for canada's
endings
future
A healthy Canadian social sector depends on endings that leave well.
What might happen if we treat closures as opportunities for intragenerational stewardship?
The Endings Hotline is a public service tending to the civil gardens of now and next. We offer on-call support to those insiders looking for strategic ways to wind things down, while also care-fully attending to the state and quality of what is being left behind. Whether a leadership transition, program ending, merger, or organizational wind-down, closures need not be dramatic endings. Closures can be the cooperative, regenerative rhizomes expanding across the fertile soil of a post-capitalist society.
If your organization is wondering whether it’s time to close down and how you might do so well —our Navigators are standing by to care for you and your colleagues. You aren’t standing at the edge of “what now?” alone—we’re ready to meet you there, and to hold that possibility with you.
HOW DID THAT LAND?
OUR DEFINING
QUESTIONS
The ENDINGS Hotline is dedicated to openly sharing our learning with other organizations in Canada, and those doing similar work in other countries. The following inquiries will shape what we initially collect and share data about:
✸ Can civil society organizations embrace endings as part of the system’s thriving?
✸ Who is in most need of support, and what is most valuable to help them navigate good organizational endings?
✸ What is the role of funding in good endings?
✸ What unique qualities does Canadian civil society have based on our history, narratives, & culture?
✸ Can civil society closures be an active part of the reconciliation and reparations process?
✸ How can the Hotline support thinking systemically about civil society wellbeing?
WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT
In this prototype phase, we greatly need the support of those allies who see the importance of this work to take place in Canada. While sister projects such as Stewarding Loss and The Decelerator in the UK have been fiscally supported and have had strong success, Canada lacks any large scale civil society projects focused on endings. The most critical support at this stage are:
Share your advice.
We would welcome feedback about our language and framing.
Share with others.
Please circulate this to others in civil society organizations, particularly those considering or facing endings.
Offer assistance.
If you would like to either contribute your time to helping people navigate endings or the work of those who do, please reach out.