A smart, essential look at how technology is shaping the world of impact, from the Future of Good editorial team.
Over the past couple of years, there has been an increased demand for disaggregated data in Canada in order to identify and address social and racial inequities faced by vulnerable populations. But few understand what the term really means, how it works and why Canada is investing in collecting such data now.
To some Indigenous communities, self-determination and the full exercise of treaty rights requires them to have sufficient access to digital tools, high-speed broadband, and technology education.
Digital access is no longer a privilege, but a right. While the internet makes a sea of information available at our fingertips, lack of connection to the digital world can create a vast gap. The Community Learning HUB is a digital learning platform that provides life skills for marginalized youth. Now their recent partnership with Nishnawbe-Aski Legal Services Corporation brings this knowledge to remote communities in Northern Ontario.
Small as its carbon footprint may be, emissions from Canada’s social impact sector are still contributing to a hotter, drier, more hostile climate that ultimately harms the very populations it serves through charitable work.
As the coronavirus puts pressure on non-profits to respond to a demand in services, many who work in the sector believe changing what data they gather from clients will enable them to provide better services and ensure that some of the most vulnerable are supported during the pandemic.
The digital-first reality is here to stay post-pandemic. Social impact organizations are still struggling in the transition to an online world. A recent survey by CanadaHelps found that one in three charities believe they’ll soon find it harder to continue their work if they don’t improve their digital capabilities. A majority rated their digital skill level as either “fair” or “poor.”
