Profile
Profile
Abid Jan has extensive experience in Canadian and international development work. As an experienced nonprofit management executive, Abid has more than 22 years of experience in poverty alleviation, community economic development, project management, capacity building, and organizational development.
Abid Jan has 15 years of experience in executive leadership and senior management roles which involves working with local and international funding agencies. Abid has a successful record of leading organizational and community change initiatives and capacity-building programs.
Abid’s work experience includes being a CD consultant to the City of Ottawa, a former Executive Director of the Integrated Regional Support Program in Pakistan, as an advisor with GTZ-German and as a consultant with UNDP, Unicef and World Bank. His extensive project management and non-profit capacity building experience enabled him to work with more than 200 organizations and various levels of government in Canada, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Abid Jan is currently working with Ottawa Police Service as Director of Community Safety and well-being. He has more than 20 years of experience with developing place-based approaches to community development, Collective Impact initiatives, and building cross-sector collaborative solutions to make Ottawa a safer and welcoming City for all.
Abid Jan has an MS in Environmental Management University of London and a Master in Applied Chemistry from the University of Peshawar. He has attended several training courses – recently completed a train the trainers course from Fiscal Institute Santa Fe in Result Based Accountability. Abid is AMPG Licensed project management specialist.
Resume
Resume
Education
University of London - UK
MS Environmental Management
1996
University of Peshawar
MSc
1988
Project management Professionals (PMDPro), Certification authority APM Group, License# PMD/552100
Harvard Management Mentor Course – certification course in business management, 2018
Employment
DIRECTOR COMMUNITY SAFETY AND WELLBEING
OTTAWA POLICE SERVICE
March 2023 to date
DIRECTOR CAPACITY BUILDING
United Way East Ontario
April 2010 to March 2023
Duties:
Lead a team of managers at United Way Ottawa and provide leadership to the strategic direction and operational management of a variety of neighborhoods safety and revitalization and organizational capacity building project/programs.
- Manage the portfolio of building social capital in marginalized neighborhoods and support capacity building of the funded agencies in program design, financial management and diversifying their funding base.
- Develop annual strategic and financial plans and work with other partners to develop a common evaluation framework and shared measurement systems.
- Provide support to the Community Impact Cabinet and the Board of Directors related to the investment of resources in partnerships, programs and services.
- Manage relations and partnerships with community stakeholders and other funders.
- Provide strategic, operational, and management oversight; oversee the building strong neighbourhoods and capacity building budget; make grant allocations, and support managing up to $6m in community investment – from allocation to impact assessment.
- Work closely with communications and campaign (resource development team) to support community priorities.
- Assist the marketing and evaluation team to ensure all programs are of high quality and community impact is properly captured and communicated.
- Other management responsibilities such as hiring/supervising staff, performance appraisal, developing work plans, policies and procedures.
Accomplishments:
As a strong advocate of diversity and inclusion, evolved a partnership of more than 120 organization into a Coalition for overcoming hate and violence in East Ontario. The initiative is called United for All. See United for All media statements here.
As a believer in place-based community development, developed a well thought out, sustainable initiatives that encourage progress and improve conditions for the most marginalized communities such as the Ottawa Neighbourhood Social Capital Forum, the development of the Neighbourhood Equity Index and the Portrait of Ottawa’s Black Community.
Created the vision and path forward for several multi-partner initiatives while utilizing a shared leadership model.
COORDINATOR, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK (CDF)
City of Ottawa/CHRCs Coalition
Sept 2008 - April, 2010
Duties:
- Spearheaded strategic planning and program policy development based on an in-depth understanding of the community needs and the common goals of the City of Ottawa and the 14 Community Health & Resource Centre.
- Facilitated the development of a strategic neighbourhoods revitalization approach and successfully managed city-wide implementation of the place-based approach to building strong neighbourhoods.
- Led a team of 14 community developers to strengthen their community mobilization skills and deliver on the Community Development Framework goals.
Accomplishment:
Developed a community development model and replicated it city-wide. The initiative is called Community Development Framework.
COORDINATOR, NO COMMUNITY LEFT BEHIND (NCLB)
Southeast Ottawa Centre for a Healthy Community (SEOCHC
Aug 2006–Sept 2008
Accomplishments:
- No Community Left Behind (NCLB): Conducted best practice research, Conceptualized and implemented a crime-prevention-through-social-development initiative called No Community Left Behind.
- Community Development Framework (CDF): Successfully lobbied and brought funders and other stakeholders on board to replicate the place-based, community engagement approach citywide as the Community Development Framework (CDF).
COMMUNITY DEVELOPER
South-East Ottawa Community Resources Centre - Ottawa
Aug 2004–Sept 2006
PRINCIPAL ADVISOR TO GTZ Germany
IRDP Pakistan
Oct 2000 - Dec 2000
Principal Advisor to GTZ and Government of Pakistan for Pak-German Integrated Rural Development Program in Mardan. Successfully designed and instituted a Post-Project capacity building phase, and prepared a Final Evaluation Report on the 17-years’ long unique rural development project.
Executive Director
Integrated Regional Support Program
Jan 2001 - Dec 2002
Worked with GTZ Germany to evaluate a 17-year long project, provide strategic direction and develop a plan to transition the GTZ and government of Pakistan-funded project to an independent non-for-profit for poverty alleviation and gender development in the most conservative part of the country.
Selected Contribution:
- Established and led the organization with multi-sectoral teams of more than 50 staff members. The organization is now known as the Integrated Regional support Program in Mardan, Pakistan.
- Successfully demonstrated sustainability of the participatory approaches to planning and implementation of micro-level development in rural areas after phasing out of the GTZ project, including the mobilization of rural savings and introduction of micro-credit; the application of cost-effective methods for building rural infrastructure; natural resource development; institution and capacity building; and successful public-private sector partnerships.
- Executed the strategic plans and policies as established by the Board of Directors and seven community based Regional Development Organizations (RDOs) in the poorest rural communities for financial inclusion, improving basic health, education, basic infrastructure, sanitation and natural resource management.
- Closely worked with various local government agencies at the district level including Education and Health Departments, and oversaw more than 40 Women Skill Centers, 7 Regional Offices and a Women’s Wing – established to equally engage women in the development work.
- Guided implementation of four projects (Health, Education, Capacity Building, Water and Sanitation, Information Management) with national (NCHD – National Commission for Human Development, Khushali Bank) and international (UNICEF, GTZ) donors and financial institutions.
- Headed multi-sectoral teams of more than 50 staff members.
- Launched innovative projects such as the Community Information System (CIS), Role of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) for rural development and “Women of Action” event that brought over 700 attendees annually from across the country, and generated up to $500K for the Women Wing program activities.
- Conceptualized and implemented a unique information management and planning program, to assist communities, Union Councils, District government and donors like UNICEF in developing their short & long terms plans.
Executive Director
Frontier Resource Centre
Aug 2000 - Dec 2000
CHIEF, Human Resources Development
Sarhad Rural Support Program, Peshawar, Pakistan
Aug 1998 - Aug 2000
Assigned by this rural development organization – a replication of AKRSP approach – with the poverty alleviation mandate to assume overall leadership for community and staff capacity building.
Select Contributions:
- Provided ongoing supervision, leadership, support and guidance to all staff with relation to their specific roles and relationship to achieve the overall goal to alleviate rural poverty, gender and development and financial inclusion for poorest of the poor through the community-based, participatory approach to development.
- Worked closely with donors such as Novib, DFID, UNDP and IUCN on capacity building, Natural Resource management and enterprise development initiatives in the Pukhtunkhwa province of Pakistan.
- Developed tailored training packages for social organizers, NRM staff and enterprise development staff so that they could leverage their respective program activities and together support members of the village organizations in effectively managing their committees, natural resources and their savings and loans.
- Developed and conducted book-keeping, leadership and management, Gender and Development, and enterprise development training for members of the men and women community organizations.
- Developed a 360 degree performance appraisal system and HRD policies and procedures.
- Participated in planning, monitoring and evaluation of the programs and writing grant proposals for funding. The most successful of which was the 3million dollars support from DFID to establish a central Capacity Building Centre where boarding and lodging facilities were provided to community members and staff attending training.
MANAGER, Human Resources Development
Sarhad Rural Support Program (SRSP), Peshawar.
June 1997 - Aug1998
Executive Director
Frontier Resource Centre
Aug 2000 - Dec 2000
Development Consultant
Support agencies working with CIDA and other funders
1998-2002
NATIONAL PROJECT CO-COORDINATOR (Pakistan)
University of Maine/US Fish and Wildlife Services (U.S.A.)
Aug 1999 - Dec 1992
Programming Skills
Language Skills
Recognition
Recognition
AWARDS
Kindness Award
On February 14, 2020, Kindness Week was celebrated in Ottawa. Abid Jan was awarded the Kindness Award for addressing bigotry and hate in Ottawa through mainstreaming hate prevention initiative called United For All. (Video).
Heroes Among Us Award – 2010 by OCISO Ottawa, March 2010. Every year Ottawa Community Immigrant Services Organisation (OCISO) awards prominent contributors to community health. These awards are given in the field of journalism, community development, media, business, etc. Abid Jan was awarded Heroes Among Us award in 2010 for his work in making neighbourhoods safe and strong.
- Ottawa Citizen report. (PDF). http://commdev.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/ociso2_small.jpg
- OCISO Program Brochure: English | French.
- Awards Gala, March 11, 2010: https://youtu.be/wV0TnqXEzY8
- Ottawa Citizen Reporter’s comments about my work: https://goo.gl/5on0UQ
Community Safety Leader Award – 2009 by Crime Prevention Ottawa (CPO), 2009.
Crime Prevention Ottawa awarded Abid Jan with Community Safety Leader award in 2009 for conceptualizing and implementing the No Community Left Behind community safety initiative which was replicated as Together for Vanier, United Neighbours and Lower Town Our Home before the City of Ottawa adopted it for replication city-wide as Community Development Framework.
- Crime Prevention Ottawa comments. A discussion with Alan Neal. CBC RAdio Nov 5, 2009. |
- https://youtu.be/rsfDYT8bYv4
- Crime Prevention Ottawa’s 2009 awards - Nov 3, 3009 |
- https://youtu.be/oN7lXo3sRK4
- News Report: Crime Prevention Ottawa 2009 awards.(pdf)
- http://commdev.ca/cpo_award_emc.pdf |
- Complete awards.(video) https://youtu.be/EV8Q68M1Hfk
- Message from David McGuinty, Member of Parliament: https://goo.gl/UwvQXV
- Message from Yasir Naqvi, Member of Provincial Parliament. https://goo.gl/s3Lnje
- CBC Radio. https://goo.gl/dHu2EV
- CBC TV Nov 3, 3009; https://goo.gl/yn9Lc5
- https://goo.gl/t6WRKR
Child-Friendly Man of the City Award – 2008 by ECIS Ottawa, 2008; See details here.Honoured with Child Friendly Man of the Village award in 2008 by ECIS for innovative youth initiatives to keep youth out of harm during critical hours.
EPIC Award – 2007 by Association of the Ontario Health Centers (AOHC) 2007: Details here.
Abid Jan accepts the Epic Award in the Community Development category for the No Community Left Behind (NCLB)initiative in Ottawa. Presenters are former AOHC President France Gélinas (L) and New AOHC President Simone Hammond Executive Director, Parkdale CHC.
Community Builder of the Year Award - 2007 by United Way Ottawa.
- Helping Others Help themselves,: http://nocommunityleftbehind.ca/Archive/may09,2009.html
- No community Left Behind an Award winning program, June 28, 2007.
- CBA – Capacity Building. May 31, 2007.
On May 31 2007, United Way Ottawa celebrated the work of Ottawa’s dedicated citizens and organizations at the Community Builder of the Year Awards.
This event was a celebration of the organizations, partnerships, agencies, and neighbourhood groups that strive tirelessly, passionately, and collaboratively to make Ottawa a better place to live, work and raise a family.
Awards were presented in several categories. Abid Jan received the Community Builder of the Year Award for the No Community Left Behind initiative that he conceptualized and implemented in close partnership of South East Ottawa CHC with other service providers and community leaders.
Select Courses
Select Courses
| 1 | United Way World Wide Leaders Engaged in Accelerated Development (LEAD) program in 2021 |
| 2 | Project Management Professional (PMP) certification course offered by the Project Management Institute, UK – 2015 |
| 3 | Train the Trainers Course in Results-Based Accountability (FPSI Santa Fe, New Mexica, US) – 2014. |
| 4 | Collective Impact (Tamarack Institute) 2013. |
| 5 | Canadian Health Promotion (La Crosse, Univ. Of Wisconsin) – 2010’ |
| 6 | Constituent Relations Management (CRM) course (United Way Ottawa) - 2010 |
| 7 | Becoming Third-Party Neutral Course, Canadian Institute for Conflict Resolution (CICR Ottawa) – 2009. |
| 8 | Community Policing and Mobilization Program 2006 - Queens University (Ontario Police College) |
| 9 | Results Based Accountability (Train the Trainer), (Fiscal Policy Studies Institute, Santa Fe, new Mexico, US) 2012 |
| 10 | Commonwealth Course in Organization and Human Resource Development (Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) - November 20 to December 10, 1997. |
Publications
Publications
Publications
Implementing NCLB (Manuals) 2008 Authored, with financial assistance from HRSDC, Implementing NCLB – a document explaining the crime prevention through social development approach of the NCLB Strategy and implementation process – as well as evaluation tools and a Coordinator’s Guide for the front-line staff working on the implementation of the residents’ approach in vulnerable neighbourhoods. |  |
Title: Developing Meso-level Institutions Type: Book. Year: 2001 ISBN: 969-8608-00-1 Pages: 270 A guide for development practitioners, policymakers, program staff, and donors – comparing different approaches and models of development in Pakistan. Also includes tools for the field workers and an explanation of the process to develop Meso-level development institutions. | |
Title: A Comprehensive Guide for Community Empowerment Type: Book. Year: 2000 ISBN: 969-8544-14-3 Pages: 357 2nd Edition of the Hand Book for Social Organizers – detailing the tools and concepts for social mobilization | |
Title: Environmental Planning for Small Communities Type: Book. Year: 2002 Pages: 120 A-4 size A guide for undertaking an integrated approach to protecting the environment. This guide can be used as a tool by local decision-makers at the community level, as well as staff of the community development programs, who can take advantage of the seven steps explained in it for involving the communities in the environmental planning process. | |
Title: A Hand-Book for Social Organisers in Rural Support Programs in Pakistan Type: Book. Year: 1999 Pages: 170 A collection of tools for the field workers for social organization and community participation in the RSP network in Pakistan. |  |
Title: Understanding Meso-level Institutions Type: Booklet. Year: 2001 Pages: 38 An introduction to meso-level institutions in rural communities when it comes to poverty alleviation and development in developing countries. |  |
Title: A Handbook for developing Community Information System Type: Reference Book Year: 2002 Pages: 100 A guide for development specialists and field worker about developing a unique information system for local-level planning in developing countries. |  |
Articles
Artilcles
Abid Jan has extensive experience in Canadian and international development work. As an experienced nonprofit management executive, Abid has more than 22 years of experience in poverty alleviation, community economic development, project management, capacity building, and organizational development.
Abid Jan has 15 years of experience in executive leadership and senior management roles which involves working with local and international funding agencies. Abid has a successful record of leading organizational and community change initiatives and capacity-building programs.
Abid’s work experience includes being a CD consultant to the City of Ottawa, a former Executive Director of the Integrated Regional Support Program in Pakistan, as an advisor with GTZ-German and as a consultant with UNDP, Unicef and World Bank. His extensive project management and non-profit capacity building experience enabled him to work with more than 200 organizations and various levels of government in Canada, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Abid Jan is currently working with Ottawa Police Service as Director of Community Safety and well-being. He has more than 20 years of experience with developing place-based approaches to community development, Collective Impact initiatives, and building cross-sector collaborative solutions to make Ottawa a safer and welcoming City for all.
Abid Jan has an MS in Environmental Management University of London and a Master in Applied Chemistry from the University of Peshawar. He has attended several training courses – recently completed a train the trainers course from Fiscal Institute Santa Fe in Result Based Accountability. Abid is AMPG Licensed project management specialist.
Contacts
Contacts
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