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Changemakers

Virtual Workshop Days
About EngageFest!
The Tamarack Institute is excited to gather with our Networks for Change to build our skills together and advance a bold vision for Canada rooted in the power of place and our shared learnings. We will bring together more than 150 social innovators, change makers, and community leaders working in place to end poverty in all of its forms for two days of networking, capacity building, inspiration, knowledge sharing, and to build a shared vision to further guide Tamarack's public policy and government relations efforts.
We are at an unprecedented moment in our history where a series of interconnected challenges are severely stressing the social and ecological systems that have allowed us to thrive. At the same time, growing inequalities and a loss of belonging are worsening impacts on individuals. Fortunately, we know that communities – the power in place – have the wisdom, experience, and assets to address these challenges and strengthen institutions to improve the quality of life and wellbeing for everyone.
Complex issues like economic poverty, climate change, community wellbeing and belonging, and opportunity for young people are woven into the fabric of the communities we live in. Tamarack exists to support the changemakers who are often under-resourced, stretched thin, and working in isolation but who are passionate, innovative, and deeply committed to making a difference. Communities are ambitious and deeply rooted in this crucial work, but they need governments at all levels to partner with them for impact, learn from what is happening on the ground, support their long-term efforts, and shift policies, resource flows, and institutions that often worsen challenges.
Engagefest! 2025 is all about communities and fostering real connections across the Networks for Change to advance the change needed to make the work happening in communities easier and more impactful. We will celebrate the amazing work that you are doing, share skills to improve the local advocacy, policy, and systems navigation efforts happening throughout the network, and build a bold policy agenda to guide Tamarack’s efforts with governments and institutions.
This virtual event is packed with inspirational leaders working in the community, government, and policy advocacy. We invite all participants, whether dedicated to climate transitions, poverty reduction, building belonging, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Justice and Reconciliation, youth leadership, or other areas, are encouraged to share their stories, knowledge, and expertise.
Engagefest! Attendees will:
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Explore tools and resources to shift power, advance policy change for impact, and make meaningful shifts systems.
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Apply learning strategies: Take home practical strategies, tools, guides, and examples to create change and make a sustainable impact in your community and initiatives.
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Celebrate impact: share your stories of impact with your peers; hear their community change stories, learn from each other’s challenges, and celebrate your impact!
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Learn ways to leverage local knowledge and community assets to transform systems.
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Walk away with strategies for igniting motivation to sustain collaboratives and nurturing collective efforts.
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Meet peers from across Turtle Island and beyond to discover their creative approaches to addressing social inequities and challenges.
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Shape Tamarack’s public policy and government relations efforts.
AGENDA
All times listed are in Eastern Standard Time. The agenda is subject to change.
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Day One: Skills for Change |
Day Two: Setting Our Bold Vision |
10:00 AM |
Optional Pre-Session (Coffee & membership) |
Optional Pre-Session (Policy discussion) |
11:00 AM |
Welcome / Setting the Stage |
Reconvene the Learning Community |
11:30 AM -12:00 PM |
Setting the Stage for Political Courage |
Workshops Day 2 Setting a Policy Agenda for Communities pt1 |
12:00 - 12:20 PM |
Break |
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12:20 - 2:00 PM |
Day One Workshops Building our capacity to lead change |
Workshops Day 2 Setting a Policy Agenda for Communities pt2 |
2:00 - 2:20 PM |
Break |
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2:20 - 3:15 PM
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Day One Keynote: The Power of Place - Setting a Bold Vision Together |
Workshop Report Back & Discussions |
3:15 - 4:30 PM |
Day One Panel: Novel Policy Ideas from Members and Partners |
Setting Priorities & Positions for Impact |
4:30 - 5:00 PM |
Wrap-up |
Synthesis & Wrap-up |
Setting the Stage for Political Courage - Acting Across Scales and Sectors by Scott MacAfee
Across all scales, from local to national, we often need to create the political coverage and establish the case for bold political action. Scott MacAfee, Chairperson at the National Advisory Council on Poverty, will discuss opportunities and strategies for community partnerships to make the case for political action and to create the conditions for decision-makers to act.
The Power of Place - Setting a Bold Vision Together by Danya Pastuszek
For more than 20 years, the communities in our network have made meaningful, lasting change for individuals and systems. From this work, we have seen the unique power of communities working across sectors and lived experiences in place to identify and action the best solutions to complex challenges. Join Danya Pastuszek as she outlines what we have learned about the power of place and how, together, across the Tamarack network, we can put forward a bold vision for Canada rooted in the work of community.
Day 1 Workshop Descriptions
Lessons from Communities - Circles of Action for Advancing Belonging in Canada (Savroop Shergill)
Communities in our network have been leaders in building belonging strategies and improving social connections in communities. In this session, we will bring together lessons from communities for addressing the loneliness crisis and identify key mechanisms for deepening connections in our communities..
Lessons from Communities - Community Action for Ending Poverty (Kathryn Colby)
Communities remain central to Canada’s poverty reduction success. In this session, we explore lessons learned from the Western Canada Lead’s cohort and the Ending Working Poverty cohort to help identify potential lessons from communities and leverage points for policy actions to end poverty.
Skills Building Session- Tools for Navigating Systems and Shift Policies (Justin Williams)
Community collaboratives engage in campaigns and actions to shape public policy across scales. This session will provide an overview of tools to help you develop strategies and campaigns to advance public policy initiatives while engaging other system-wide levers. These tools can help shape work at the local to the national scale.
Other Skills Building Sessions
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Engaging Capital to Support Community Led Change (Robin Wisener)
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Telling your Stories of Impact (Alison Homer)
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Sustaining Community Collaboration through Transitions (Duncan Field)
September 11, 2025
Vision and Strategy Sessions
More sessions to be added based on member feedback and insights (please reach out to justin@tamarackcommunity.ca if you would like to suggest a session)
Lessons from Communities - Addressing the Climate Crisis (Duncan Field)
Together, we will uncover trends from work happening in communities to establish and implement mitigation, adaptation, and resilience. Join this workshop to hear inspiring stories of communities working to build whole of whole-of-community response to the climate crisis and uncover policy recommendations for making this work easier and more effective.
Policy Discussions
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Basic Income & Financial Empowerment
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Advancing a Canada-Wide Strategy for Belonging
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Helping Governments Recognize and Harness the Power of Place
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The Case for Developing Strategies with and for Youth
Strategy Discussions
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Community Vision for Ending Poverty in Alberta
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Community Vision for Ontario's Poverty Reduction Strategy
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Building Movements Rooted in Place to Support Policy Action in Canada

Register Now
Engagefest! 2025 is dedicated to the collaboratives that make up our Networks for Change (Ending Poverty, Building Belonging, Youth Futures, and Climate Transitions).
Members of the network are invited to bring two participants to Engagefest! to learn together and shape our efforts to shift policies and systems to end poverty in all its forms.
If you have questions about your member or who to bring, please reach out to justin@tamarackcommunity.ca