What We Will Not Let Go Of
There is a quote from Al Etmanski, innovator and disability rights activist, that we often return to at Skills Society:
"Innovation is a mix of the new, the old, and a dash of surprise."
It is a reminder that moving forward is never only about what is new. It is also about knowing what, from the past, to carry with you.
That is harder than it sounds. In periods of change and uncertainty, there is a natural pull to hold on — to hope that if we wait long enough, the old way will return. That longing is understandable. But clinging is not the same as protecting. The most meaningful thing we can do for what we value is to carry it forward, deliberately, into what comes next. This is the spirit of this piece. Not nostalgia, but intention. Not holding onto the past in its entirety, but refusing to leave its important essence behind.
The adaptive cycle can offer a useful metaphor for this — the idea, introduced earlier and drawn from ecology, that systems move through disruption and renewal. That a forest fire, despite its upheaval, releases nutrients back into the soil that shape everything that grows back. The forest does not return to what it was. But what it becomes is shaped by what survives.
We asked leaders across Skills Society what they will not let go of — the values, practices, and commitments they are determined to carry forward, whatever comes next. What follows is what they said.
When we asked leaders what they most wanted to protect, one answer rose above everything else: the people we support must remain at the center of this work – as the living reason for everything we do."Every person deserves to belong," one leader shared. "We need to continue building spaces where people feel seen, respected, and heard — and to keep asking what a good life looks like for each person." Another put it this way: "If we constantly remind ourselves of why we are here — to support people to live the good life and participate in meaningful opportunities — then no matter how difficult the times or the changes we go through, this will keep us focused on our mission."
This sounds simple. In practice though, it requires constant, active protection. Because the pressures that pull us away from this center are real, and include things like funding gaps, administrative demands, and the weight of urgency that can make it easy to manage risk and lose sight of life. "Quality of life can easily become second to policies, liability, and those kinds of things," one leader noted. "We cannot forget to support people in taking risks, building relationships, and experiencing the highs and lows that come with that."
This is especially true in times of uncertainty. One leader described being present for a person they support who was navigating heightened anxiety and a difficult situation involving a decision a Guardian wished to make about her life. Because of the trust built over years of genuine connection - careful listening, empathy, and consistently involving her in decisions about her own life - that team member was able to help reduce tension and support her in advocating and having her perspective heard. “Quality support comes from interactions, connections, respect,” they reflected, “where the individual feels heard and included”. It is a reminder that relationship-based support is not secondary to the work. It is the work.
Protecting what matters also requires something less tangible but equally important: the right conditions for people to do their best work. Leaders spoke clearly about the culture they are protecting — one that makes room not just for accountability, but for connection, creativity, and even playfulness. "A culture of human-centred leadership that makes room for connection, playfulness, accountability, and ambiguity" was how one leader named it. Hearing visitors comment on what it feels like to walk into the Skills Society office — "colourful, welcoming, creative, and full of stories, art, and personality." That feedback, they said, matters: "It's a reflection of an environment where people feel human, comfortable, connected, and able to bring themselves into the work."And that environment does not stay contained to staff. As another leader observed: "The atmosphere and culture experienced by employees will inevitably help shape the experience of the people we support. Spaces that feel warm, creative, relational, and alive help foster belonging, dignity, and genuine connection."
At the heart of all of this is a conviction that has been central to Skills Society's work for a long time, and that feels increasingly important to name: a good life is not the same as a safe life. "Sometimes we get so focused on keeping people safe," one leader reflected, "that it comes at the expense of their opportunity to experience a full life. The world is a scary place, and of course we should prevent harm – but we should also continue to help people pursue connection, joy, and growth."
The stakes of losing these commitments – to belonging, to a full life, to the values and culture that keep people at the center – are ones our leaders named plainly. "People we support are more likely to experience a loss of belonging and opportunities to live meaningful lives," one shared. "We may find we have returned to the old ways that we have worked so hard to move away from." Another offered a phrase that stayed with us: "Inclusion without support is abandonment." In a climate of increasing pressure to do more with less, it is a reminder worth holding close.
"It is very important," one leader said simply, "that our society does not forget the lessons of the past."
The nutrients we want to see protected and tended to, are not abstract. They are a workplace culture that feels colourful and alive. They are a team who spent ten months advocating for someone's funding. They are the quiet, daily practice of asking: what does a good life look like for this person?
These are what Skills Society's leaders said they will not let go of because the path forward is built, in part, from what we choose to carry. The forest grows back from what survives the fire. Through our collective work, we hope to make sure the right things survive.
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This was a collective thought piece collaboratively written by Skills Society Leadership.