A Message from the Director
Welcome to the Coady International Institute.
I joined the Coady Institute in the summer of 2011 because of its commitment and belief in community driven approaches to change. Through its work, the Institute supports citizen leaders, development professionals and others to develop innovative solutions to contemporary issues of inequality and social justice around the world, and has been doing so for more than 50 years.
Education is at the heart of the Coady Institute’s mission. Community leaders come from Canada and around the world to learn and share their knowledge. Our programs are designed with the community-based leader in mind; providing applicable knowledge, strengthening leadership capacities, and building networks of practitioners.
At this moment there are Coady alumni making a difference in more than 130 countries, serving their societies at every level from their local community association to leading their country as a Prime Minister. I invite you to visit our alumni pages to meet some of these inspiring leaders and learn about their work.
This is an organization that is always learning. Our program staff come from the field and regularly return to do practical research and work with local partners, ensuring that education programs are informed by new innovations and practice. It is our goal to share this knowledge widely to help others find fresh ideas in innovation and inspiration in solutions. We are actively engaged in publishing our research, and creating new tools to help communities discover their own opportunities.
In collaboration with partners in Canada and the global south, the Institute is committed to reducing poverty and transforming societies by strengthening local economies, by building resilient communities, and by promoting accountable democracies. We are committed to breaking down and transforming the North/South divide by bringing Canadians and people from the global South together to exchange best practices and learn from each other.
And nowhere is this more evident, than in our greater emphasis on building leadership capacity among women, youth and indigenous peoples. Through new programs, strategic partnerships and a greater 'convening' role, we are working with citizen leaders to create better futures in communities at home and abroad.
Warm regards,
Dr. John Gaventa
Director, Coady International Institute
Vice President, International Development, StFX