New webinars on the latest social economy research and microfinance are now available online.  We also have sessions on social impact bonds, the versatility of coops, community resilience, financial management for sustainability and the Canada Revenue Agency's new guidelines for Charitable Status and CED, among others.  Check out our Webinars page for more information on all the sessions. CCEDNet also partnered with the Community Social Planning Council of Greater Victoria for a webinar series they recently offered on youth social entrepreneurship. The three webinars explore how young people and youth-serving organizations are using social enterprise to create sustainable livelihoods.  

As of 2010, 7,360 people in the greater Medicine Hat area were living in poverty, 2,590 of whom were children – representing a 10% poverty rate, and a 16% child poverty rate. Reducing the cost of poverty in Medicine Hat provides information on poverty and social indicators in Medicine Hat; on the definition, causes, effects and indicators of poverty; and on the current state of the six priority areas. It is a starting point from which to develop a common understanding of poverty in the community, and from which to track progress in the future.

(Source: Homeless Hub)

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CED a Key Strategy in Calgary's Poverty Reduction Plan

Is there enough for all? The Calgary Poverty Reduction Initiative (CPRI) believes that there is. In a prosperous and growing city like Calgary, this report asserts that together, Calgarians have the resources to build a resilient community. Those resources are not only financial, but also come in the form of infrastructure, relationships, values and skills—all sites of existing investments. Yet, despite the abundance in Calgary, many Calgarians also suffer from significant personal and financial distress. In 2012, CPRI engaged in extensive public consultations involving community members and persons experiencing poverty, along with stakeholders in government, business, the non-profit sector and academia. 

Momentum's Success: Numbers Speak for Themselves

Momentum Calgary (CCEDNet member) offers a series of innovative programs to help lift Calgarians out of poverty. Their CED approach to property reduction and community empowerment focuses on helping people take control of personal finances, developing employable skills, assisting with business loans and home purchases. In assessing Momentum's incredible impact, their 2012 numbers speak for themselves:

Calgary has recently welcomed its newest worker co-operative. SquareKnot Cooperative is a worker-run cooperative that helps Calgarians connect with one another, learn new skills and create a strong community rooted in resilience & sustainability. We wish to be known as a place where people invest in themselves. SquareKnot Cooperative contributes to the DIY movement by facilitating workshops that impart knowledge and skills that have diminished over the last several generations. Their June DIY workshops featured a three-part series on herbal medicine making, led by a local Master Herbalist.

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