Featured Projects

Here are some super neat projects we’ve had the privilege to work on, from best practice research to leadership programming to internal culture building. Enjoy, and let us know if any ideas get sparked as you read.

University of Wisconsin Credit Union

Deep Diversity®: Leadership Program, Creating Inclusive Systems Change, March 2016-Present

Anima Leadership has been working with the Executive Team and over 900 staff at the UWC Credit Union over the last four years to create an internal shift toward more understanding, representation and inclusion, particularly for racialized employees. The Deep Diversity® Leadership Program helped support the executive team at UWCU in setting priorities related to the organization’s 5-year strategic plan. Through trainings, management coaching, focus group design and implementation and online modules Anima Leadership continues to collaborate closely with UWCU in understanding the specific organizational context in order to customize the training for maximum impact. Read More

Toronto Children’s Services (TCS), City of Toronto

Organizational Change Process: Building a More Inclusive Culture, 2015-2019

For over four years, Anima was engaged in offering diversity training to over 800 internal staff, coaching the Senior Leadership team and offering further management tools and support. Deep Diversity® was the internal framework on which follow-up trainings such as Indigenous, Trans and Disability rights were scaffolded, and these mandatory trainings were consistently rated at an 80% or above satisfaction level. Read More

The Advocates’ Society

Conducting a Demographic Survey of Members, 2017-2018

In Spring of 2018, Anima Leadership worked with The Advocates’ Society to conduct a demographic survey of their over 6000 members across Canada. The survey results provided the Society with insights into how it could develop and implement activities and initiatives to ensure an inclusive organization and a membership that reflects the broadest spectrum of the legal profession in Canada. Read More

TD Friends of the Environment Foundation

Environmental Leadership Program, 2017-2019

For three years, Anima Leadership worked with the TD Friends of the Environment Foundation to enhance the organizational capacity of environmental organizations through an annual Leadership and Organizational Development Course open for application by environmental leaders across Canada. Offered as a week-long intensive at a retreat centre in Ontario, then followed up by three coaching webinars, the program was rated consistently at an over 85% success for learning on key metrics. Read more

Ontario Public Supervisory Officials’ Association (OPSOA)

Equity and Inclusive Education Membership Survey, 2013

Ontario Public Supervisory Officials’ Association (OPSOA), a professional organization representing superintendents and educational directors across Ontario. With an increased growth in diversity in Ontario, OPSOA had struck a committee to assist supervisory officers meet their goals of equity and inclusion in education. Read more

Human Resources Development Canada

Developing best practices for Canada’s Racism Free Workplace Strategy, 2011-2012

This project was Anima Leadership’s first federal government project: to develop the curriculum and tools for Canada’s. Federally regulated companies are obligated to comply with Employment Equity legislation in an effort to create workplace environments where all people matter and belong regardless of their race, gender or disability. Read more

Centre for Social Innovation (CSI)

Strengthening internal culture, organizational development and staff capacity building, 2010-2011

From 2010 to 2011, Anima Senior Partner Annahid Dashtgard worked as internal consultant at Toronto’s social innovation hub, The Centre for Social Innovation to strategize around internal culture building for over 300 social mission organizations, with a secondary focus on organizational development during a time when CSI was expanding into two new spaces in downtown Toronto. Read more

Government of Newfoundland and Labrador

Citizen engagement and research, 2008 and 2009

Canadian Policy Research Networks, Anima Leadership facilitated a series of Deliberative Dialogue sessions with young people across Newfoundland and Labrador, as well as in Alberta and Ontario, to feed into the Government’s “Youth Retention and Attraction” Strategy. Read more

Ontario Ministry of Education

Flagship diversity training for school system leaders, 2006 to present

Developed by Anima Leadership, Deep Diversity has been offered across Canada to rave reviews by educators. In cooperation with the Ministry of Education, this flagship diversity training has been modified to support school system leaders —- principals, vice-principals, superintendents and trustees —- to deepen the understanding and skills needed to implement Ontario’s Equity and Inclusive Education strategy. Read more

W.H.Y. Bolivia

Intercultural Conflict and Peace-building Program, 2008 and 2009

November and December found the Anima team high in the mountains of Bolivia, in the capital city of La Paz. This country has stirred incredible hope and awe throughout Latin America with the election of the first indigenous president, Evo Morales in December of 2005. Read more