Hats off to this year’s United Way’s Public Policy Institute grads!

The fourth cohort of United Way’s Public Policy Institute (PPI) graduates with flying colours! View photos from the graduation event. PPI is a training program for leaders in the non-profit sector in BC whose organizations want to better understand and influence the public policy process. Returning for the fourth year, lead faculty was former Premier of BC, Mike Harcourt. The high caliber faculty included Brenda Eaton, Elizabeth Cull, Ida Goodreau and Dr. Liz Whynot, all senior experts from government and the public service. Some of the participating organizations this year included Aunt Leah’s Place, North Shore Neighbourhood House and the Hospital Employees’ Union with projects ranging from healthcare and social welfare to food security and poverty reduction. The six-month training program uses innovative, small group training, case studies and ongoing applied learning through participants’ own policy projects. The goal is to help non-profit leaders and their organizations increase their knowledge of the public policy process and their capacity to influence change. During the last session of the program, participants have the opportunity to present their plan for policy change. Special thanks to UBC Robson Square for generously providing meeting space for PPI 2014.