Rebuilding Culture, Strengthening Mission
Using organizational history, honest reflection and practical structures to help a growing organization reconnect to the culture it wanted to carry forward.
Cornerstone Housing for Women is an emergency shelter and safe affordable housing for women in Ottawa.
Cornerstone Housing for Women, the largest women-only shelter in the region, provides essential housing and support services. Established in 1983 as a response to the growing need for emergency shelter and supportive housing for women, it has become renowned for its commitment to serving women in need, Cornerstone offers a safe haven and comprehensive resources aimed at empowering and assisting women in vulnerable situations.
The Challenge
Rapid growth and leadership transitions created pressure on communication, role clarity and team alignment. Cornerstone needed to preserve the values that had guided its work for decades while adapting to a larger, more complex organization.
How We Worked
- Reviewed internal policies and organizational frameworks.
- Conducted one-to-one interviews to understand growth pressures and differing perspectives.
- Used an Organizational Journey Map to reflect on achievements, tensions and turning points.
- Facilitated workshops that translated shared insight into short-, medium- and long-term actions.
What Changed
- Established clearer communication practices, roles and management supports.
- Strengthened mutual understanding across the leadership team.
- Created a practical implementation path for trust, collaboration and team development.
Client Feedback
I would recommend Manal for other organizations going through a change of growth in staff, mission, and residents.
“I would recommend Manal for other organizations going through a change of growth in staff, mission, and residents. I recently had the pleasure of working with Manal on internal organizational structure and communication sessions for Cornerstone Housing for Women. Manal worked with our leadership team to help us better serve our clients given the significant growth of the organization over the last three years. Our team is committed to preserving the values and principles that have guided the organization for four decades. This includes providing client-centered care, building trust and relationships with clients, and maintaining a supportive collaborative work environment. Manal developed and facilitated various workshops with our team to unpack and rebuild the culture that has made Cornerstone successful as we continue to grow and adapt to the changing environment. Manal played a critical role in helping the leadership team fill in gaps, reconnect, and open communication lines across the organization. Trust and open communication were essential for all to feel comfortable sharing their experiences and developing a roadmap to work better together over the next four decades. Manal excelled in leveraging her positive and engaging consulting skills throughout the design and facilitation of our individual and group sessions. She synthesized the key themes from the session and offered clear recommendations for the next steps. Manal was welcoming, empathetic, and compassionate about creating a culture that reflects our passion and mission. We received positive feedback from participants and our leadership team about Manal’s consultancy.”
Amber Bramer, M.A.
Director of Development and Communications