OPIRG Toronto is an intersectional, volunteer-driven grassroots organization located at the University of Toronto with a mandate for action, education, and research on environmental and social justice issues.
What makes OPIRG unique is that our volunteers are not simply a “client base”. Rather, they are what makes the organization what it is. Many non-profit organizations have a defined client base and develop their programs and priorities through staff and a Board of Directors. OPIRG works differently.
The issues we work on, the initiatives we support, and the direction we take are shaped by the students and community members who participate in our organization. Our focus and programming evolves with the needs of our communities—as new issues emerge, new movements develop, and community priorities shift.
Our work is driven from the bottom up, rather than through a traditional hierarchical leadership structure. A central part of our mandate is to provide a space where students and community members can build and strengthen the skills, tools, knowledge, and critical analysis they need to organize more effectively for justice and liberation.
Furthermore, we operate on a consensus-based decision-making model. This seeks to ensure that all of our members have equal opportunities to participate and be heard.