” in 2020, and 2021 will be about hope and gratitude. At Dialogue NB, we are concluding 2020 and starting 2021 with a public consultation that provides residents of the province a platform in which to feel heard, valued and they belong. We want to provide a portrait of how New Brunswickers feel at this moment in time. On a personal note, I just wish to continue to spread positivity, encouragement, and hope to people around me. I find that this is how I seem to generate the most impact in my network.
Naki Osutei | Associate vice president, global corporate citizenship TD Bank Group
Understandably, 2020 has been a year of responding – to the pandemic, to heightened awareness of anti-Black racism, among other important issues. For 2021, I commit to returning to being more proactive – to seeking out new ways of learning, knowing and collaborating.
Paul Nazareth | Vice president, education and engagement, Canadian Association of Gift Planners
In the world of diversity they say, “you can’t be what you can’t see.” Well, in 2021 I have resolved to get outside of work and focus my networking efforts to continue to support young and new professionals. I’ll also focus on advancing BIPOC professionals to reach the leadership level by not just supporting, but sponsoring by bankrolling them through my network and by myself. We’re often told things like, “There aren’t BIPOC philanthropists and fundraisers with experience” (which is bunk), but if we want to see more BIPOC C-suiters, we need to invest our time and energy to help them rise. I see peers in Philanthropic Foundations of Canada, Community Foundations of Canada, Imagine Canada and other sector leadership organizations doing this (for example, the Black Opportunity Fund), but we need to not just leave it up to organizations. A Black-led sector and ReconciliAction are up to us.
Paulette Senior | President and CEO, Canadian Women’s Foundation
Events of this year have raised awareness that the journeys toward racial and gender justice are intertwined. The tragic killings of Black and Indigenous people in encounters with the police have come to the forefront of public discussion, protest, and community action. There’s been an awakening that these incidents are not isolated. They are rooted in colonial and racist beliefs, which are built into the systems that exist today. So, one of our key commitments going forward is to use our organizational voice more strongly to promote gender equity and justice, demand accountability and work towards anti-racist systems transformation in the institutions that touch our lives.
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