Resources
Results Are In! The Family and Natural Supports Program Improves Youth Well-Being and Prevents Homelessness (homeless learning hub)
This infographic provides aa snapshot of how the Family and Natural Supports (FNS) program supports youth and their families, including those they consider significant in their lives—such as chosen family, Elders, coaches, and teachers—to foster stronger relationships, resolve conflicts, and help prevent youth homelessness.
Report: Indigenous Shelter Diversion and Eviction Prevention May 2025 (Canadian Observatory on Homelessness)
Through an environmental scan of literature and existing programs, this report adopts a decolonizing lens to explore Indigenous perspectives on prevention, including diversion from shelters and preventing eviction.
Bill 53 Compassionate Intervention Act: Alberta Charts a Controversial New Course on Addiction Care (Alberta Council May 2025)
In Alberta Counsel’s feature article, Director of NPVS Aileen Burke goes over Bill 53 which introduces the Compassionate Intervention Act and the implications it holds for Alberta.
What to Do After an Election: Action Plan for Campaigners & Activists (New/Mode)
Election day was a milestone, not the finish line. Keep your supporters activated, your targets accountable, and your tools ready.
Alberta.ca News Release Quadrupling Youth Beds with CASA Mental Health May 7 2025
Alberta’s government has an established partnership with CASA Mental Health, the province’s second-largest provider of community-based youth mental health services.
Updates to Charitable Fund-raising Act Bill 38 (The Nonprofit Chamber)
Charitable Fund-raising Act Bill 38 - Changes were recently announced to the Charitable Fund-raising Act through Bill 38, which has passed second reading at this time.
CIPI Survey Insights: Staffing Tops Charity Spending Pressures
Charity Insights Canada finds staff compensation is both the largest expense and most underfunded area for charities. As demand grows, staffing remains a key pressure point.
Volunteer Canada Survey. Have Your Say!
Volunteer Canada wants to hear from you so that they can build a National Volunteer Strategy that reflects the experiences and the needs of all Canada’s volunteer eco-system and communities.
CICP Survey Insights: Governance, Diversity, and the Role of Founders. May 13, 2025 : Governance, Diversity, and the Role of Founders.
This survey takes a closer look at governance practices across the charitable sector. From oversight to board diversity and founder involvement, here’s what we heard from charities across the country.
Report: Building a Stronger Nonprofit Workforce An Alberta Nonprofit Workforce Strategy Feasibility Study (The Nonprofit Chamber)
While strategies have been developed to support Alberta’s private sector workforce, they rarely account for the unique realities of nonprofits. Programs that exist may be open to nonprofits, but are often a poor fit, limiting participation and impact. With over 285,000 Albertans employed in the nonprofit sector—more than those working in oil and gas, forestry, and mining combined—this gap is significant.
ALIGN Presenting “Parallel Process: Leadership within your organization” Webinar offered through the Our Children Our Way Society. Register Now
May 16th on ZOOM join us at this Our Children Our Way Society (OCOW) Webinar featuring Jacqlyn Padavell, Child Well-Being Consultant, ALIGN Association of Community Services and Cheryl Whiskeyjack, Executive Director, Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society.
Join Us! ALIGN's Spring Membership Meeting May 30th (ZOOM)
Join us May 30th on ZOOM! This is an excellent opportunity to hear exciting updates on ALIGN Activities, including OHS and Well-Being—plus a special presentation from the Centre for Autism Services Alberta. Don’t miss this chance to connect, learn, and be inspired!
Cope - A Valuable Resource for Caregivers of Children and Youth Who Have Experienced Trauma
Are you a caregiver of a child who has experienced trauma? Register for COPE and learn strategies to help you and your child cope and recover.
Our Children Are Sacred Indigenous Youth Suicide Prevention Course (Ben Calf Robe Society)
“Our Children Are Sacred” is a Youth Suicide Prevention Course and resource for adults interacting with individuals at risk for suicide.
Reconciliation Is Good Business: The Cost of Waiting vs. the Power of Acting Now (Tanya Tourangeau Consulting)
If you're tired of "Trump Economics"—where division, isolation, and short-term gain overshadow long-term prosperity—there’s a smarter, more inclusive economic model already thriving in Canada. Let Tanya Tourangeau tell you about it!
ALIGN’s Well-Being Toolkit Community of Practice (CoP)
The CoP is an informal community of like-minded practitioners and evaluators in the child and family serving sector who are interested in growing their organization’s impact on child and youth well-being.
Don't Delay! ALIGN's OHS Survey Deadline May 30, 2025
Please take a moment to complete this brief survey to help ALIGN learn about the progress of occupational health and safety (OHS) within sector agencies.
ALIGN Report "Empowering Futures: Gatherings for Indigenous Child Welfare Sovereignty" April 2025
The ALIGN gathering, Empowering Futures Gatherings in Treaty 6 (Edmonton) and Treaty 7 (Calgary), focused on Indigenous Child Welfare Sovereignty, allowing us to engage in deep discussions about Indigenous jurisdiction over child welfare, the barriers and opportunities in Alberta, and what meaningful action looks like moving forward.
ALIGN's Presentation of the Well-Being Toolkit at the 2025 Symposium on Child & Youth Trauma
ALIGN would like to extend our sincere thanks to the 2025 Symposium on Child & Youth Trauma conference planners for creating a meaningful and collaborative space and opportunity to share the ALIGN Well-Being Toolkit with attendees. It was a privilege to share our work with such an engaged and thoughtful audience, and we deeply appreciate the platform to discuss tools that support the well-being of First Nations, Metis and Inuit children and youth and the integration of traditional Indigenous knowledge with modern practices.
May is Sexual Assault Prevention Month
Everyone in Canada deserve to be safe and free from violence. May is Sexual Violence Prevention Month, an opportunity to raise awareness about sexual abuse and support people experiencing sexual violence in this country.
Futureproofing Nonprofits: Unlocking Digital Skills for Success (CCNDR April 2025)
Purpose: To provide the essential non-profit sector with the skills and tools it needs to thrive and serve the needs of the community.
Report: Unlocking Generosity: Understanding and Engaging Multicultural Canadians in Charitable Giving (Imagine Canada April 2025)
This study provides practical insights to help organizations build stronger connections with some of Canada’s fastest-growing populations. Key themes explored: giving behaviours & potential for greater support, donation methods, and the role of multicultural media.
Wherever Precariously Homed People Are, Their Belongings are at Risk (homeless hub)
This research addresses a gap in the scholarship of homelessness governance, shining a light on the people, practices, and experiences of regulation as it relates to precariously homed people’s belongings.
ALIGN Empowering Futures Presentation Materials
This event allowed us to engage in deep discussions about Indigenous jurisdiction over child welfare, the barriers and opportunities in Alberta, and what meaningful action looks like moving forward.
CICP Survey Insights: Volunteer Recruitment and Retention Challenges in Canada's Charitable Sector April 2025
Are Canadian charities getting the volunteer support they need? CICP's latest survey, "Volunteer Recruitment and Retention Challenges in Canada's Charitable Sector" shows a sector balancing both optimism and strain.
ALIGN CONNECTIONS For Indigenous Children/Youth & Caregivers April 2025
CONNECTIONS is monthly newsletter designed to support Foster and Kinship Caregivers to ensure First Nations, Metis & Inuit children in their care have access to cultural resources, activities and events that broaden their cultural awareness.
Engaging Younger Generations: Charity Insights Canada Project (CICP) Survey Results April, 2025
Engaging Millennials, Gen Z, and younger generations is top of mind for many charities—but what strategies are actually in place? And what’s proving effective? This survey looked at how Canadian charities are involving younger people as volunteers, donors, and leaders—and the barriers standing in the way.
ALIGN's Well-Being in Child and Family Services Toolkit
The way we define and understand child and youth well-being matters.
ALIGN's Indigenous Cultural Understanding Framework (ICUF)
A Digital Interactive Journey to increase cultural understanding within Alberta agencies so that all Indigenous children living in Alberta can live in dignity and respect, supported by people with a deeper understanding of Indigenous worldviews, history and current reality.
ALIGN OHS Leadership Awareness Series Online Training
Learn more about OHS duties, best practices, legislation, prevention plans and more with these seven online modules from ALIGN!
Diversity Geomap Dashboard
This tool helps funders, impact investors, and community organizations to compare community diversity metrics with their capital allocation targets, identify investment priority areas, and support strategic planning.
5 Considerations for Organizations Who Advocate for Vulnerable Children, Youth and Families (ALIGN)
Advocating for vulnerable children, youth, and families requires innovation, collaboration, and intersectional approaches to address complex challenges. As the world continues to evolve, it is essential to stay adaptive and employ strategies that can navigate the current landscape. Here are some of the best ways to advocate for vulnerable groups.
Alberta.ca Bill 53: Compassionate Intervention Act Legislation Tabled
The Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions has introduced Bill 53: Compassionate Intervention Act.
MHRC Launches New Youth Mental Health Data Hub Launch April 2025
MHRC and GreenShield have launched this new resource to deliver unparalleled insights into the mental health of young Canadians in collaboration with leading youth mental health organizations.
Let's Imagine Podcast: Effective Advocacy Strategies & Leveraging Communications for Change (Imagine Canada)
From relying on trusted sources when navigating election-year advocacy to crafting clear, values-based messaging, Kathryn shares tried-and-true insights on how organizations of all sizes can build compelling campaigns that resonate with both decision-makers and the public.
Strength in Numbers: The 2023-2024 ACWS Report on Domestic Violence Shelter Impact in Alberta
Released April 2025 this report reveals a continued rise in demand for shelter services and the urgent need for sustained support to keep up with the growing complexity of survivors’ needs.
