Igniting Leadership

That's what the Coady International Institute does best. Igniting leadership that inspires collaborative effort to find solutions to issues and create sustainable development at the community level.

Coady's more than 5,500 graduates and partners are leaders among the dedicated unsung heroes who work within their communities and societies to provide opportunities for people to earn a sustainable living and for children to go to school; to prevent the further devastating spread of HIV/AIDS and other diseases; to ensure honest and effective government; to use natural resources in a sustainable way; and to promote peace.

Established by St. Francis Xavier University in 1959, and named for Rev. Dr. Moses Coady, the Coady Institute works with innovative people and organizations to create effective and practical solutions to reduce global poverty and injustice. Coady accomplishes this through education, action partnerships, and initiatives to help young Canadians become active global citizens.

Transformative Leadership Education Programs

Coady educational programming includes campus-based programs, on-site Southern training with partners, and online / technology-mediated programs.

Campus-based programs include a five month Diploma in Development Leadership as well as  one, two, and three-week certificates offered either in the Spring or Fall of each year: 

  • Advocacy & Citizen Engagement
  • Community-Based Conflict Transformation & Peacebuilding
  • Community-Based Microfinance
  • Community-Based Natural Resource Management
  • Community Development Leadership by Women
  • Community-Driven Health Impact Assessment
  • Facilitation & Training Approaches for Community Change
  • Livelihoods & Markets
  • Mobilizing Assets for Community-Driven Development
  • Learning Organizations & Change
  • Communication and Social Media (new)
  • Good Governance and Social Accountability Tools (new)
  • Global Change Leaders
  • Indigenous Women in Community Leadership
  • Skills for Social Change (new) 

Research for Action

The Coady Institute’s Research for Action work is focused on participatory research processes that includes communities in understanding their own realities and options and links Coady’s strategic priorities with a research agenda that informs development practice.

Work involves field-based research, case study development, production of field manuals and community development tools as well as "lessons-learned" briefs, multimedia tools and conference presentations.

Many of our publications are available online.

Organizational Capacity Strengthening

From 2007 to 2012 the Coady Institute has committed to engage in more intensive training and advisory support to build the core competencies, leadership, and program capacity of at least six development organizations in the global South. We have been working with more than six partners over that period of time – and plan on developing further partnerships as we build upon existing Coady programming in the microfinance sector. The final result will be at least six specific organizations who are applying tools, best practice and new skills for citizen-led development.

The Coady strategy is to ensure partner capacity is strengthened through an integrated approach across all three areas of our work through participation in educational programs, involvement with action research, and support in specific areas related to Coady expertise including ABCD, Advocacy & Citizen engagement, Community-based Microfinance, Community-driven Health, Markets & Livelihoods, Organizational Learning & Change and many others. Additionally, where possible, Coady youth internships are planned with partners to complement or work with other capacity-strengthening programming.

Youth Programming

Since 1997, the Coady International Institute's Youth In Partnership Program has given recent Canadian university graduates experience working with development organizations in their area of expertise, to help them increase their understanding of development issues and participate in their roles as global citizens. The program is also aimed at providing experience that will improve participants' employment opportunities when they return from their internship.

Youth Associates work for six months with one of the Coady’s partners in Africa or Latin America. The Coady International Institute's Youth In Partnership Program is the most reputable program in the country, particularly for the outstanding support provided to the youth associates and their family and friends.

Our Work