Social Enterprise Development Program

2007 Social Enterprise Development Program: From Ideas to Action

Social Entrepreneurs often have more ideas than they can realistically implement. How do you know which idea is the most likely to succeed? How do you go from a hundred ideas to the implementation of that one key idea? Are you even ready for social enterprise and the changes it will inspire?

The Centre for Social Innovation is partnering with Aperio to offer a nine-session course that will help you transform your social enterprise idea into a grounded and achievable action plan. Using best practices, case studies and practical examples from the group, this course will provide a framework to help you develop earned income strategies that balance financial and social goals. The Program begins in January and participants will meet once or twice a month until May. All sessions will be held at the Centre for Social Innovation, Toronto.

To apply or to learn more about the program, please send an email to maria@socialinnovation.ca. Please note that space is limited to 20 participants.

University-community partnerships: November 23, 2006

The Community Development Collaborative Program of the University of Toronto and the Transformative Learning Centre (OISE/University of Toronto) present

University-community partnerships: the case of the University of Toronto

Ben Liu, Coordinator, Service-Learning Programmes, Centre for Community Partnerships, University of Toronto
Tony Chambers, Associate Vice-Provost, Students and Assistant Professor, Theory and Policy Studies, OISE/UT

Thursday, November 23, 2006
5:00-7:00 pm
Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE/UT)
252 Bloor St. West, Toronto
Room 7-162

In the past few years, there has been a convergence of the University’s Stepping Up Plan, the National Survey on Student Engagement (NSSE), and the efforts of the City of Toronto and United Way to build strong and safe communities in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). Guided by Stepping UP, the Poverty by Postal Code document, and the report of the Strong Neighborhoods Taskforce, the University of Toronto responded by creating the Centre for Community Partnerships (CCP). As part of the portfolio of the Deputy Provost/Vice-Provost, Students, the CCP is playing an increasingly important role in enhancing student engagement, advancing pedagogical innovation, strengthening university-community relations, and developing cross-disciplinary learning opportunities. This presentation will present some of the recent initiatives of the CCP and Vice-Provost’s Office, with a particular focus on community-based learning and research, and community development and capacity-building.

Lunchbox Speakers' Series - Microlending: November 8, 2006

The Social Economy Centre (OISE/UT) Lunchbox Speakers' Series Presents
Microlending
Susan Henry, Alterna Savings
Susan McLean, Access Riverdale
Wednesday, November 8, 2006, 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm.
Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto
252 Bloor Street West, Toronto.
Room 12-199

Microlending is an idea with legs that, in contrast to the norm, has moved from poor to wealthy countries. The Alterna Savings Community Micro Loan Program and Access Riverdale Community Loan Fund are microlending programs in Toronto. Our speakers, Susan Henry and Susan McLean, administer each of these programs.

This event will be webcast. We are accepting questions via e-mail during the webcast. Go to the following webpage for detailed instructions to set up for and view the webcast: http://sec.oise.utoronto.ca/english/webcast.php

For more information, go to http://sec.oise.utoronto.ca/english/lectures.php or contact
Sherap Winn at swinn@oise.utoronto.ca or (416) 923-6641, extension 2087.

Accounting & Finance for Non-Profit Organizations!: November 15th and 23rd, 2006

Accounting & Finance for Non-Profit Organizations!
November 15, 2006 1 to 5 p.m. & November 23, 2006 1 to 5 p.m.

@ The Stanley Milner Public Library (Downtown Branch / Churchill SQ.)
Sponsored by: www.cassfraser.ca
Info: rupert@cassfraser.ca

Dear colleague: The Stanley Milner Public Library (Downtown Branch) is hosting two free workshops for non-profit organizations. Rupert Cass of Cass & Fraser Chartered Accountants is presenting a 4-hour workshop on accounting for non-profits in the Edmonton Room, lower level. Topics discussed will be accounting principles, year end working papers and adjusting entries, budgets, business plans, performance measures, internal controls and reporting to CRA.

Please visit www.cassfraser.ca to download the course material and for registration information. Limited course photocopies will be available at the course, at a cost of $5 per package. Call 780-448-1941 for more information.

TAKE THE CO-OP CHALLENGE: October 15 - 21, 2006

From October 15 to October 21, members of Canada’s co-operatives and credit unions can test their knowledge of all things co-operative in our first-ever national Co-op Week On-line Trivia Contest.

The contest was conceived of by Desjardins Group and ran successfully in Quebec last year. This year, with the assistance of the Canadian Co-operative Association, the Conseil Canadien de la Coopération and the Conseil de la coopération du Québec, it is going national!

Participants who correctly answer two of the five trivia questions will be entered into a draw for prizes that have been generously donated by co-ops across the country.

To enter, go to http://www.coopscanada.coop/ during Co-op Week (October 15 - 21) and click on the contest link.

This year’s Co-op Week theme, OWN YOUR FUTURE!®, recognizes how, through co-operatives and credit unions, people are accomplishing together what they cannot do alone. They are taking ownership of their future, for themselves, for their families, and for their communities.

More information on Co-op Week, this year’s theme, and a Message from the Prime Minister can be found on CCA’s website at http://www.coopscanada.coop/aboutcoop/coopweek/2006coopweek/. Statements made in the House of Commons will be posted during the week.

Brenda Heald, Manager,
Corporate & Member Communications, Canadian Co-operative Association
Tel: (613) 238-6711 ext 211
Fax: (613) 567-0658
Brenda.Heald@CoopsCanada.coop
http://www.coopscanada.coop/

Social Economy 101 Telelearning Session: Thursday, October 26, 2006

The Canadian Social Economy Hub of the Social Economy grants will be holding its first telelearning session, called Social Economy 101, on Thursday, October 26th.

In this session, Marie J. Bouchard, Canadian Research Chair on the Social Economy, and Jack Quarter, director of the University of Toronto's Social Economy Centre, will give short presentations and discuss with participants the following issues:

• How is the social economy defined?
• What are the benefits and disadvantages of the various definitions?
• What are the challenges of defining the social economy?

Session Objectives:

• To familiarize practitioners with the research
• To provide a forum for practitioners and researchers to communicate
• To engage practitioners in discussions on the research
• To help practitioners understand how the research will impact public policy and practice
• To allow practitioners to connect across regions on specific research topics of interest

The session will start at 12:30 pm Eastern time, 9:30 am Pacific time. Call-in information will be given upon registration.

Register by e-mailing telelearning@socialeconomyhub.ca with your name, city, province of
location, and work or volunteer position. To register by phone call 1-(250)-472-5338.

Limited number of phone l ines for session – so register soon!

Thank you,
Laurie Mook
Director, Social Economy Centre
SSHRC Social Economy Suite, Southern Ontario Regional Node
OISE/University of Toronto
http://socialeconomy.utoronto.ca/

Lunchbox Speakers' Series - The Challenges of Creating Successful Social Enterprises in Canada: October 11, 2006

Lunchbox Speakers' Series
The Social Economy Centre (OISE/UT) Presents

The Challenges of Creating Successful Social Enterprises in Canada
By Bill Young, President, Social Capital Partners
October 11, 2006
Noon - 2 PM
Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto OISE/UT)
252 Bloor St. West, Toronto
Room 12-199

Social Capital Partners has made a number of investments in social enterprises across Canada over the past 5 years. Bill will be sharing the experiences of the successes, the challenges and the lessons learned from these relationships. He will also share how this has influenced SCP's strategy and goals for the next 5 years and what he thinks are the biggest obstacles to overcome to make social enterprise more mainstream.

There will be a simultaneous webcast, and we are accepting questions via e-mail during the webcast. See full details at website.

This event will be webcast. Go to the following webpage for detailed instructions to set up for and view the webcast: http://sec.oise.utoronto.ca/english/webcast.php

For more information, go to http://sec.oise.utoronto.ca/english/lectures.php or contact
Sherap Winn at swinn@oise.utoronto.ca or (416) 923-6641, extension 2087.