Social Innovation & Social Finance Strategy

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• Using applied theatre to address social challenges

  by Elizabeth Copeland, over 7 years ago
  We have used the model of applied theatre with great success with a variety of demographics including:

  • Immigrant women
  • Psychiatric survivors
  • People marginalized by poverty
  • Survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence
  • Children with learning challenges
  • Youth who are dealing with bullying
  • Communities in crisis

  As an example: Working with a group of women who had recently immigrated to Canada (mostly from Africa), we used the tools of the performing arts (song, dance, drama, storytelling) to build confidence, resilience and strengthen interpersonal connections. The program ran for 12 weeks. The first four weeks were dedicated to discussion and creative play... Continue reading

• Seniors and Youth Lunch

  by Molly , over 7 years ago

  Our Seniors and Youth Lunch program is an intergenerational cooking and eating program.  Older adults and youth come together to learn food skills together and from each other and they also eat the food they prepare.  In a further twist they have begun to also prepare baked goods for a local weekly bake sale to raise money for the Good Food organization that funds their program.  Although modest, raising the  funds seems to increase the perceived value to the work they do together. 

• BCorp Working Together for More Inclusive Workplaces

  by mgifford, over 7 years ago
  

  OpenConcept(External link) is a Certified B Corporation(External link) (B Corp) and an Ottawa web development company. We work with Open Source tools like Drupal(External link) to build sites for our clients. We believe that we can work collectively to have a greater impact on our society.

  Earlier in the month at the B Corp Champion's Retreat in Toronto i sat in on many inspiring discussions about becoming a more inclusive workplace. Companies like Greyston(External link) (you've likely eaten their brownies without knowing it) have been working tirelessly to increase the employment opportunities for people who were previously unemployable. By having an an open hiring... Continue reading

• Empowering people & strengthening our community - A look into Causeway

  by Causeway, over 7 years ago
  

  Causeway is a not-for-profit agency that helps people with mental health issues and other challenges find rewarding work and live more independently.

  Causeway transforms lives and fuels community economic development through an integrated network of innovative training and employment programs, one-on-one support, and by creating socially-minded businesses.

  Here are a few examples of the programs and services that Causeway offers to clients:

  Causeway's Entrepreneurial Program (CEO)

  (External link)

  Causeway’s CEO Program supports the dreams & aspirations of disabled entrepreneurs who want to start their own business while on ODSP.

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cvdea_M_EzQ&t=62s(External link)

  Cycle Salvation

  (External link)

  Cycle Salvation is a social enterprise... Continue reading

• Community Investment Co-ops

  by edenyesh, over 7 years ago

  Localizing Investments for Social and Impact Investing

  While the demand for investing locally is increasing, traditional investment options limit who and where we can invest in.  The result is that most investment capital leaves rural communities and is placed into far off stock markets and corporations.  In 2013, tax filers in rural British Columbia contributed $1.2 Billion new monies into their RRSP’s, much of that money leaving the Province and even Canada.  An unintended consequence is that our money is creating significant jobs and wealth elsewhere in the world, while leaving the places we live, work and play underfinanced.  Imagine... Continue reading

• Kids are a very big part of the solution(s)

  by unicefcanada, over 7 years ago

  Along with our partners, UNICEF Canada has embarked on a 15-year change agenda to lift Canada up international league tables child well-being by 2030. If there is any wicked problem that deserves Canada’s social innovation talents, the lagging outcomes for children in a country with steady GDP growth is among the most significant. Our effort to change the persistent status quo is One Youth.

  There are three core pillars supporting this work: measuring well-being of children and youth with new and improved tools; influencing change by engaging Canadians and decision makers; and designing solutions with kids–especially those... Continue reading

• Victoria Social Innovation Centre - a new model for Vancouver Island

  by David_VIRCS, over 7 years ago

  Surviving is important, thriving is essential.

  Most gardeners know that choosing the right pot size will determine how a plant succeeds. If you plan to grow a tree, and you want it to thrive, you'll need to create the optimal conditions and you'll need to plan for its growth. In the non-profit sector, when funders only allow for very small allowable administrative budgets, "finding the right pot" often means a "small pot" which undermines its long-term outcomes. If an agency doesn't have adequate space, it cannot propose for larger more efficient programmes. 

  As capital grants have become as rare as... Continue reading

• Connecting health innovators with the support they need

  by Azimuth Health Group, over 7 years ago
  

  Many of us have creative ideas to improve health or healthcare. Large organizations often have dedicated staff to scan for opportunities to support innovation. Smaller social innovators rarely do. 

  Launched earlier this year, 3iOntario is designed to address this gap for health innovators and innovation champions in Ontario. From travel grants for patients and digital health hackathons to large research grant competitions and province-wide RFPs, we share a range of current opportunities each week(External link). It's a free service provided by Ontario's health innovation brokers, supported by the Office of the Chief Health Innovation Strategist at the Ministry of Health... Continue reading

• HireUp - Technology to Combat Youth Homelessness

  by milan, over 7 years ago

  As a recipient of the Canadian government's Innovative Solutions to Homelessness grant, on behalf of my co-founders, I wanted to briefly share an article written by our CEO about how it's helped our startup:

  https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/exciting-hireup-news-preston-aitken/?trackingId=qW2XAprd41ltg0B1bXSWIQ%3D%3D(External link)

  Despite the number of startups globally who are working on issues ranging from sustainability to poverty, social enterprise remains unknown territory for most investors and customers. Accordingly, there are unique challenges in raising money needed to do the prerequisite R&D, sales and marketing activities a startup must to breakthrough.

  That is why I can't express how grateful our team is for this program, and how... Continue reading

• Community Visioning for Stronger Communities

  by Chutzpah, over 7 years ago

  Not long after I moved to my community, I was invited to be part of a new 'planning' process.  Halifax was looking to do community visioning process in a rural, suburban and urban communities.  My community of Musquodoboit Harbour was chosen as a rural pilot.  We spent over a year consulting with groups in the community, hosting community meetings and doing an online survey.  All with the support of city staff.  It was one of the most significant things I've ever experienced.  It made me feel connected and engaged and empowered in my community in a way I'd never been.

  ... Continue reading