Empowering Change: United Way BC’s Public Policy Institute Equips Non-Profit Leaders for Impact. 

For the past fifteen years, United Way BC has been proud to host the Public Policy Institute (PPI) – a unique initiative designed to empower non-profit leaders across British Columbia with the tools, knowledge, and confidence to influence public policy and drive meaningful change. 

This year, fifteen passionate and dedicated non-profit leaders from across the province graduated from the Public Policy Institute. Over the course of the program, they engaged in a dynamic and inclusive learning environment that emphasized participatory learning, applied practice, and peer-to-peer collaboration. Through interactive sessions, expert-led panels and guest speakers, and hands-on assignments, participants explored a wide range of policy tools and strategies, all while developing their own policy projects aimed at improving the lives of vulnerable British Columbians in their communities. 

The Public Policy Institute stands out for its: 

• Participatory learning model that encourages active engagement and skill-building in policy advocacy. 

• Diverse panelists and guest speakers who bring real-world insights and expertise. 

• Applied learning approach, where participants reflect on and apply their learnings to real policy challenges. 

• Collaborative atmosphere, fostering shared learning among participants with varied backgrounds and experiences. 

Thanks to this transformative experience, this year’s graduating class are now poised to drive meaningful social change and improve the lives of vulnerable British Columbians.   

Learning from Leaders: Faculty and Focus Areas of the Public Policy Institute 

At the heart of the United Way BC Public Policy Institute is a team of seasoned public policy professionals who bring decades of experience, insight, and passion to the program. This year’s Institute was led by Carole James, a respected leader with a long-standing commitment to public service and community well-being. She was joined by an exceptional faculty team: Ruth Wittenberg, Nikki Hill, Andrea Reimer, Ginger-Gosnell-Myers, and Mark Sieben. Together, they offered participants a rare opportunity to learn directly from those who have shaped and influenced public policy at the highest levels. 

Throughout the six-month program, faculty members guided participants through a thoughtfully designed curriculum that built both foundational knowledge and practical skills. Each session focused on a key theme in the policy development process: 

• Session 1: Introduction to Public Policy and Each Other – Setting the stage for collaborative learning and understanding the fundamentals of public policy. 
• Session 2: Engaging and Informing Decision Makers – Exploring strategies to effectively communicate with and influence policymakers. 
• Session 3: Developing and Analyzing Policy Options – Learning how to craft and evaluate policy solutions that are evidence-based and impactful. 
• Session 4: Research, Impact, and Power Considerations – Examining the role of data, equity, and power dynamics in shaping policy outcomes. 
• Session 5: Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation – Understanding how to move from policy design to action, and how to measure success. 
• Session 6: Final Presentations – Participants showcased their policy projects, applying everything they had learned to real-world challenges. 

Recognizing Excellence – the 2025 Ida Goodreau Alumni Award 

Each year, the Ida Goodreau Alumni Award recognizes a graduate of the United Way BC Public Policy Institute who exemplifies the spirit of leadership, collaboration, and impact that Ida herself brought to the program. Launched in 2020 in memory of Ida Goodreau – a beloved founding faculty member who helped shape the Institute from its inception in 2010 until her passing in 2019 – the award celebrates alumni who have made significant strides in advancing public policy for the betterment of their communities. 

This year, we are proud to recognize Carmen Rempel as the 2025 recipient of the Ida Goodreau Alumni Award. 

Carmen’s work has led to a transformative shift in how health care is delivered to people experiencing homelessness in the Interior Health region. Through her leadership, shelters in the region now benefit from on-site medical care, resulting in improved health outcomes and a reduction in hospital visits and emergency service use. But the impact goes beyond health metrics—her efforts have also fostered stronger relationships and trust between health and housing providers across the region. 

Motivated by the urgent health needs of shelter clients and the systemic barriers they faced, Carmen brought together shelter and housing leaders to form the Coalition for Impactful Shelters in 2022. Their collective voice – amplified through an open letter and strategic advocacy – led to high-level meetings with the Deputy Minister of Health, Interior Health leadership, BC Housing and other key partners. Carmen, serving as coalition chair, conducted a region-wide study to present data-driven solutions, culminating in the first-ever Health and Housing Summit in October 2023. 

Today, that work continues. In Kelowna, all five shelters now have regular nursing care, and city-specific working groups across the Interior meet regularly to evaluate and improve health supports. Carmen’s coalition has since expanded, joining forces with Lower Mainland organizations to form the Coalition for Safe Supportive Housing and Shelters, advocating for systemic changes to funding processes and tenancy regulations pertaining to supportive housing.  

Reflecting on her time at the Public Policy Institute, Carmen shared how the experience shaped her approach to coalition-building and advocacy:   

“My time at PPI was invaluable. Learning about how government policy cycles flow, and how to utilize policy windows to effect change was helpful for me to learn patience. I learned about how ensuring your ask is to the right decision maker, at the right time, will get you much further than asking the right person at the wrong time.” 

“PPI emphasized the importance of using many aligned voices to advocate together, not just going alone. PPI taught us how to really look at the playing field—who are your direct and indirect allies—and to rally them together. To this point, it was absolutely due to the collective power of the Coalition of Housing and Shelter providers that we saw success in our cause.”  

“Change could not come, however, until we had health providers at the table and willing to engage meaningfully. None of us as individual people or organizations could have facilitated this system-wide conversation about change. But together—we had a voice powerful enough to get the health authority to the table. We were then fortunate to have allies in health step up and advocate internally, which really turned the dial for us. It was a beautiful example of what can happen when you get the right people around the table using a collective voice to advocate for a specific change.” 

“PPI was a game changer for me. It turned me from a loud-mouthed ‘advocate’ to a strategic lobbyist who actually understood the system which I was attempting to change.” 

Through her tireless advocacy, coalition-building, and data-informed leadership, Carmen Rempel has embodied the values of the Public Policy Institute and the legacy of Ida Goodreau. Her work is a powerful reminder of what’s possible when policy meets purpose. 

With Gratitude: Celebrating Our Valued Sponsors 

The success of the Public Policy Institute is made possible thanks to the support of our dedicated union and corporate sponsors. United by a shared vision for lasting social change, these organizations help shape a stronger, more equitable future for our communities. 

We extend heartfelt thanks to CUPE Metropolitan Vancouver District Council (CUPE Metro) for their continued role as a session sponsor. Their time, support, and encouragement have been instrumental in shaping the future of public policy and creating positive change for communities across BC.  

We are also deeply grateful to the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) for hosting our sessions and providing an exceptional learning environment for both faculty and participants. 

United Way BC is profoundly grateful to all our sponsors for helping build a better future – one policy, one leader, and one community at a time. 

Congratulations to the 2025 graduating class of the Public Policy Institute!  

To learn more about United Way BC’s Public Policy Institute, visit the program website here.