Jodi Zabludowski, Executive Director of The Indo-Canadian Women’s
Association
By: Brianna MacLean
Selflessness.
Trustworthiness.
Accountability.
Honesty.
Advocacy.
These are only some of the values one might inherently associate with non-profit work. While definitely applicable to the many organizations performing this work on a grand scale, you would be hard-pressed to find someone who embodies this specific set of values more than Jodi Zabludowski.
Originally hailing from Montreal, Jodi has devoted her life to serving her local communities for nearly 35 years. This devotion has guided her professional career, first in the public sector as a quality manager for the Government of Alberta, and later within the non-profit sector. It was here that Jodi had the opportunity to truly hone in on her passion and natural talent for education, charity, and advocacy.
As was the case for many, the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic inspired Jodi to embark on a new professional chapter in the story of her life. A natural continuation of her fantastic work with non-profits focusing on less-represented groups (i.e., women, seniors, and the Disability community), Jodi officially began her work as the Executive Director of the Indo-Canadian Women’s Association (ICWA), a not-for-profit organization based in Edmonton, AB, in 2021.
“Our mission is to encourage and promote participation by new Canadians in social, economic, and political life in Canada.
We are dedicated to promoting equality, opportunity, and the protection of rights for everyone.”
Since its establishment in 1984, the ICWA has acted as a haven and a source of unyielding advocacy for immigrants. This dedication is abundantly clear in the organization’s key goals, which are as follows:
- The ongoing support and empowerment of immigrants (of diverse ages and genders) through the referral and direct provision of educational, financial, legal, counseling, and social services.
- The raising of social and economic statuses of immigrants in Canadian society through evidence-based training programs designed to enhance their professional capacity and skill set.
- To promote a better and more accessible understanding of newcomer needs through intensive, evidence-based projects, community-devoted programs, and cultural knowledge exchanges.
To successfully achieve these critical goals, the ICWA offers a variety of services and programs that have been specifically developed and launched to assist new Canadians in need, including:
- The Creating Safe Communities program, which directly aids and provides additional resources to women and girls experiencing family violence.
- Development and education programs such as ESL literacy and computer basics.
- Programs to provide financial literacy and navigation support for seniors.
- A pro-bono legal clinic that offers complimentary consultations to victims of gender-based violence and family abuse.
- Youth Development programs.
Additionally, in 2019 the ICWA began work on a five-year research project focusing on developing the Culturally Appropriate and Safe Assistance Through Home Visitation for Survivors of Violence (CASA) project. The project is an Alberta-based six-agency endeavor funded by WAGE, with the ICWA taking on the primary leadership role.
While the ICWA’s wide range of services and programs are freely available to all recent newcomers to the province, the ICWA’s primary focus has been first and foremost on women and girls, specifically those who immigrated from South Asian countries. As such, the organization’s work has focused mainly on the South Asian community in the Mill Woods area, a demographic that local non-profits had vastly underrepresented despite its significant prominence.
However, due to recent world events, there has been a noticeable surge of immigrants and refugees coming to Canada from Afghanistan and Ukraine, inspiring the ICWA to expand its mandate and overall focus. To better represent this diversification of focus, the ICWA has recently introduced the Edmonton Newcomers Settlement Services (ENSS), a new operating title and system dedicated to expanding assistance and resources to all newcomers to the country who might require them.
“Working in the non-profit sector can be very rewarding, and there are a lot of opportunities to work for different charities; find one that you are passionate about, so that when you wake up in the morning you enjoy going to work.
Life is short, so try and get fulfillment from your professional career.”
When thinking about everyday people making an extraordinary difference in the lives of others, you would be hard-pressed to find someone who embodies this role more than Jodi Zabludowski. Through her impressive professional resume, dedicated work ethic, and genuine enthusiasm for uplifting those in need of a boost, Jodi has truly perfected the art of combining one’s passion with one’s career.
And in her work with the ICWA, she shows no sign of slowing down.
For more information, you can contact Jodi and the ICWA at:
Indo-Canadian Women’s Association
9342 – 34 Ave NW
Edmonton, AB T6E 5X8
(780) 914-5951
jodi.icwa.edmonton@gmail.com
www.icwaedmonton.org
