Archives for March 2020

Archive for March, 2020

Call for Nominations to the Nellie’s Board of Directors

Posted on: March 18th, 2020 by Nellie's No Comments

About Nellie’s
Nellie’s operates a 36 bed emergency shelter for women and children who are seeking shelter and / or leaving violence. Nellie’s also operates a community support and outreach program for low income and socially isolated women and children in the community.

Nellie’s is seeking members to join our Board of Directors whose experiences align with Nellie’s Mission:

Our Mission is to operate programs and services for women and children who have and are experiencing oppressions such as violence, poverty and homelessness. Nellie’s is a community-based feminist organization which operates within an anti-racist, anti-oppression framework. We are committed to social change through education and advocacy, to achieve social justice for all women and children.

About the Board of Directors
Nellie’s Board of Directors provides strategic leadership for Nellie’s in accordance to the organisation’s Vision, Mission, and Values. The board consists of 10 directors.

Currently we have one (1) vacancy on the Board of Directors.

Although individual Board members do not represent any particular constituency of Toronto, our aim is to have our Board membership reflect the city’s population and the clients we serve. Therefore, when recruiting applicants to our Board positions, the Board Membership & Development Committee will consider the following:

Individuals who bring a perspective that encompasses the general experience of visible minority groups in Toronto.
Individuals from diverse ethnic identities and cultural traditions and backgrounds.
Individuals who understand from their personal experience, work and/or volunteer activities, issues important to vulnerable or marginalized community members (e.g. disability, sexual orientation, low income, homelessness youth, seniors.

This is consistent with Nellie’s commitment to the development of an agency that reflects the women it serves.

Currently Nellie’s is looking for women with a commitment to and experience in the following areas:

Strong Board policy governance experience
Working from an Anti-Racist/Anti-oppression Framework
Feminist pedagogy and practice
Community based skills, including service delivery and / or as a service user
Human Resources
Fundraising
Finance
Risk Management

Responsibilities of Successful Applicants:

Prepare for and attend monthly Board Meetings (2.5 hours per month + prep time) and the AGM in September
Join one Board Committee (meetings usually once per month, 2.5 hours per month + prep time)
Participate in the annual Board Retreat in November (10 hours approx.)
Participate in the ongoing development and implementation of a long term vision and strategic plan for Nellie’s.

Successful applicants to the Nellie’s Board of Directors will be making a commitment to a two-year term, with possibility of extension to a maximum of three two-year terms.

TO APPLY:
This position is open to all women*. Woman* signifies all people who self-identify as female, femme and/or woman. This includes trans women, cisgender women, non binary people who identify as femme or female presenting.

Please submit a cover letter outlining your interest to serve on the Board and how your experiences align with Nellie’s mission. Please also include a resume (if applicable). Correspondence can be sent by email to:

Janna Cheng-Brown
janna@nellies.org

Deadline for applications: April 30, 2020.

All interested persons are invited to and are encouraged to attend a Board information session scheduled in June. This will be an informal opportunity for you to meet with current Board members and talk with them about their experience on Nellie’s Board as well as learn more about Nellie’s.

We’re Celebrating International Women’s Day!

Posted on: March 5th, 2020 by Nellie's No Comments

At Nellie’s, we’re proudly celebrating International Women’s Day

It’s about fighting for equality. It’s about celebrating achievements. It’s about applauding girl power. International Women’s Day is celebrated every year in Canada and in countries around the world on March 8. It is a global day to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. It’s also a day to bring attention of the need to accelerate gender parity.

No one government, charity, NGO, corporation, school, women’s network or media outlet is solely responsible for International Women’s Day. The day belongs to all women around the world and is all about unity, celebration, reflection, advocacy and action—whatever that looks like globally and at local levels.

The IWD2020 theme is #EachforEqual—an equal world is an enabled world.

How and when did International Women’s Day start?

The idea of having a Women’s Day first took hold over a century ago in the early 1900s as a response to the rapid changes and deteriorating conditions in women’s lives as a result of industrialization. According to the International Women’s Day website, the United States first recognized a day for women on February 28, 1909. The following year, the leader of the ‘Women’s Office’ for the Social Democratic Party in Germany proposed the idea of an International Women’s Day at an international conference of working women. It was unanimously approved and celebrated the following year by a number of countries on March 25. In 1913, the date was changed to March 8, where it has remained ever since. In 1975, the day was adopted by the United Nations, helping it gain a wider reach.

Are there certain colours you should wear to show your support?

Wear anything you want. But purple is the international colour symbolizing women.

Why is it still important to celebrate International Women’s Day in 2020?

International Women’s Day is just as important today as it was over a century ago. While we’ve come a long way, there’s still much to speak out about.

Women in poverty: More than 1.5 million women in Canada live on a low income.
Gender based violence: Every six days in Canada, a woman is killed by her intimate partner.
Sexual assault and harassment: Only 5% of sexual assaults are reported to police.
Barriers girls face: The percentage of girls who say they’re confident drops from 36% to 14% between grades 6 and 10.
Women and leadership: Six in 10 women say they sometimes find it difficult to picture themselves as leaders.

(Statistics courtesy of Canadian Women’s Foundation.)

Whether it’s making sure that women get equal pay for equal work, speaking out about violence against women, encouraging more women to enter the political sphere and take on leadership roles, we proudly celebrate International Women’s Day at Nellie’s. It’s so important to educate today’s young girls and boys about sexism, heterosexism, racism, or other discriminatory behaviour, and International Women’s Day is a great chance to start—or continue—the conversation about gender roles and gender equality.