Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Guyana, South Asia
IMPACS is a registered not-for-profit charitable organisation committed to the expansion and protection of democracy and the strengthening of civil society. IMPACS understands civil society to be the space between the state and the market where people join together to share ideas and take collective action. IMPACS helps build strong communities by providing communications training and services to Canadian not-for-profit organisations, and by supporting free, open and accountable media internationally.
IMPACS’ work is carried out through the following departments
• The Communications Centre helps not-for-profit organisations of all sizes, develop more effective outreach skills and communication materials. It is Canada’s first full-service, not-for-profit public relations organisation that provides a range of communication training, skills development tools, services and materials.
• The Charities and Democracy Project came into place in 2001 as a shared effort between IMPACS and the Canadian Centre for Philanthropy to work with a broad cross-section of organisations, legal professionals, philanthropic foundations and government officials to change the law of advocacy by charitable organisations in Canada. IMPACS believes that it is vitally important to the health of civil society and democracy in Canada to clarify and update the laws that are applied to charities. IMPACS and other organisations believe this initiative is vital to promoting a more just and democratic Canadian society.
•
The International Media Programs’ goal is to foster free, critical
and effective media worldwide and to enhance the media’s role in the process
of democratic development, good governance and public sector accountability
and transparency. There are currently two active areas of research: media
and peacebuilding and media and elections. The goal of peacebuilding is to
enhance the capacity of a society to manage its own conflicts without violence.
IMPACS’ Media and Peacebuilding programme goals are twofold: to address the
gaps in our understanding of the role of the media in peacebuilding, and to
provide the best professional media training and support to countries in transition
to democracy. IMPACS has been instrumental in fostering dialogue on this issue.
IMPACS drafted the first research paper on media and peacebuilding for the
Canadian government, and continues to host international roundtables and workshops
in several countries. Examples of projects have included pre-election training
in Guyana, an editor’s forum for indigenous language press in South Asia,
practical radio training to journalists in Cambodia, and support to the development
of independent media in Afghanistan.
910 - 207 West Hastings Street
Vancouver, BC
V6B 1H7
Canada
Tel +1-604-682 1953 or +1-877-232 0122
Fax +1-604-682 4353
media@impacs.org
www.impacs.org
Contact
Shauna Sylvester, Executive Director
Budget
> $1,000,000
Number
of staff
14
Publications
An Operational Framework For Media and Peacebuilding (2000) R. Howard.
Media and Elections Roundtable Report
Media and the Middle East Roundtable Report
An Introduction to International Journalism Training
Journalists’ Guide to the International Criminal Court
Conflict Sensitive Journalism Handbook
e-Catalyst (newsletter)
Let Charities Speak: a Report of the Charities and Advocacy Dialogue
The Law of Advocacy by Charitable Organizations
Charities Enhancing Democracy in Canada
Programmes
Support to the Development of Free Media in Afghanistan
South Asia Indigenous Language Press Project
Cambodia Journalist’s Training Project
Cambodia Media and Elections Project
Media and Peacebuilding Centre
Media and Elections Response Mechanism
Guyana Pre-Election Training Program
International Criminal Court Project