Spring 2021 News from the Board
Greetings fellow Survivors and Adoptees,
With the arrival of new sprouts, buds and blossoms, we too, the Board of Directors for the Foundation emerge from beneath a blanket of organizational work. Since our inauguration last November, we have been working diligently at putting things in place in order to become operational.
First there was familiarizing ourselves with each other in our new role(s) and discovering the gifts of each one ‘on the screen’. Due to the current pandemic, we have not yet been able to come around the table to meet in person. We all carry a common thread within our stories, of the search to find a place of belonging. We have also come to know that we are all committed to the work ahead, especially the need to get things right for the best interests of those affected by the Sixties Scoop; this is our number one priority.
Second, there was a lot of policy and procedure preparation that needed to be put in place - good seeds sowed at the right time, in the right way will develop good strong roots that will sustain over time. The Foundation is an incorporated national charitable organization, and this requires us to assess, develop and establish policies and procedures that hold up to regular audits and ensure that our actions will flow from a solid foundation. We want to be able to move forward with confidence and credibility.
Other behind the scenes work had to do with updating and creating Board governance rules and regulations so that we had proper administrative resources in place that would allow us to operate smoothly regardless of changes to Board membership. Most importantly, we also completed several days of strategic planning, which allowed us to come up with our Vision Statement, Mission Statement, Values and Action Plan for the coming weeks and months. Please see the “Plan on a Page” document highlighted on the new website, which summarizes this strategic planning and includes the Vision and Mission Statements.
The Foundation’s Vision, Mission and Values really represent the heart of our activities; they were guided and informed by the voices of our fellow Survivors from across the country who provided their vision and ideas about what the Foundation should represent and how it should carry out its Mandate. We are excited to share with you where we are at in that journey.
One very important aspect of this ongoing work has been the development and renewal of the Foundation’s website; the previous website was centred on the process involved in the creation of the Foundation itself. We have now completed some significant updates, which will better reflect the progress we have made in becoming an operational Foundation. The new website will also better promote user engagement with our Survivor community as well. It is our hope that you will not only recognize the progress made so far, but more so, through the now-formalized Vision and Mission Statement, that you will get a sense of the Foundation’s commitment to serving and supporting our Survivor community.
We are also very excited to have now developed the criteria and required skills to begin our search for our inaugural Executive Director. This individual is the person who will be the face of the Foundation and will play an integral role in the development of grants, services and supports to Survivors. More information about this position is now available on the website and we invite you to review the posting and share with your networks.
Finally, as a strictly volunteer and Survivor-led Board of Directors (with the exception of Justice LaForme), we are acutely aware of the expectations our Survivor community has for the Foundation in terms of providing direct Survivor support. This expectation has fuelled our passion for getting the groundwork in place to meet these goals. We want you to know that we have seen and heard some of your frustrations and we understand why there may exist some uncertainty about how the Foundation will benefit the Survivor community. Our most pressing priority now is to not only fill our staffing requirements but to identify credible programs and services in order to expedite some much-needed support services to our Survivor community. This initial support is expected to become available in the near future, and we will provide regular updates for you on the website very soon.
Thank you for your patience as we have laid the groundwork for the Foundation, one that is created by Survivors for Survivors. It is our honour to serve our community in this way.