Policy wonks develop mad skills

Congratulations to the class of 2015! Twenty-three community leaders have all graduated from United Way’s innovative professional development program, the Public Policy Institute (PPI). Graduates walk away with new knowledge, skills and tools so that they are better able to understand and influence the public policy process. Leaders from a wide range of organizations from the Early childhood Educators of BC to the West End Seniors Network attended this year. PPI brings together not-for-profit leaders from across the province with experts in the field for monthly two-day training sessions from January to June each year. PPI Faculty include former Premier Mike Harcourt; former MLA Elizabeth Cull; corporate director Brenda Eaton; health policy expert Dr. Liz Whynot and Ida Goudreau, Adjunct Professor, Sauder School of Business. “You’ve done great work at PPI this year but it’s what you do when you leave here that counts,” encouraged PPI Faculty Mike Harcourt. Special thanks to Premier Sponsor Vancity and to UBC Robson Square for generously providing meeting space. Information and applications for the 2016 session of the United Way Public Policy Institute will be posted soon. For more information contact Yves Trudel at United Way British Columbia at ppi@uwbc.ca.