United Way Public Policy Institute

The first of its kind in British Columbia, the United Way Public Policy Institute will bring together public policy experts to work with senior managers in social services and health-related agencies who want to better understand and influence the public policy process. The first of six session is scheduled for January 2011. 

Mike Harcourt, former premier of British Columbia, will lead the first institute. The balance of the faculty is equally as knowledgeable as Mr. Harcourt, but represents different perspectives from a broad range of public policy experiences. They include former provincial government and health services leaders Elizabeth Cull, Brenda Eaton, Ida Goodreau, and Liz Whynot.

The United Way institute is modeled on similar successful institutes offered by the Maytree Foundation in Ontario and the Max Bell Foundation in Alberta.

This first institute for British Columbia will bring together approximately 25 leaders from the non-profit sector who will attend six, two-day modules, over a period of six months. Enrollment will be open to participants from all regions of the province. Venues for the sessions are not finalized but will alternate between Vancouver and Victoria. Please note that each admitted participant will be required to pay a $500 materials fee at registration, but that tuition as well as travel and accommodations will be subsidized by United Way.

Sessions will focus on current issues as participants explore such topics as public policy research, analysis of policy alternatives, and decision-making. Each participant will be required to do additional work on a project that responds to a given policy issue of interest to his or her organization. By the end of the program, participants will present their project to faculty and their peers, including their critical thinking, analysis, and strategy recommendations.