Introducing our North Star

At the centre of this plan is our North Star: Stand With Her. It is our promise to walk alongside women, meeting them where they are, recognizing their unique journeys and supporting them every step of the way.

Strategic Focus Areas

MENTAL HEALTH / HEALTH EQUITY

Participants build self-awareness and gain tools to enhance emotional resilience, allowing them to manage challenges with greater confidence.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE / HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS

Participants are empowered with the knowledge, self-awareness and confidence to recognize, build and sustain healthy relationships across all aspects of their lives.

ECONOMIC PROSPERITY

Participants experience economic freedom by actively shaping their futures —grounded in financial security and empowered through meaningful careers, entrepreneurial pathways and a supportive community network.

Strategic Objectives

As we look to the future, our strategic objectives are rooted in leadership, intentional growth and a collective commitment to equity. Through our focus on evolving, expanding and optimizing, we will strengthen our impact, uplift the sector and contribute to lasting change in society for the women and families we serve.

YW Calgary has a legacy of adapting to meet the evolving needs of women and their families. Today, that legacy calls us to not only remain relevant, but to continue evolving, guided by the growing complexity of the lives we support, the strategic importance of the non-profit sector and the collective hope for a more inclusive and equitable future. We choose to move forward with purpose: not only to respond to change, but to help lead it. As we evolve, we aim to strengthen the futures of those we serve, unlock new possibilities across our sector and engage our community more deeply in creating lasting change.

YW will continue to lead the evolution and growth needed to make this possible, creating impact that extends beyond our organization. This includes promoting healthy relationships as a foundation for preventing domestic violence, embedding Equity, Diversity and Inclusion across programs and operations, and advancing Truth and Reconciliation through meaningful, measurable action. Efforts will focus on deepening collaboration with immigrant and newcomer communities, evolving HR practices to reflect progressive, people-centred values and engaging men and boys as active allies in gender equity. Through strengthened real-time evaluation and continuous learning, we will remain adaptive, accountable and positioned to influence change at every level.

Our ambition is to lead sector-wide progress by expanding our reach, increasing brand recognition and deepening our influence across the systems that affect women and their families. YW approaches growth with intention by scaling what works, embracing innovation and addressing the structural barriers that limit access and opportunity. This purposeful expansion is rooted in a desire to amplify impact, close gaps and create lasting pathways to equity.

By strengthening core offerings, forging new partnerships and enhancing community awareness, we aim to increase access to early childhood development, quality childcare, economic opportunity and safe, supportive systems. In doing so, we also strengthen our advocacy efforts and help shape more equitable systems for the future.

To create lasting change, we must focus on strengthening the systems and capacities that support our impact. YW Calgary is committed to leading innovation and resilience within our organization and across the sector.

Optimization goes beyond operational efficiency. It is a strategic approach that ensures we remain adaptable in a changing environment, build trust with partners and funders and model what sustainable, forward-thinking non-profits can achieve. By advancing how we use data, technology and evidence, and by investing in new revenue streams and research partnerships, we aim to strengthen our foundation and elevate our collective ability to drive social progress.