About Us

Ontario’s hub for events and opportunities that promote global social justice and equity for all

The Ontario Council for International Cooperation (OCIC) is an expanding community of Ontario-based international cooperation and global citizenship-focused organizations, institutions, and individual associate members committed to working for global social justice, human dignity and participation for all.

Our Vision

Global social justice, human dignity and participation for all.

Our Mission

As a Council, OCIC strives to increase the effectiveness and collective impact of all our members’ efforts to promote sustainable, people-centred development in a peaceful and healthy environment. OCIC is committed to principles of fair and equitable cooperative international development and promotes public engagement that helps Canadians develop a global perspective and take action for social justice.

Our Mandate

OCIC encourages the development of the Ontario international development and global education sectors and sharing of resources between OCIC members by providing forums for networking, communications and collaborative reflection and action, and facilitating capacity building in public engagement and organizational development. OCIC is a learning organization with inclusive, cooperative and participatory processes that are accessible and accountable to all members.

Land Acknowledgement

OCIC recognizes and honours the Indigenous peoples who have historically, and do presently, live and work on the traditional, both treaty and unceded territories that we operate on. These include the Huron Wendat and Petun First Nations, the Seneca, the Haudenosaunee, the Anishnaabe, the Mississaugas of the Credit River First Nation, and many others. We acknowledge that our staff, Board, volunteers, members and broader community operate on the treaty and unceded territories of these and numerous other Indigenous peoples and nations.

As we reflect on our role within a settler-colonial context, we acknowledge the importance of naming the Indigenous peoples and nations on whose lands we live, work and play, and understand the importance of framing our engagement in the international cooperation sector and beyond through the lens of reconciliation and decolonization. We recognize that we have a responsibility to stand in solidarity with Indigenous peoples who have and continue to fight for social justice on their own lands.

Our Strategic Plan (2018-2023)

The overall OCIC Theory of Change represents an integration of individual Theories of Change for OCIC’s three Strategic Directions, understood as interdependent domains of change in which OCIC operates.

Strengthen Capacity

OCIC supports our members in being leaders of good development, adapting to change, and developing innovative solutions to global poverty challenges.

Increase Multi-Sectoral Dialogue

OCIC brings together sectoral leaders and practitioners, issue-specific experts, advocates, academics, funders and private sector actors to better understand and leverage perspectives, expertise and resources.

Influence & Inspire

OCIC provides communications platforms to amplify the voice of its members, and to influence and inspire key decision makers and the public.

For more information, view OCIC’s full strategic plan. [PDF] / [Accessible Word]

Board of Directors

OCIC is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors elected annually by the voting membership of the Council. Board members serve in their individual capacity on Executive, Governance, Finance & Sustainability, and Membership Committees.

Executive Committee

President – Jacquelyn Wright, Canadian Feed The Children
Vice President – Bella Lam, Jane Goodall Institute of Canada
Secretary – Aysha Dawood, Associate Member
Treasurer – Courtney Mollenhauer, Transforming Faces

Board of Directors

Hyang Cho – Good Neighbors Canada
Martina Coraci – World Renew
Aysha Dawood – Associate Member
Kristin Douglas – World Accord
Molly Grove – Associate Member
Bella Lam – Jane Goodall Institute of Canada
Soofia Mahmood – Raising The Village
Courtney Mollenhauer – Transforming Faces
Christina Muia – Associate Member
Alice Ng Bouwma – Associate Member
Charanya Thiyanavadivel – Results Canada
Jacquelyn Wright – Canadian Feed The Children

Staff

Executive Director – Kimberly Gibbons
Director of Operations – Lisa Swainston
Membership & Administration Coordinator – Arabelle Arcaina
Communications & Content Specialist – Sarah Judd
Community Engagement & Gender Equality Specialist – Pragya Tikku
Learning & Impact Specialist – Shehara Athukorala
Communications & Community Engagement Intern – Mishka Watin
Accountant – Eric Plato

Values

OCIC’s work, both internally and as a collective of members, is grounded in our shared vision of global social justice, human dignity and participation for all. Our policies are designed to meet OCIC’s internal needs as an organization, however they are guided by ideals about anti-oppression, human rights, international cooperation, and the appropriate meeting of human needs articulated in a multitude of places by multilateral bodies, states, and civil society groups.

All OCIC policies and activities are informed by our Vision, Mission, Mandate, and Strategic Directions. Mindfulness of the spirit and letter of these documents is central to the integrity of the Council, as is compliance with the Canadian Council for International Cooperation (CCIC) Code of Ethics, the Istanbul Principles for CSO Development Effectiveness, and OCIC’s Anti-Oppression Policy.

While we do not necessarily support or endorse all activities or positions of our many and diverse members, we encourage all members to work toward ethical and anti-oppressive practice, and to engage in dialogue and critical refection with the Council on issues of collective concern and importance.

By-Laws & Policies

Incident Reporting for Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment

Please use these forms if you have experienced an incident or incidents of sexual exploitation, abuse and/or harassment, or have witnessed, discovered or suspect an alleged case of sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment by anyone involved with OCIC, while engaged in activities of the Council.

Reporting as a survivor
Reporting on behalf of a survivor
Request to make a verbal report form

Annual Reports

Partners

OCIC is an active member of the Inter-Council Network of Provincial/Regional Councils for International Cooperation (ICN) and the Canadian Council for International Cooperation (CCIC), and receives financial support from Global Affairs Canada.

Inter-Council Network

The Inter-Council Network (ICN) is a dynamic network of provincial and regional member-based Councils for International Cooperation committed to social justice and social change. Rooted in communities across Canada, we are leaders in public engagement at a local and regional level, and are recognized for bringing regional knowledge and priorities to the national level.

Cooperation Canada

Cooperation Canada brings together and advocated for Canada’s international development and humanitarian organizations by convening sector leaders, influencing policy and building capacity.

Global Affairs Canada

The Global Affairs Canada is Canada’s lead agency for development assistance. Global Affairs Canada’s aim is manage Canada’s support and resources effectively and accountably to achieve meaningful, sustainable results, and to engage in policy development in Canada and internationally, enabling Canada’s effort to realize its development objectives.