Structural and staffing changes to address COVID-19
The unprecedented COVID-19 crisis has a profound impact on all of us. EWB and the international development community have been uniquely affected. Some program areas are impossible in a world without travel, for example, and funding is less available as donors are facing their own financial challenges.
In this context, we have had to fundamentally rethink how we deliver programming so that we can continue to deliver our core mission. After a comprehensive and detailed review of finances and operations, we were faced with the conclusion that the only way to preserve the sustainability and viability of the organization was to reduce our staff capacity and our programming.
This is a rebuilding period, and we are confident that EWB will emerge from this a more focused, effective organization prepared to help address the news challenges that emerge after the pandemic.
We have made the following changes:
- Support for our ventures will be delivered through our Virtual Talent xChange.
- Our Community Team and Advocacy Team will merge into an engagement and leadership team, supporting our Chapter network and running campaigns such as #CanadaCares.
- The Finance and Operations Team have reduced their capacity.
We are deeply sorry to the people we have to let go, and grateful for the contributions they have made. The changes hurt all the more that they have all shown such immense resilience, commitment and loyalty to the organization.
Moving forward, we are confident that, with these measures, we have preserved our ability to stay true to our values and to pivot the role we play so that EWB can continue building people-to-people connections based on solidarity and mutual respect and deliver meaningful impact through 2020 and beyond.
