SARC Fall Conference

The SARC Fall Conference is an annual in-person networking and training conference for senior management, executive directors, and boards of directors. This conference also features an exhibitor area where attendees can learn more about a variety of organizations or businesses that provide supports and services that may benefit your organization and the people you support.

This conference features professional development sessions on a wide variety of topics applicable and trending in the nonprofit sector today.

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Fall Conference

Registration is now open for the SARC Fall Conference 2024!

Early bird deadline is October 9!

Click here to read the full brochure!

October 23, 2024

10:00 a.m. – Welcome and Opening Remarks

10:30 a.m. – Screening of Uncharitable

We are excited to start the conference on a great note by showing the movie Uncharitable!

What if everything we’ve been taught about charity is wrong? What if our beliefs are undermining the causes we love? Uncharitable is the world’s first feature-length documentary to examine our most basic ideas about giving. It re-shuffles old notions about saints and sinners, heroes and heretics, good and greed. It follows the stories of three record-breaking entrepreneurial charitable initiatives that were mercilessly attacked by the media, ultimately devastating the very people the initiatives were helping.

Directed by Stephen Gyllenhaal, Uncharitable offers a radical but simple idea: abandon our sack-cloth-and-ashes constraints on nonprofits. Give them the same economic freedoms we give to business, and charities can lead the way to changing the world. Propelled by poignant, personal stories and featuring Edward Norton, Darren Walker and other prominent figures in philanthropy, Uncharitable takes audiences on a profoundly moving, hopeful and emotional journey that opens new domains of possibility for a world that can work for everyone.

12:00 p.m. – Lunch and Exhibitor Area Open

1:15 p.m. – Concurrent Session #1

A: How to Embrace Change While Moving from Surviving to Thriving, Christina Becker

Jack Welch, legendary CEO of General Electric, said “When the rate of change on the outside exceeds the rate of change on the inside, the end is near.” This is never more true than in the current nonprofit and charitable sector landscape.

To meet this new landscape, nonprofits must reexamine internal beliefs, cultural norms, and governance structures that keep them stuck in old ways of thinking. Sustainability in the long term demands that organizations be innovative and create agile and learning organizations.

This 90-minute interactive presentation will outline the most pressing changes in the landscape facing Canadian nonprofits and explore the internal organizational changes necessary to meet these challenges. Topics to be covered – how to cultivate a culture of foresight, the importance of a growth mindset, and capacity building of governance structures.

Attendees will leave the session with tangible and practical strategies they can try in their organization.

B: Fundraising Foundations for Nonprofit Leaders: Ways to Diversify Your Revenue for the Least Cost Per Dollar Raised, Larissa Stoddart

In this session, attendees will learn about a variety of various fundraising strategies that charities and nonprofits use to diversify and increase their revenue, as well as gain clarity regarding how to spend their fundraising time and resources.

The key points that will be covered in this session, include:

  • Fundraising overview.
  • Fundraising strategies.
  • Fundraising management.

2:45 p.m. – Refreshment Break

3:00 p.m. – Concurrent Session #2

A: Your Case For Support: Crafting a Compelling Case for Giving, Larissa Stoddart

This session will discuss what a case for support is, why it is important, and will start drafting a case for support for their own organization. This is a key tool for raising more money, enabling leaders to present the importance of their work to donors in an effective way.

The key points that will be covered in this session, include:

  • What a case for support is.
  • Why it is important.
  • Case for support examples from other organizations.
  • Components of a case for support.
  • Start drafting a case for support.

B: The Artificial Dilemma: 10 Ways AI is Transforming Leadership, Jeph Maystruck

In today’s fast-paced world, Artificial Intelligence isn’t just the next big thing—it’s a game-changer that’s completely transforming how we lead, manage, and stay competitive. In this presentation, we’ll dive into ten key ways AI is shaking up leadership and management, and what you can do to stay ahead of the curve. Through real-world examples and practical insights, you’ll walk away with the tools to harness AI and drive real results for your organization.

SARC Awards Banquet – October 23, 2024

6:00 p.m. – Cocktails

6:30 p.m. – Dinner

7:30 p.m. – Program

October 24, 2024

8:00 a.m. – Breakfast

9:00 a.m. – Concurrent Session #3

A: Educational Standards, Amy McNeil and Melanie Weiss

This session is for SARC Regular and Associate Members who want to continue the discussion on educational standards within the Disability Service sector. SARC Members started talking about their current educational and training requirements at April’s annual Member Update Meetings and whether or not they would support the establishment of a minimum educational standard for the Direct Support Professional position providing direct daily support for people experiencing intellectual and developmental disabilities. Members not in attendance for these meetings were asked the same questions via survey earlier this fall. At this session, we will highlight these findings, take a deeper dive into some initiatives underway in other jurisdictions across Canada, and discuss possible next steps for Saskatchewan’s Disability Service sector.

B: Enhancing Mental Health for Community Service Workers, Brelyn Klotz

Caregivers are the cornerstone of compassionate care, and it is essential that their mental health is prioritized and supported by organizational leaders. This presentation will explore:

  • How mental health affects us in the workplace.
  • Industry-specific stressors in community service.
  • How to recognize the warning signs of mental health struggles in ourselves and others.
  • How to identify prevalent mental health challenges.
  • How the workplace can support effective coping strategies to enhance emotional resilience.

By the end of this session, you will be equipped with the tools to fortify your own mental well-being, support employees, and establish a solid foundation of care that prioritizes mental health, enhancing job satisfaction, and overall quality of life.

10:30 a.m. – Refreshment Break

11:00 a.m. – Concurrent Session #4

A: Resistance is Futile: AI is Taking Over Your Boardroom, Jeph Maystruck

In today’s world, technology is moving at breakneck speed, and AI isn’t just some far-off idea anymore — it’s changing how we make decisions, even right here in Saskatchewan. Whether you’re on a board for a local nonprofit or a major company, AI can streamline your decision-making and give you the insights you need to lead smarter. This keynote will break down how AI can help boards stay on top of things without getting overwhelmed by the tech. We’ll show you why embracing this change is key — because like it or not, AI is already knocking on the door of your next board meeting!

B: Shifting the Disability Paradigm and Building Affordable and Inclusive Housing, Doug Tennant

UNITI, a partnership of three not-for-profit organizations, seeks to upend the custodial paradigm of disability by supporting people to be leaders not just in their own lives, but in the community. Join UNITI CEO Doug Tennant as he shares how this approach has led to innovative housing, including Chorus, the 71-unit affordable and inclusive rental apartment building that UNITI completed in 2016. With successful advocacy and in the face of municipal barriers, the 91-unit Harmony Apartments, broke ground earlier this year.

In this session, Doug will also share the model of support that UNITI practices to ensure that self-advocates have the opportunity to be community leaders who create positive change at municipal, provincial, and national levels.

12:30 p.m. – Lunch

1:30 p.m. – Concurrent Session #5

A: Innovative Smart Home Implementation, Twylla McLean

Visions of Independence (VOI) embarked on a mission to create a smart home utilizing IoT devices where people could control lighting, climate, entertainment, and security remotely. This presentation emphasizes a person-centered approach for people with intellectual disabilities, ensuring accessibility and tailored support. By understanding each person’s needs, the team at VOI worked closely with people in their homes and developed an environment with key benefits including improved safety and personalized living experiences. Join us as we discuss the lessons learned, along with recommendations on adapting these strategies to your organization.

B: Equity Leadership: Integrating EDI Into Your Organization, Natalie Duchesne

This session offers a pragmatic introduction for executive directors and board directors on how to lead the integration of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) into the fabric of their organization. We will explore the essential role of leadership, the critical pre-work needed to effectively engage in EDI, and the first steps for identifying key EDI priorities and engagement strategies. Attendees will also learn ongoing strategies to support their teams in integrating EDI, with practical exercises and tools to build leadership skills, including creating customized learning paths for their teams.

 

Accommodations can be booked at the Atlas Hotel by calling 306-586-3443 and quote block 103024SAR to get the group rate!