In 2018 The Government of Ontario awarded Georgian College $264,000 from the Social Enterprise Demonstration Fund to support a $528,000 project focused on growing social enterprise across the college’s seven campus communities in the counties of Simcoe, Muskoka, Dufferin and Grey.
The two-year project will be managed by the Social Enterprise Network of Central Ontario (senco), which is housed in Georgian’s Centre for Changemaking and Social Innovation.
Project activities include:
- delivering an eight-part workshop series in person and online to equip individuals and organizations with knowledge and tools to support development in social enterprise, from ideation to operational sustainability
- establishing social enterprise sector development groups across Georgian’s campus communities to support local growth and flow-through funding for social enterprise projects
- sharing the impact and promoting social enterprise via audio and visual storytelling
- offering specialized courses, mentorship and coaching through project partners, including Innoweave, the Social Enterprise Institute, and S4ES
“Georgian is proud and determined to advance the social and economic development of our local communities,” said Suzie Addison-Toor, director of the Centre for Changemaking and Social Innovation. “This project will support and connect individuals and organizations to resources and opportunities to cultivate and enhance social enterprise activity in our region.”
Driving social enterprise is one of the ways Georgian strives to make an impact. The college was recently designated Canada’s first changemaker college by Ashoka U – the world’s largest network of social entrepreneurs.
Georgian joins an inspiring global community of institutions and leaders who are fostering positive change and producing graduates with the innovative skills and creative mindset needed to use their education for social good. For more information on social enterprise, B Corp Certification, or to get connected to local business resources in Central Ontario, contact Sandbox Centre and join the Sandbox community on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram. Keep an eye out on our events page for coming B Corp & Social Enterprise events. We’re partnered with SENCO an initiative of Georgian College’s Centre for Changemaking & Social Innovation (CCSI) who inspire, connect and equip those looking to engage in social enterprise to face cultural, environmental and social challenges in our region. Check out their events page for sessions like Social Enterprise 101 and screenings of the Social Shift movie.