YW Calgary Practice Framework by ywcalgary

PRACTICE FRAMEWORK

PREVENTION. INTERVENTION. EMPOWERMENT. LEADERSHIP.

MAY 2022

We are committed to leading by example, doing our best to live and promote the value of equity, diversity and inclusion.

Table of Contents 02

Introduction

Mission & Principles

Dignity

Intersectional Feminism

Equity, Diversity & Inclusion

Social Innovation

Enduring Impact

Sustainable Business Models

Supportive Supervision

Glossary

INTRODUCTION The first Practice Framework, released in 2016, laid out a principled course for program delivery at YW Calgary. Over time, we have become more integrated as an organization, with clear expectation that the principles are applicable across the organization for client services and support services.

These principles reflect our intentions and aspirations as we collectively work to make them our reality.

EVERYONE WHO CONNECTS WITH YW CALGARY IS ON A JOURNEY TO CHANGE. Participants use services to make personal changes that may range from homelessness to housed, ending a conflict-ridden relationship, reacting differently to high stress situations or learning to communicate in English so that they can integrate into Canadian culture. Volunteers hope to reduce the distress of others and contribute to a valuable organization. Employees contribute their passion and knowledge to improve the lives of others, to have a fulfilling career and experience personal growth. Partners increase program effectiveness in the community by leveraging our joint strength to increase impact and be more efficient.

BILI I S S

T Y

In this framework we assert

E IS

We understand the impact of oppression, but we believe in the possibility of change and the promise that our vision of a safe and equitable community holds, for everyone.

YW CALGARY PRACTICE FRAMEWORK

The principles identified here guide our path and help us navigate unexpected challenges. In 2021, a 5-year Strategic Plan was released with three specific areas of focus:

• mental health • domestic violence • women’s economic prosperity These principles sit apart from specific programs or focus areas; they reflect the values that are embedded in every program, service or enterprise we offer. Like our impact, these principles are intended to endure beyond program, leadership and/or organizational changes.

YW CALGARY PRACTICE FRAMEWORK

OUR MISSION Prevention, intervention, empowerment and leadership for the benefit of women and their families.

OUR VISION Women and their families thriving in a safe and equitable community.

OUR PRINCIPLES

Taken together these 7 principles form our Practice Framework and guide our intention.

YW CALGARY PRACTICE FRAMEWORK

We work with participants in ways that preserve DIGNITY. Each journey is unique whether it is a dramatic life altering change from homelessness or a more subtle adoption of mindfulness into parenting; there are common elements that enable the change to be a positive experience. Our goal is to move toward change in partnership with participants.

Maintaining dignity is critical. Dignity comes from a strength-based perspective that allows everyone equal footing in a change-focused partnership.

YW CALGARY PRACTICE FRAMEWORK

To achieve this, we provide physical and psychological safety, from a trauma-informed perspective. 1. This may include a harm reduction, low barrier approach that allows the opportunity for everyone to experience a different future. We authentically recognize the varied and complex roles that participants play in their lives. These roles affect both their past opportunities and future choices. The journey to change is individual, but is a mutual responsibility on the part of the participant and the organization.

KEY CONCEPTS: Respect/Strength-Based, inclusive, equal footing for everyone, partnership with clients, opportunity, authenticity, trauma-informed, safety, harm reduction, low barrier access

YW CALGARY PRACTICE FRAMEWORK

We use women-centred and INTERSECTIONAL FEMINIST approaches. A women-centred approach acknowledges that women have unique lived experiences and require services that focus on equality and equity goals. A women-centred approach means consistently keeping the needs and well-being of women we serve at the focus our work.

Feminism is “the advocacy of women’s rights on the grounds of political, social and economic equality to men.” Feminist approaches share a common goal of valuing all women’s lived experience and highlighting how gender politics, power relations, and sexuality create gender inequality and inequity and reduce women’s human rights and freedoms.

While feminism has been described as “advocating for women’s rights and equity between the sexes”, intersectional feminism is the understanding of how women’s overlapping identities — including race, class, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation and disability status — impact the way they experience oppression and discrimination. 2. Both perspectives, women-centred and intersectional, must be taken into consideration to empathetically appreciate an individual’s experience.

Intersectional feminism has been described as “seeing the way in which various forms of inequality often operate together and exacerbate each other”. 3.

YW CALGARY PRACTICE FRAMEWORK

To work at YW means that we embrace the fundamentals of working in an intersectional feminist framework. We recognize the oppression and marginalization that women may be experiencing. The YW’s anti-oppressive approach includes acknowledging the power and privilege of staff and the organization. We actively work to shift this power towards inclusiveness, accessibility, equity and social justice. We work to have culturally safe services where women can trust that they will encounter workers who have respect for and knowledge of diverse cultural identities and realities.

KEY CONCEPTS: Intersectionality, equality choice, identities, partnerships self-determination

We believe we are strongest when we embrace the full spectrum of humanity, acknowledging that what we look like, where we come from or who we love are core elements of who we are and impact how we show up.

YW CALGARY PRACTICE FRAMEWORK

We are committed to EQUITY, DIVERSITY & INCLUSION in everything we do. The concept of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) encompasses acceptance, belonging and respect.4. It means understanding that each individual is unique and recognizing our individual differences. These can be along the dimensions of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, life experiences, physical abilities, religious beliefs, political beliefs or other ideologies. It is the exploration of these differences in a safe, positive and nurturing environment. It is about understanding and moving beyond tolerance to embracing and celebrating the rich dimensions of diversity contained within each individual.

YW CALGARY PRACTICE FRAMEWORK

An important part of EDI is how we as individuals and as an organization act. Treating others with dignity and respect at all times and creating a safe space to bring our whole self to be at our individual and collective best and acknowledging and appreciating differences; these differences; make us better Providing opportunities for continuous learning and education to create awareness, address unconscious bias and become actively anti-racist Acknowledging and dismantling any inequities or barriers by integrating EDI within our policies, interpersonal interactions, practices, systems, programs and services Creating practices that are open, transparent, align with our values and encourage accountability, advocacy and mentorship.

KEY CONCEPTS: Equity, inclusiveness, anti-oppressive, intersectional, acceptance, belonging vs fitting in, respect

We practice SOCIAL INNOVATION. We use evidence-informed and emerging practices within a learning organization structure to achieve social innovation. Social innovations are new and or reimagined ideas and solutions (e.g. products, services, models, markets, processes) that simultaneously meet a social need (more effectively than existing solutions) and lead to new or improved capabilities, relationships and better use of assets and resources.

Social innovations are both good for society and enhance society’s capacity to act. 5.

YW Calgary offers a continuum of preventative and restorative services to support women, their families and their community toward a place of wellness.

YW CALGARY PRACTICE FRAMEWORK

Successful social innovations have durability, scale and transformative impact. 6. A concise definition of a learning organization is, “an organization skilled at creating, acquiring, and transferring knowledge and at modifying its behavior to reflect new knowledge and insights.” 7. When defining new knowledge and insights we use a combination of research evidence, testing and emerging practices to inform program decisions and avoid investing efforts into approaches that have no evidence of being successful.

KEY CONCEPTS: Innovation, evidence informed, learning organization, risk taking

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We strive to achieve ENDURING IMPACT. All prevention and intervention programming at YW Calgary is intended to help participants move forward on their journey of change in a way that has lasting or enduring impact. Outcomes are the change we contribute to, but assets are the benefit that participants “own” and take with them beyond their time with us. We support the changes that build assets, because we know that assets are the building blocks of a sustainable livelihood for individuals and a sustainable community. Assets can be social, physical, human, financial and personal.

Limited assets are what makes women vulnerable to poverty and social exclusion. Women pursue asset-building strategies to help them build the sustainability described in our vision of a safe and equitable community.

YW CALGARY PRACTICE FRAMEWORK

Outcomes are a description of the enduring changes for clients that continue, regardless of specific locations or times. We measure outcomes in the short, medium and long-term, but essentially, they are measures to tell us whether enduring change is occurring and assets are being built for participants. For example, the development of a new skill that leads to increased employability is an outcome. It becomes an asset when the participant carries that skill with them into the future regardless of whether it’s into another program or a workplace in their future.

KEY CONCEPTS: Outcomes, assets, enduring change, sustainable livelihoods model

YW CALGARY PRACTICE FRAMEWORK

We strive to be a SUSTAINABLE ORGANIZATION. As an organization that is committed to fiscal accountability as part of its sustainability, it is necessary to generate adequate resources to maintain the principle focused discipline of our practice.13. Traditional government and foundation investments are often not responsive to program cost increases, essential to the delivery of effective programs.

We disrupt the traditional charity model by developing autonomous revenue sources and sustainable business models.

WOMEN-CENTRED BRIGHTER-FUTURE FOCUSED

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As a result, YW Calgary has committed to maintaining the principles above, through the development of autonomous revenue sources providing sustainable business models for the delivery of programs and services. Autonomous revenue sources enable YW Calgary to allocate earned revenue without the typical budget constraints applied by funders or donors. These sources also enable us to capitalize on our expertise while also contributing to our mission and vision.

We practice SUPPORTIVE FEEDBACK AND SUPERVISION. While supporting clients to achieve enduring change, we also seek enduring positive change for staff to build a culture that maximizes the possibility for success of both staff and clients. Supportive supervision is conducted in a way that supports reflective practice and quality service delivery. Most importantly, we care about one another and allow space for equity and learning.8. Positive organizational culture contributes to impactful service delivery. The purpose of supervision is not about overseeing, but rather removing barriers to effective work and providing opportunities for growth.9. Leadership can be diffused in an organization, it is not defined by role or title and can be demonstrated by anyone, simply by being passionate, committed, groundbreaking, caring and open to learning.10.

YW CALGARY PRACTICE FRAMEWORK

Many opportunities are available for staff to engage significantly in their work and larger organizational initiatives. To create the impact we collectively seek, it is necessary to nurture a culture that allows staff to lead from the front as well as learn from others.

Effective supervision requires a trust of intention and is fundamentally about providing opportunity. To maximize the opportunities for success embedded in facilitative supervision, YW Calgary will ensure that policies and practices are free from direct and indirect discrimination; this covers all aspects of work, including recruitment, interviewing, selection, appointment, promotion, compensation, benefits, training, layoffs, disciplinary processes and any other terms and conditions of working.

YW CALGARY PRACTICE FRAMEWORK

Essential elements of our supervision model include practices that enable coaching/mentoring for staff success: 12. Strength-based feedback Supervision meetings incorporating coaching and staff mentoring practices and access to regular and predictable supervision Support with problem solving Reflective supervision practices that support goal setting and professional development Performance planning and reviews to identify staff areas for growth Support for staff well-being, including recognizing and providing staff opportunities to address vicarious trauma, compassion fatigue and burn out

KEY CONCEPTS: Leadership, reflective, facilitation, coaching, strength-based, equity

YW CALGARY PRACTICE FRAMEWORK

GLOSSARY ASSETS

The benefit that participants take with them beyond the time with us and contribute to their resilience and overall sustainability. These may be physical, personal, human, social and/or financial.

DIGNITY

Dignity comes from a strength-based perspective that allows everyone equal footing in a change-focused partnership.

EMPATHY

Empathy is the ability to emotionally understand what other people feel, see things from their point of view, and imagine yourself in their place.

ENDURING IMPACT

Changes for the clients that continue beyond the time in program, and remain regardless of specific locations and are not time limited.

FACILITATIVE SUPERVISION

Staff are inherently motivated and capable but barriers need to be removed for

FEMINISM

The advocacy of women’s rights on the grounds of political, social and economic

the best work to be achieved.

equality (to men) – consider removing the bracketed words.

INTERSECTIONAL FEMINIST

The understanding of how women’s overlapping identities — including race, class, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation and disability status — impact the way they experience oppression and discrimination.

LEADERSHIP

Influence, inspire and help others become their best selves, building their skills and achieving goals along the way.

SUSTAINABLE ORGANIZATIONS

Purpose-led businesses which inspire their people and partners to deliver lasting financial performance, equitable impact and societal value that earns and retains the trust of all stakeholders.

TRAUMAINFORMED

All people at all levels of the organization or system have a basic realization about trauma and understand how trauma can affect families, groups, organizations, and communities as well as individuals. People’s experience and behavior are understood in the context of coping strategies designed to survive adversity and overwhelming circumstances.

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REFERENCES 1

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. SAMHSA’s Concept of Trauma and Guidance for a Trauma-Informed Approach. HHS Publication No. (SMA) 14-4884. Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2014.

Dastagir, A. E. (2018, March 21). A feminist glossary because we didn’t all major in Gender Studies. USA Today. Retrieved from www.usatoday.com/story/news/2017/03/16/feminismglossary-lexiconlanguage/99120600/

Steinmetz, K. (2020, February 20). Kimberlé Crenshaw on what intersectionality means today. Time. Retrieved from www.time.com/5786710/kimberle-crenshaw-intersectionality/

Summarized from YW Calgary Diversity and Inclusion Policy (107) updated 2021. The Young Foundation (2012) Social Innovation Overview: A deliverable of the project: “The theoretical, empirical and policy foundations for building social innovation in Europe” (TEPSIE), European Commission – 7th Framework Programme, Brussels: European Commission, DG Research.

Westley, F., Antadze, N., Riddell, D. J., Robinson, K., & Geobey, S. (2014). Five Configurations for Scaling Up Social Innovation: Case Examples of Nonprofit Organizations From Canada. The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 50(3), 234–260. https://doi.org/10.1177/0021886314532945

Garvin D. A. (1993). Building a learning organization. Harvard business review, 71(4),78–91.

YW Calgary. (2014, October). Culture Statement. Retrieved from https://yweb.ywcalgary.ca/wp-content/ uploads/2016/11/Culture-Statement-Final-2014.10.01.pdf

Key characteristics of effective supervision. Health & Care Professions Council. (2021). Retrieved from www.hcpc-uk.org/

Robbins, T. (n.d.). What is leadership? The ultimate guide. tonyrobbins.com. Retrieved from www. tonyrobbins.com/what-is-leadership/

Cherry, K. (2020, May 2). Why empathy is important. Verywell Mind. Retrieved from www.verywellmind.com/what-is-empathy-2795562

Adapted from Family Resource Network standard operational requirements draft 2021.

Shaping the sustainable organization. Accenture. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.accenture.com/

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