About Us

January 2008

Welcome to What’s Budding @ Maytree

Welcome to the first issue of What’s Budding @ Maytree, the monthly e-newsletter from The Maytree Foundation. We’ve rolled all our mailing lists into one and eliminated our other newsletters, so What’s Budding is your source for news about all things Maytree.

2007: Year in Review

2007 was a year like any other at the Foundation: busy and fulfilling. This is a brief look at some of the more memorable moments from the year that was.

The York-Maytree Executive Directors’ Institute ran from February to June with a class of leaders from across sectors. The Ontario Trillium Foundation, the City of Toronto, Seneca College and Dixon Hall were honoured at the Diversity in Governance Awards in May. Maytree hosted a Learning Exchange Conference in June; one of the outcomes of the conference was ALLIES which was launched in the fall. In July, we hosted a screening of City Idol for members of the Maytree Leadership Network. Policy in Focus launched in September, as did a new session of Fundraising 101; in the same month, Maytree co-hosted Political Changemakers for members of the Maytree Leadership Network. A new session of Leaders for Change began in October, and of the Public Policy Training Institute in November. And, in the year that millions of Canadians joined Facebook, the Maytree Leadership Network did too!

Five Good Ideas 2007/08 Continues

Five Good Ideas is a lunch and learn program where industry or issue experts discuss five powerful yet practical ideas on key management issues facing non-profit organizations. The sessions are most useful for staff and board members of small and mid-sized nonprofits.

Upcoming sessions:

Workshops are free, but space is limited so register today!

Policy Principles 2008

Policy Principles is a mini-version of Maytree’s Public Policy Training Institute. Highlights of the Institute’s full program are presented in a series of evening workshops with leading public policy experts. Sessions are open to all individuals and community leaders who have an interest in public policy change.

Upcoming sessions:

Sessions are free, but space is limited so register today!

Maytree is Hiring!

The Foundation is looking for two dynamic, experienced individuals to spearhead its new initiatives: Cities of Migration and Assisting Local Leaders with Immigrant Employment Strategies (ALLIES).

The goal of Cities of Migration is to strengthen cities through the collection and sharing of excellent learning resources and act as a catalyst for city leadership on migration issues. The project will focus on cities around the world that are experiencing migration flows and understand that the prosperity of their city is tied to the prosperity of migrants to the city. It will tap into their desire to learn about good integration practice, regardless of where it originates, and develop an interactive repository of good practices that will be a go-to resource.

ALLIES will create a national movement of engaged communities that will provide successful employment solutions for skilled immigrants. The project will provide funding and support communities in their efforts to learn from, adapt and implement successful approaches used by the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council and others.

If you are creative, have project management and excellent communication skills, and are a self starter then one of these jobs is for you! Please send a resume with a cover letter specifying which position you’re applying for to vli@maytree.com by January 23, 2008. Complete job descriptions are available on-line.

Join the abcGTA Roster

abcGTA works to ensure that immigrants and visible minorities who live and work in the GTA are represented on the boards of governance of publicly funded agencies, boards and commissions, and charitable non-profit organizations. The idea is to change hiring and recruitment practices while providing a steady stream of new talent to fill the growing diversity deficit. Visit our site to find out how you can add your name and profile to the roster and help to change the faces of agencies, boards and commissions in the GTA.

Congratulations to recent abcGTA appointees:

  • Robin Cardozo to the Bridgepoint Health Board of Directors
  • Raywat Deonandan, Dr. to the Luminat’Eau Advisory Committee
  • Don Embuldeniya to the SERVE! Board of Directors
  • Charles Abayomi to the Toronto Christian Resource Centre Board of Directors
  • Braz Menezes to the METROLINX Advisory Committee
  • Madina Wasuge to the ECHO: Improving Women’s Health in Ontario Board of Directors

Maytree Scholarship for Protected Persons

We need your help with spreading the word about our scholarship program. The focus is to provide both economic and social support to students who will be attending university or community college in Toronto in the fall of 2008. To be eligible: students must be between the ages of 18 and 26; not living with parents; must be protected persons or landed immigrants who were protected persons. The scholarship covers tuition, books, transportation, rent and a living allowance. Our monthly meetings, as well as social activities throughout the year gives our students an opportunity to develop relationships where they receive emotional support, build networks and have fun. We look for students who have a sense of civic responsibility and who possess a successful academic, work and/or service record. Applications are available on-line, and the deadline is March 28, 2008.

Maytree Leadership Network News

The Maytree Leadership Network includes more than 450 alumni of the Foundation’s leadership programs.

Congratulations to Adeena Niazi who was named to the Order of Ontario in December 2007.

Congratulations also go to Uzma Shakir who was awarded the Atkinson Economic Justice Fellowship in November 2007.

Zenia Wadhwani, Director of Program Development at CanadaHelps! has, in partnership with Project Agape, developed the tools necessary to provide Facebook users the ability to support Canadian causes and charities.

News You Can Use

Common Denominator: Reading the New Toronto with Diaspora Dialogues
This February, Diaspora Dialogues is pleased to partner with the Toronto Public Library for Keep Toronto Reading 2008! Join us three Friday nights in a row for Common Denominator: Reading the New Toronto as we weave together a diverse selection of poetry, short fiction, spoken word and play readings that evoke the complexity of our city. Featuring readings and performances by Lawrence Hill, Karen Connelly, Judy Fong Bates, Dwayne Morgan, Michelle Muir and much, much more. Hosted by Jill Andrew. February 8, 15, and 22 at 7 pm at Palmerston Library Theatre. Contact julia@diasporadialogues.com for more information.

Ontario’s Poverty Reduction Strategy…
On January 28, 2007, the “25 in 5 Network for Poverty Reduction” will convene a meeting for members of 25 in 5, individuals and organizations who have supported Network activities and others working to eradicate poverty in Ontario. The purpose of this gathering will be to share information and strategies on how we can ensure that a comprehensive Poverty Reduction Strategy emerges in Ontario in 2008. This day-long meeting will be held at Metro Hall, 55 John Street in room 308/309, there is no cost to attend this meeting. Contact Jennifer Posthumus at: jposthu@toronto.ca or (416) 397-0722 to learn more.

University of Toronto’s Cities Centre
The Cities Centre is a new University of Toronto multi-disciplinary research institute established in early 2007. The mandate of the centre is “is to provide, as a trans-disciplinary unit for research, teaching and urban policy analysis.” Proposed areas of study include: health and quality of life for urban populations; social inclusion, civil society, and governance.

Why is it so tough to get ahead?
Metcalf Innovation Fellow John Stapleton launched a new report on December 5th, 2007 called: Why is it so tough to get ahead? How our tangled social programs pathologize the transition to self-reliance.

Contact Us

Questions or comments about What’s Budding @ Maytree? Send an e-mail to whatsbudding@maytree.com.