GOOD ENDINGS FEED HEALTHY BEGINNINGS
What stands between now and next? The Endings Hotline invites Canadians to collectively bring a different future forward.
Rupture meets reorganization, and priorities begin to recalibrate. For some, it’s a time of experimentation. For others, it’s a time of endurance—or retreat.
are we at a
The Endings Hotline is based on a hunch: some organizations across Canadian civil society are reaching a turning point—one that invites a courageous rethinking of purpose, including the possibility of a conscious and well-held closure. Because endings, when done with care, aren’t dead ends. They’re portals. And in the choreography of systems, how something ends shapes what can come next.
The Endings Hotline seeks to be frontline support for those insiders looking for strategic ways to wind things down whether through leadership transition, program ending, merger, or organizational wind-down, while remaining accountable to the communities those organizations serve. If your organization is wondering whether it’s time to close down—or transition into something else—our Navigators are standing by to help that decision.
SOCIAL TURNING
point?
The ground is shifting, and not everyone is moving in the same way.
HOW DID THAT LAND?
collage here
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?
OUR DEFINING
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.