Belonging Matters Toolkit for System Change

About Jessie Sutherland,
Director

An international speaker, trainer, and consultant, Jessie Sutherland works with organizations and communities to engage diversity, build belonging and ignite intercultural collaboration.

Recipient of BC Community Achievement Award (2023), her approach creates sustainable community change that effectively addresses complex social problems.

Jessie Sutherland - 2023 Community Award - BC Achievement Foundation - seal

Jessie Sutherland - Director of Intercultural Strategies

Jessie’s work has been delivered in over eight languages and has taken her across Canada and around the world to support communities in their efforts to address challenging issues including workplace inclusion, poverty, homelessness, the overdose crisis, elder abuse, reconciliation, youth engagement and more. Many of her clients go on to win awards for their work in engaging diversity and fostering collaboration for sustainable and lasting change.

As founder of the organization Intercultural Strategies, Jessie helps leaders and groups build cultures of belonging to create change in an inclusive and positive way. She is the innovator of the award-winning Belonging Matters framework and community change model designed to change mindsets, deepen interconnections, impart greater social capital and build stronger communities.

Jessie holds a M.A in Dispute Resolution, is a TEDx speaker and author of the book, Worldview Skills: Transforming Conflict from the Inside Out.

What Leaders & Participants Say About Belonging Matters Tools

Talia Smith

International Trustbuilding Program Manager at Initiatives of Change

“

…a journey of deep cultural change.

Jessie is the evaluation consultant and trainer for the international trustbuilding program that I manage. I have been working with Jessie for eight months now. In this time, Jessie created an evaluation plan and tools for our three projects and carried out synthesis of data to produce highly insightful, relevant and useful findings. She also carried out high-quality capacity building training for our wider team.

Jessie went beyond her contractual agreements and supported the organisation to take on a journey of deep cultural change. Jessie’s mastery for both her core role, and the activities that extend beyond it, have been critical to the program’s growth.

Jessie has a beautiful mix of productivity, passion and wisdom which sets a great example for the rest of the team, and explains why everyone loves working with her!

Thank you so much Jessie for more than just your work but your wisdom, care and guidance you are giving the South Africa, Nepal, Australia and Indonesia teams.

Denzil Muncherji

Director of Operations, Cerebral Palsy Association of British Columbia

“

[Jessie] manages to make everyone feel special...

I find Jessie and the Belonging Matters framework to be a very inclusive approach, which pushes you to dig deep in a very non-intrusive way. Her approach allows you the freedom to create your own answers through some sensible and thoughtful questioning that gently guides you in the direction that is needed to make this framework a success. I think this makes Jessie (and this process) extremely effective and memorable.

Jessie seems to have gained such deep insight, humble understanding and amazing experience with different cultures throughout her travels and years of helping people find their sense of belonging. I really enjoy the fact that Jessie uses these experiences to add new ones. Jessie is thoughtful with her words and somehow manages to make everyone feel special, no matter who they are or what they are doing.

She also brings a very special and specific energy to the table which is SO hard to find. It also seems like Jessie wears her heart on her sleeve and isn’t afraid to show vulnerability, which is important and key in making real relationships with others and inviting them to do the same. Above all, Jessie is extremely inclusive, makes everyone feel worthy, and focuses her energy on good words and good deeds.

Vince Bulteel

Belonging Matters Conversations Participant

“

...bringing decision-makers and people with lived experience together...

I'd like to thank Jessie Sutherland and her Belonging Matters framework. If you want to solve a problem in your community...., whether it's to improve system access, reduce stigma or any other priority, the Belonging Matters framework will make all the difference.

The Belonging Matters process creates a sense of belonging by bringing decision-makers and people with lived experience together and this is key to system change.

Dr. Michael Quinn Patton

Founder and CEO of Utilization-Focused Evaluation and co-teacher for "Measure & Accelerate Belonging"

“

Relationships matter, which is why Belonging Matters.

The Belonging Matters framework provides an opportunity for changed mindsets, deeper interconnections, greater social capital, and stronger communities.

Too often, people focus on getting tasks done and completing their "to do" lists. In doing so, they neglect relationships. Cluelessness about the critical importance of interpersonal connections is a major roadblock to systems change. Systems change involves deepening positive and nurturing interconnections while reducing the negative dynamics of unhealthy relationships. Relationships matter, which is why Belonging Matters. This doesn't happen naturally or easily in today's busy, distracted world. Having a framework and toolkit for guidance and support can make all the difference.

Don't dabble. Commit to the whole process and stay the course. Let Jessie Sutherland, who walks the talk, guide you on a transformational journey. She has faced adversity, understands the long-term effects of trauma, and brings both personal and professional knowledge to her work.

Amanda Brown

RSW, Director, ReAct Adult Protection Program, West Vancouver Community Health Centre

“

As a society, we need to shift from a reactive mode to a prevention mode like what Belonging Matters provides.

As a society, we need to shift from a reactive mode to a prevention mode like what Belonging Matters Conversations provides. The more that we hear the voices of people impacted the most, the more respectful the process and the better the outcomes.

We need to support grassroots and community empowerment processes to achieve prevention and real change.

Belonging Matters Toolkit for System Change