The purpose of policy work is to improve the quality of life for all citizens. As part of that overall goal, it seeks to reduce poverty and inequality, and to promote the inclusion of individuals who typically are underrepresented in the social, cultural, political and economic life of a community – and of a nation. Policy work generally seeks to shift the way in which resources and opportunities are distributed in a society. This change could involve, for example, the provision of higher benefits or the reduction of income taxes. Policy work may also enable access to opportunities, notably advanced education or paid employment. It may build capabilities, such as literacy or skills development, to promote self-sufficiency in the long term. All policy work shares a common goal: to effect change deemed to be in the public interest. But policy efforts can also affect the people who do this work. Each attempt at reform comes with lessons that can be applied not only to future policy initiatives but also as helpful direction for the non-profit world.
Five Good Ideas
- Trust your knowledge
- Dream big
- Go the extra mile
- Hold that thought
- Find your Karasima
Five Good Resources
- Battle, K. and S. Torjman. (2000). A Proposed Model Framework for Early Childhood Development Services within the National Children’s Agenda. Ottawa: Caledon Institute of Social Policy, September.
- Pearson, K. (2006). Accelerating our Impact: Philanthropy, Innovation and Social Change. Montreal: The J.W. McConnell Family Foundation, November.
- Pitcher, P. (1999). Artists, Craftsmen and Technocrats: The Dreams, Realties and Illusions of Leadership. Montreal: McGill School of Management.
- Technical Advisory Committee on Tax Measures for Persons with Disabilities. (2005). Disability Tax Fairness. Ottawa: Department of Finance.
- Torjman, S. (2003). New Ingredients for the Fiscal Pie. Ottawa: Caledon Institute of Social Policy, December.
Sherri Torjman
Vice-President, Caledon Institute of Social Policy
Sherri Torjman is Vice-President of the Caledon Institute of Social Policy. She has written in the areas of welfare reform, customized training, disability income and supports, the social dimension of sustainable development and community-based poverty reduction. Sherri is the author of the book Shared Space: The Communities Agenda. She has also written many Caledon reports, including Strategies for a Caring Society; Proposal for National Personal Supports Fund; and How Finance Re-formed Social Policy. In addition, Sherri wrote the vision paper In Unison: A Canadian Approach to Disability Issues for the Federal/Provincial/Territorial Ministers Responsible for Social Services. She has authored four books on disability policy. Sherri wrote the welfare series of reports for the National Council of Welfare, including Welfare in Canada: The Tangled Safety Net and Welfare Reform. In 2011, Sherri received the Champion of Human Services Award from the Ontario Municipal Social Services Association and was selected as a recipient of the Top 25 Canadians Award from the Canadian Association of Retired Persons. For a full list of Sherri’s publications, visit www.caledoninst.org.