Exchange 2024

May 12th – 14th, Membertou Convention Center 

Unama’ki (Cape Breton Island)

We’re holding space for people to come together, rest, connect with each other, and share ideas with the intention of tapping into the creative energy and inspiration needed to break the status quo. We hear you: current systems and structures in the Community Impact (Nonprofit) Sector can make it hard to support our communities and ourselves; you’re feeling isolated, disconnected, and burnt out. You do the often undervalued yet critical work to make a positive impact in your communities – but where is the space to slow down, recharge, and get energized by what’s possible?

IONS Exchange is a two-day gathering that offers an opportunity for the people working and volunteering in the sector to be in community together, learn from Indigenous knowledge holders, gain new tools and ideas, and celebrate the work we are doing for our communities. 

Reciprocity in Practice 

The theme of this year’s gathering is “Reciprocity in Practice.” We want this event to be different than a typical conference – we are hoping to create a space where people can feel engaged in both listening and speaking, connecting and introspecting, and giving and receiving.  

Our intent is for participants to walk away feeling cared for, with the energy of new relationships, and supported with tangible information, ideas, and tools for action in community impact work. We hope to enable a refreshed outlook on our shared challenges and successes, and inspiration from being able to fully engage in a space with like-minded others. 

As we are looking to care for you in reciprocity for all the great and hard work you put into our community, we seek to provide the following during the gathering: 

• • • A comfortable space to be in together 
    • Thoughtful and engaging programming that meets the needs of multiples senses and learning styles 
    • Nourishment and refreshment in sharing food and drink throughout the day 
    • Plenty of information for awareness, accessibility, and a feeling of autonomy 
    • Enough spaciousness in the agenda to not feel rushed 
    • Facilitated opportunities for connection 
    • A positive atmosphere that uplifts celebrating the good work we are doing while encouraging challenging transformational thinking 
    • Opportunity to connect with the land, culture, and context of Membertou 

We know that in a post-pandemic world we are all craving meaningful connection, and a reimagining of what it means to be in place together. After some hard years for the Community Impact Sector, and navigating the unique challenges of the present, we feel a gathering like this can meet people where they are at and create space for connection and generating new ideas for action. We hope you will join us! 

Event Logistics

Registration 

To register for Exchange please sign up online through Eventbrite. The registration fee is $150 per person and includes the 2 days of programming and the evening celebration. Lunches and a registration package with some promotional items are included with registration.  

If you are a member of an Equity Deserving Community and the cost of registration is a barrier to attending, please see the information about the IONS Exchange Stipend. 

Travelling  

We encourage people from all over Nova Scotia to join us in Membertou! The driving time from Yarmouth is ~7 hours, from Halifax is ~5 hours, from New Glasgow is ~3 hours. If you are a member of an Equity Deserving Community and the cost of travel is a barrier to attending please see the information about the IONS Exchange Stipend.  

Accommodations 

If you need a place to stay overnight during Exchange, there are lots of hotel options in and around Membertou and Sydney. IONS has reserved a limited block of hotels in the Hampton Inn Sydney – which is right beside the Membertou Convention Center where Exchange is being held – for a special rate of $189+tax. The rooms are blocked for the nights of Sunday May 12, Monday May 13, and Tuesday May 14 (you can choose how many nights to book, it is not required to book all three). You may reserve from this block online at this special registration link, or else call the hotel at 902 564 6555 and ask for a reservation in the IONS Exchange block. 

Please note that hotels in this block are only held until April 19, 2024. 

If you are a member of an Equity Deserving Community and the cost of accommodations is a barrier to attending, please see the information about the IONS Exchange Stipend. 

IONS Exchange Stipend 

Our desire is for Exchange to be accessible to people working in the Community Impact Sector, especially those from Equity Deserving Communities. We have a limited number of Stipends available to cover registration, and/or travel, and/or accommodations – these are given through an application process based on need and number.  

We wish for the diversity of our sector to be reflected in the attendance of this event. We recognize the disproportionate barriers in particular to Indigenous, Black, and Racialized participants to engage in events such as Exchange, as well as members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ and disability communities. Thus, we are prioritizing removing financial barriers for people from these Equity Deserving Communities to encourage the conditions for greater exchange and relationship building between people from different parts of our sector.  

To apply for an IONS Exchange Stipend please fill out the following online form.  

Please note, we will only be accepting applications for Stipends until Monday, April 8, at 12pm noon. This is so that we have time to organize and communicate about the stipends to applicants, and people can make decisions about attendance and travel. We may accept and approve stipend applications on a rolling basis. 

Meals 

Light breakfast items will be available on Monday and Tuesday at the Membertou Convention Center before the day’s programming begins. If you stay at the Hampton Inn Sydney, a hot breakfast is included with your hotel stay. We are looking to arrange for coffee and refreshments to be available all day during programming so that people can stay energized and engaged. 

Lunch will be provided on Monday and Tuesday at the Membertou Convention Center – please be sure to fill out your dietary restrictions when you register on Eventbrite. 

Dinner will not be provided on Monday evening – there will be a 2 hour long break for participants to get some food between daytime programming and the evening event. We will give some guidance on restaurants and food options in the area near the Membertou Convention Center. 

Accessibility 

We will be putting together information about the physical accessibility features of the venue to share with participants. We know that providing useful information about how to get around and what to expect is helpful for people to feel comfortable and to be able to fully engage.  

Please indicate any accessibility needs you may have in your Eventbrite registration form. If you have general questions or concerns related to accessibility, please contact IONS Engagement Lead Clary Chambers – clary@ions.ca. We wish to support participants and remove barriers to participation as much as possible – we have some funding to cover additional accessibility costs on a case-by-case basis. 

Tentative Agenda