Tamara Larson: Cultivating Courage, Connection, and Community in the Nonprofit World

Nicole: [00:00:00] Thank you so much for joining me. I’m really excited to talk to you today and hear all about the work that you’re doing. If you could please take a minute and introduce yourself and tell us about your nonprofit journey. What led you into this work and what keeps you inspired today?

Tamara: Oh, that’s a really big question. Good morning. Thank you for having me. I’m so excited to be here. My name is Tamara Larson. I spent my whole life in not-for-profit and education. It’s just one of those fields that has been so inspiring and so rewarding. Maybe not so much making me rich, but you know what, rich in many ways that, matter more than perhaps my bank account.
I started my journey, as a young child. My dad always said to me, the world needs to have people to give back, and we are in a position of privilege, so it’s very important that we give back and offer a hand up and treat people with dignity. On my journey, I’ve worked in many different organizations, done a lot of contract work, and how can I use my time and talent and treasure in a way that’s impactful?
So a few years ago, when the pandemic [00:01:00] hit, I thought, you know what? I’m doing all this volunteer work as a Rotarian and other places and small contracts, but how can I really be impactful? And as someone who’s faced a life-threatening work situation, due to safety concerns, I thought, you know what?
I don’t want anybody else to go through this. So I decided that I would get involved and trained and understand psychological health and safety and mental wellbeing and work to create programs and interests and workshops and tools for organizations to build cultures of wellness and understand how important mental health is.
So I found Tamara C Larson grow leaders. Which actually started out as a for-profit consulting firm, and we still do consulting, but it has morphed into a social enterprise in creating social impact and social innovation and building community through leadership development, mentorship and education. And along the way I’ve been working with, in Rotary, in human rights spectrum and education program.
So working with the Canadian Museum for Human Rights and being a co-chair of the Rotary [00:02:00] Adventure and Human Rights Program, I thought, you know what? We can take this human rights leadership and global citizenship programs and create peace education across our country. So I founded the not-for-profit called Learn Peace Canada.
We work with educators, educational institutions. We do professional development for teachers. We work with young leaders and students across the country and community organizations in peace education forums built on the foundation of safety, health, and mental wellbeing. So my organizations work hand in hand and our teams build strong cultures and inclusive cultures that create safe spaces for brave conversations, learning, building, community, and a world leaving no one behind.

Nicole: I love that. And having brave conversations is so important right now. I think, there’s so many crucial conversations . That we have to have in this reality. And I think creating those spaces is fundamental for us to be able to go together, in this work. So kudos to you. I’m really excited to see where you take some of those pieces.

Tamara: [00:03:00] Thank you so much.

Nicole: All of that, because that sounds like a really big job. What’s the part of the work that lights you up the most? Is there like a story or a project or a moment that reminds you of you do, why you do what you do?

Tamara: Oh, there’s so many. When you look at people and you see them struggling.
And you see them saying, Tamara, I just don’t know what to do. I don’t know where to go. I think mostly, when you work with young people, and I think sometimes they get a bad rap, but they live in a tough world. So it’s easy for us in from a different generation to say, well, when I was that age, we didn’t have, I didn’t grow up with social media.
I didn’t grow up with all of that. You see these young people today and they’re very invested. In a better tomorrow and in a better world. And they’re far more knowledgeable about what that means. And the three things that they’re interested in are social justice, which is a big topic. It could be anything on that spectrum.
Sustainability. They want a better world and mental health, they want a life balance. You can mentor one-on-one, you can do group work. But when I look at the work that I do with [00:04:00] these young people in particular, a young woman, she was really struggling with, where do I go with my life?
What do I do? How can I make this happen? And you have simple conversations , you listen and then all of a sudden you say one thing that you think has no impact and yet, here you go. It changes their life. They say, Tamara, you inspired me after this week to go back to my community.
And I started at a service club in my community, in my school because there was so much bullying. And I just didn’t wanna deal with that. I wanted to change that. But the one I think that’s inspired me the most is this young lady who, came from Europe and she was this dynamic young woman and
europe is a very different culture than we have. But she came here and she was, so dynamic. I thought, wow, I wish I was as brave as she is, you know? But she came here one summer and she was part of the program that we were offering at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, and she was just this leader and she was there and then she went back to Europe and she’s going to the university of.

Nicole: [00:05:00] Cool.

Tamara: And, she decided that she wanted to do a food waste program because, food security is an issue. So she worked with this university in helping them create a food security program and less food waste and supporting the community. And I was astounded that she was. I went and did that at, age 19.
Then she came back and worked for me for a summer. She came back to Canada. She worked for me for a summer as an intern. And what an amazing time to have her and her perspective as we built courses and facilitated programs and just her perspective and leading the way. And now I watch her on her life path, growing into this amazing young woman and chasing her dreams.
And I look at that and I think, wow, I wish I could have been that brave at that age, but the world was a different place. So, the mentorship, the opportunities, removing the systems, and just looking at things through that lens and understanding that every action and word we have creates impact.

Nicole: I love that there are so many amazing young people. Like they absolutely give me the [00:06:00] hope for the future. I feel that there’s a lot of scary narratives it currently, in the universe. And I think the path and whenever I talk to a young person and they have a clear sense of what the future could hold, I think that’s the tough part.
I have a hard time wrapping my head around is like, how could it be different? But they always have a vision and I’m always inspired. So I love that you get to work so closely with, youth and just hearing how they can really make the big change for the world. That’s really exciting.
With that, what’s one challenge or shift you’re currently navigating in your organization or in the sector, and how are you approaching it? What kind of support would help, or what would that look like?

Tamara: I think that it’s the same across the board and not-for-profit.
I mean, we have all this work we wanna do, but do we have the capacity and do we have the funds? You can raise funds for projects and initiatives, but we need funds for operations and building the backend, and we don’t wanna burn our teams out. We want to have the capacity to ensure that, one, we pay them a living wage.
Two, that [00:07:00] we have the money to build things. Properly that we have recurring income and that we have the sustainability short and long term. So I think that, for us, it’s also the opportunity and the funding and the support to reach out to schools and organizations to say, Hey, we have this, how do we develop those relationships?
Everything takes time and energy and capacity. So spent a lot of time building things on the backend. The courses and the initiatives and the tools which cost money, and now we need the capacity to market it. So it comes back to, really how do we have the long-term funding to ensure we can continue the programs our funding models are very, unstable.
Government grants, they come and go with different governments and budgets. The pie is getting so much smaller in the not-for-profit sector in every area, but the need is getting so much bigger. And so how do we collaborate? How do we co-create, how do we raise funds?
How do we be impactful and in effective and yet still reach our goals? It’s so challenging to attract [00:08:00] top talent because in the corporate world or in the public sector, there’s so much, the wages are so much better because people need to pay their bills. So I think that, how do we fix that?
Working with students and interns and paying them a decent wage, but taking advantage of that. Working with educational institutions and their co-op programs. ’cause they’re always looking for projects, at least for us. That’s one way. Can we collaborate with. The other organizations in the not-for-profit sector, which we’re doing to share resources or, we can do this and you can do that, because, can’t necessarily afford full-time people in every area.
But working on that and then collaboratively doing fundraising, where we do the work 50 50, we split the efforts 50 50. So we really looking at different models and different paths forward as strategic collaborations and partnerships. With in-kind gifts, financial gifts and operational gifts, and, it’s a new model.
It’s been so competitive for so long, but how do we break those silos down and work together to create collaborations and co-creation? Because we can be much more effective and [00:09:00] it’s starting to work. We’re starting to gain some traction, but, everybody’s starting to think differently. So how do we do differently?
We can’t have, different results if we do things the same way.

Nicole: I cannot agree more. I feel like that’s the thing I keep like coming up against is we expect something to happen. Differently, but we’re doing the exact same thing and it’s frustrating to watch. So I love what you have shared.
I think a lot of those models, make a lot of sense. And the collaborative approach is so important right now. And I think we also need to change the narrative of what people think about nonprofits. The nonprofit sector as a whole is so fundamental and it’s like the bedrock to the Canadian.
Ecosystem in any and majority of, other countries, but it’s so crucial and people just can’t get past the concept that it’s like government funded or it’s a handout or, it’s not something that’s actually embedded into so many areas of our lives. And I think, once we can change that narrative as well and continue having these conversations and doing that with [00:10:00] these co-ops and, bringing the younger generation in and actually them, having part of those conversations and being part of that movement and change, I think is so fundamental.
So I love, love, love what you’re doing and how you’re bringing that. Thank you. That’s amazing.

Tamara: Yeah, so I think you know, it is changing the narrative, right? It’s not, when people are fundraising and stuff, it’s not volunteerism all the time, and volunteers are the backbone, but we have to change that narrative.
We provide a significant contribution to our financial part of our economy and economic drive as well. And we fill the gaps. Everyone thinks government does, but it is actually is a government. It actually is a not-for-profit sector. So, how do we strengthen that? Because it’s needed now more than ever.
So much more now

Nicole: than ever. Yeah, I love it. I think that’s a continued case study that we could continue to follow. And I’d love to circle back to hear how yours is going and some of those new kind of models that you’re creating there. So when we think about conversations that you’ve had through the nonprofit hive, that’s how we’ve come, come together.
How has it [00:11:00] shaped any of your perspectives or your work? Is there a person that you’ve met or an idea that stuck or like a simple feeling that you’re not in this alone, that you had through The Nonprofit Hive?

Tamara: I think it’s such a brilliant, plan and organization I love it because I think that in not-for-profit, we often work alone.
We’re very siloed, we’re so focused. We do all this stuff and I don’t know if there’s been one specific conversation, ’cause I, there’s been so many, but I think that having those conversations, connecting with people, whether it’s here in Canada or outside of Canada, we’re all facing the same challenges.
And hearing that we’re not alone and sharing ideas and just that collaboration and sometimes that just very different perspective and not being mired in what we have, the geopolitical landscape that we’re facing or economic challenges. For me it’s just, what that half an hour, once a week or more or less, whatever time we have, it gives me that spark.
So then I’m like, you know what, yeah, I can do that. And [00:12:00] we’ve been sharing resources with a couple of people and the connection and then, saying, oh, I know this person. I’ll connect you with that person in the same way. So it’s just, that one conversation sparks hope. It sparks idea, it sparks inspiration and
there’s been some really powerful connections outside of that, just from, hey, I know this person who would really, align with you. So it’s the connection and it’s the community. ’cause sometimes, I feel like who’s my community? Who’s my tribe? Where’s my village? And yet this. The Hive has provided that space for growth and connection, and it is so incredibly valuable, much more so than I thought.
And the weeks that I haven’t been able to book those calls, I’ve really missed that. So that tells me how important it is in moving forward. And I look forward to more conversations and connection as we, collaborate and co-create.

Nicole: I love it. I think, you said something around like. When you’re working alone or it feels like you’re in like isolation, in silos, you don’t always know who your community is.
I think that was fundamental for me. I was having, a tricky time at work and I [00:13:00] work from home, so I just felt like I had no one to talk to. And then I jumped on a nonprofit vibe call and I was like, oh, I can actually share some of my frustrations and or challenges. Safe space.
Yes. Without feeling like it was gonna come to me and, I totally appreciate what you’re saying there. I feel like it’s just broaden community.

Tamara: I think it provides that safe space for some brave conversations, you know? Yes. And some of the work we do is heavy. ’cause we do fill the gaps. We see the challenges, people and the hurt.
We also see the hope and the inspiration, but sometimes we just need that. That little bit of spark and that space to just, whether it’s to vent, to share, to be inspired, and it’s just, provides that opportunity to connect. ’cause it really isn’t in the not-for-profit. We can’t have these big conferences.
We have no money to travel and put them on. And, taking advantage of technology and being able to connect with people around the world matters so much. And, as women the majority of [00:14:00] not-for-profit is women. Yep. And we carry a heavy load, whether it’s at work, whether it’s in the not-for-profit space, whether it’s at home.
So it’s about women supporting women. It’s about building that sense of community and it just matters.

Nicole: It really does.
It’s true. Alright, those are great. Thank you so much for that. And I’m just curious, what’s one insight, resource or mindset that’s helped you recently and might help others in our community too? So something others can learn or be inspired by?

Tamara: Oh, I don’t know. I haven’t felt very inspired lately, but, I think that it’s about reaching out and asking.
I think that we’re not alone, and I think that I have found, and I’m not very good at this, but I’m learning that, you reach out and have conversations. You ask questions, you say, Hey, I need help with this. Hey, I have this great program I wanna share, would this be of value? Getting the feedback. So, when we look at the work we do.
How can we create community and is there somebody or something we’re missing? So having that conversation, having that [00:15:00] ask that question and just saying, let’s have coffee. Let’s talk, I have this idea, whether it’s a young person, whether it’s someone here, and I found sometimes that people that don’t work in the field that I work in, that work in something entirely different say, Hey, what do you think of this?
Would this work? So I would say. Ask the questions, reach out, connect, collaborate is the one thing that I have found that’s really helped me. As we look at how do we pivot, how do we bring everything together? What do people need? Because we need to meet people where they are and understand what they need.
Because I think we get so entrenched in what we’re good at, which is good. We forget that others don’t have that same knowledge, and maybe we’re missing something. So I just think that the connection, the conversation and the asking really matters and the feedback, whether we wanna hear it or not, sometimes is really valuable and when we’re delivering it and offering that, please be kind, you know, kind words.

Nicole: Yes, a hundred percent. I love that though. I think it’s so true. When you’re willing to put something out into the universe, I’m always [00:16:00] surprised what comes back at me. Yes. And usually in good ways. And if it’s not. That’s probably a reason why,

Tamara: And it’s okay. It’s okay if it’s not good, you know?
Yeah, exactly. And because I think that we learn from that, but when we put our heart, soul, something and put it out there, that’s, we’re being really brave here, people. It comes back to us, but I’m always surprised what comes back and I shouldn’t be, but you’re right.
It’s always good. But if there’s something that we need to learn, I think it’s good to learn too.

Nicole: There’s no harm and we are never too old to learn. So I’m a huge

Tamara: proponent of lifelong learning and I think that learning is not just in a classroom, it’s in what we do and the feedback we get.
And I was surprised in a workshop I did this week with young people about being an upstander. And, teaching them, what that means and how to do it safely. And this one young woman said to me, education is a privilege and she’s in, she’s not from Canada, she’s not Canadian.
I thought, that’s interesting because education shouldn’t be a privilege. It’s actually human. Right? But if that’s her perception, and it was. [00:17:00] How do we change that narrative? How do we ensure that people don’t see young people, old people, that education is not a privilege. It is a basic, fundamental human right.
So I learned something in that conversation. So always learning, always listening. So listening to understand, meeting people where they are, and simply just throwing it out there. Be brave.

Nicole: Be brave. What a great way to end this conversation. Thank you so much, Tamara. I love, the direction you’re going, what you’re bringing into the universe, what you’re bringing into the sector.
I’m really excited to follow your story and your journey even closer and I just wish you all the best. Thank you so much for joining.

Tamara: Thank you so much, Nicole. I look forward to seeing what the hive does, connecting and continue working together ’cause you know it takes a village.

Nicole: Yes, please. Thank you so much.

Tamara: Have a great day. Thank you. You too.