In this webinar, you will hear about how three social enterprise organizations are empowering and creating opportunities for adults across Canada, through a rural, regional, and urban approach.

The Canadian Community Economic Development Network (CCEDNet) is a national member-led organization committed to strengthening Canadian communities by creating economic opportunities that enhance social and environmental conditions.

The Learning Exchange is a community resource for adult support, individualized learning, skill development, and access to employment in Saint John, New Brunswick. Empowering adults to achieve their education and employment goals through responsive programming and training supported by our social enterprises.

Co-operatives First is a business development organization focused on increasing awareness and understanding of the co-op business model in rural and Indigenous communities across western Canada. Their goal is to help groups build new businesses and support community development.

PANELISTS

Darcy Penner, is the Social Enterprise Policy Manager for CCEDNet Manitoba. In this role Darcy engages with the Province of Manitoba and municipalities to advocate for policy that is supportive of social enterprise and community economic development, as well being the project manager for the Manitoba Social Enterprise Strategy.

Dayna Lutes, is the Coordinator of The Learning Exchange and has been working with adults facing barriers to education and employment in the nonprofit sector since 2013. She is involved in grassroots community work as well as program development and evaluation and works closely with partner organizations in Saint John to provide quality services to residents

Kyle White, is the Education and Engagement Lead with Co-operatives First. His work focuses developing and delivering educational and development services for Cooperatives First, a non-profit business development organization in Saskatoon.

Source: Rural Policy Learning Commons