b'COMMUNITY INVESTMENTWe also do work across social innovation and commu- events were fulfilling a need for community in a different nity presence, really looking at those communitiesway. Weve often brought youth from our operating where we have operations and how were supportingcommunities to Soaring, and really enjoy having them our employees to engage in their local communi- share lunch with the Indspire Laureateswe call it our ties. That includes our SunCares Community GivingIndspired Youth Experience. Networks and platform, which includes bothemployee volunteerism and donations as well as And finally, we were one of the founding supporters of humanitarian donations. Indspires Research Knowledge Nest, which createdgreat opportunities for the young researchers whoThat sounds intriguing. Can you tell us awere participants.bit more about the SunCares Community Giving Networks (SCGNs) and give us a fewBoth the SEF and Indspire believe in the examples of community-building that power of connections and relationship-they create? building. What are some of the ways the SEF has established these connections with Sure. The SCGNs are employee-led groups that comecommunity organizations that have had a together to expedite community-based projects, withmeaningful impact? What do you think are leads in each operating community who decide whatsome of the key components in establishing particular fundraising or volunteering campaigns theyllthese relationships?do for a particular project or initiative. Volunteers on the ground directly identify what their communitiesFor us, thats an integral part of how we do our work; need and how theyre going to engage with that need;a relational approach is at the core of what we do. One we then decide how were going to amplify and supportof the Elders weve worked with regularly says that their work.relationships move at the speed of trust. It takes time to build and maintain that trust, person-to-person and SEF matches employee donations each year up toheart-to-heart. Its about holding each other account-$2,000 per employee per year, and we also give dona- able. It also means being ready to sometimes have tions to honour time spent volunteering. On their ownuncomfortable conversations in ways that shape a space or through the SCGNs, they can track their time; then,for everyone to be brave, and to bring truth into that SEF makes a donation for those volunteer hours. Thespace in a way that it will be honoured.employee can then direct that donation to whatever community organization they choose. We know fromWe work with an Indigenous Youth Advisory Council as a grassroots perspective that employees know whatswell as a number of other organizations that we support, most important in their communities and what willeven as were mindful of the ways in which they affect really make a difference. and inform our own work. We aim for reciprocity. Its important for us to change our own work, and our The SEF has been partnering with Indspireapproach to philanthropy, community engagement and for many years now, supporting our Soaring:reconciliation, in order to have a meaningful impact and Indigenous Youth Empowerment Gatheringgo forward in a sustainable way. Its not just about us and the National Gathering for Indigenousbeing the funder and funding a particular organization; Education. What were some of the reasonsits about how that organization transforms our own you began this support? And why have work, our approach to reciprocity, community, reconcili-you continued? ation and young Indigenous leadership.Weve actually been funding Indspire since 1998, back when it was still the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation. When we began that support, much of it was focused on scholarships and the Indspire Awards; we wanted to support an Indigenous-led organization to showcase and recognize all the great work thats being done by Indigenous peoples as role models for communities and for the next generation. Its so important for young Indigenous leaders to have those examples of excellence to see what is possible.A decade later, SEF also began to support Soaring andI am free to be at MCC!the National Gathering because we saw that these 2023indspiration55'