It is impossible to imagine community life without not-for-profit organizations. Not-for-profits are our soccer teams and symphonies, hospitals and homeless shelters, foundations, and food banks; they protect our environment and provide education; their work is international and local; and they are where we worship and work. In B.C., over 29,000 organizations build and shape our province every day and enable thousands of people to access supports, social services, and positively engage with their communities. 

Imagining not-for-profits also means thinking about the people who work and volunteer for them. Over the last several months, Vantage Point has been conducting research into the work conditions within our sector. We have been meeting with Executive Directors, entry-level staff, and mid-level managers about recruitment, retention, workforce needs, opportunities and barriers. Time and again, we have heard that mental health concerns and burnout are persistent issues. 

So, let’s talk about it 

On November 15 and 16, Vantage Point will host Building Organizational and Sector Sustainability (BOSS), BC’s conference for not-for-profit leaders and stakeholders. It will be a time for dialogue, collaboration, and the development of game-changing tactics to strengthen our skills, our organizations, and the communities we serve – and we’ll be talking healthy, sustainable work. 

Trier Bryant of Just Work will be the opening keynote. For the last 15 years, she has been leading organizations to more equitable, empathetic, high-performing, supportive, and people-centred cultures. She will share insights from her experience in the Air Force, the tech sector, financial services, and executive coaching to help attendees consider new approaches to supporting employees, managing change, and celebrating what works best to ensure healthy employees, happy clients, and sustainable program delivery. 

Level up 

Is it possible to grow and pivot and have greater impact without taking on too much too fast? Parliamentary Secretary Niki Sharma will moderate a discussion on Day 2 of the BOSS conference with three Executive Directors who have done just that. 

BC’s first Parliamentary Secretary for Community Development and Non-Profits is a lawyer whose practice focused on representing Indigenous people, including residential school survivors. She has worked as an advocate on climate policy, reconciliation, and affordable childcare. 

She will be joined by Brandon Yan, Executive Director of Out in Schools and the Queer Film Festival, Paul Taylor, Executive Director of FoodShare TO, and Samantha Mahfood, Executive Director of Food for the Poor Canada. It is going to be a dynamic conversation from the perspective of a BC-based community, advocacy, and education organization, an Ontario food security and service delivery organization, and the Canadian chapter of an international organization providing housing, education, and food services in Latin America and the Caribbean. 

Each of these leaders has shepherded their organization through a period of growth or increased impact and has nurtured their own careers from early-entry to organizational leader. BOSS Conference participants who sit in on this panel will learn from their experiences, be inspired, and be refreshed. 

The future is now 

Young professionals are leading not-for-profits in every corner of BC. At our closing session, we will look to the future of the sector by hearing from a panel of Executive Directors and Board leaders from organizations shaping the way youth engage with city building and democratic processes, combat social isolation, and support seniors. 

Take A Hike Foundation Executive Director and Vantage Point Board Chair Gordon Matchett will moderate the discussion with Veronika Bylicki of CityHive, and Kimberley Wong of Hua Foundation: 

  • What do youth see as key recruitment and retention issues? 
  • Are education and training keeping up with the needs of the sector? 
  • How are changing demographics impacting community service needs? 
  • What does leading in a multi-racial, multi-lingual, multi-cultural environment look like now and five years from now? Are today’s senior leaders prepared for the sector changes ahead? 

The last three years have been a pressure pot of change testing not-for-profits’ ability to adapt, evolve, and thrive. Join colleagues from across the sector on November 15 and 16 to celebrate our successes, share what we learned when things went wrong, and be re-energized, renewed, and restored for the year ahead! 

Register now and find out what else is in store on our event schedule for Building Organizational and Sector Sustainability (BOSS) at bossvancouver.ca. 

Bursaries and group discounts may still be available. Contact us at info@thevantagepoint.ca for more information. 

Cherie Payne is the Director of Government Relations and Sector Development at Vantage Point. 

Vantage Point is the host of the BOSS Conference, British Columbia’s conference for not-for-profit leaders and stakeholders. Vantage Point’s mission is to transform not-for-profit organizations by convening, connecting, and equipping leaders to lift organizational and sector capacity. This year’s Building Organizational and Sector Sustainability (BOSS) conference will take place on November 15 and 16. Join the discussion: bossvancouver.ca