The Canadian Women’s Foundation is welcoming applications from emerging and mid-career female leaders with a minimum of 3 years of management experience working in women’s economic development organizations. They are looking for candidates who want to step into more senior leadership positions within the women’s charitable economic development sector.

Specifically, they are interested in women who want to participate in women-centered leadership training to manage change, build the CED sector, support partnership development and become a force for change for women in Canada.

Eligible candidates must be able to demonstrate emerging leadership through their existing employment, community involvement or volunteer work. Candidates must also have a high level of proficiency in English, both written and spoken.

The Canadian Women’s Foundation is looking to create a culturally and geographically diverse cohort of women who represent diverse communities, opinions and interests.  Consideration will be given to women from diverse backgrounds including Aboriginal (First Nations, Métis, Inuit), Black women and women of colour, rural or northern women, immigrant women, and women with disabilities.

The Canadian Women’s Foundation Leadership Institute is a multi-year pilot project undertaken in partnership with the Coady International Institute at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. 

Applications are due on or before Monday, January 5, 2015 at 5 pm, EST.

Read more

Apply now

As this program is demanding in nature, applicants and their organizations need to ensure that participants have the time and capacity to participate fully.  In addition to participating in the residential learning and distance learning components, the 25 candidates are expected to demonstrate increased leadership potential within their organizations and apply their learning on the job.  Throughout the program, the leaders are also expected to assess their participation and reflect on their learning experience.

Orientation Webinar

The Canadian Women’s Foundation is hosting an orientation webinar on Monday, November 24th, 2014 at 12:00 pm EST, for anyone wishing to apply. Learn more >>

< BACK

The 2014 International Volunteer Cooperation Organisations (IVCO) conference was held October 19-22 in Lima, Peru. Forum, a global network of organizations involved in international volunteering, co-organised IVCO 2014 with Uniterra, the largest Canadian volunteer program, which is co-managed by CECI and WUSC. Simultaneously, Uniterra held an International Seminar from October 13-25. On Wednesday October 22, these two events were joined with all Uniterra participants attending the IVCO conference.

One of the highlights of IVCO 2014 was a videoconference with Amina J. Mohammed, Special Advisor of the Secretary-General on Post-2015 Development Planning, streamed from the UN’s headquarters in New York. A Q&A period followed that sought to address the place for international volunteering in the Post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Amina J. Mohammed during her videoconference

Most international civil society organisations have taken part in the Post-2015 process for SDGs. Likewise, Forum has advocated a formal recognition of international volunteering in the future SDGs. A Lima Declaration was adopted at the event concerning international volunteering and the future SDGs.

Many interesting discussions and debates took place over the course of IVCO 2014, in particular on the importance that most OECD countries, including Canada, place on the involvement of the private sector. A general consensus seems to exist that working with small and medium enterprises (SMEs) is not an issue, since this is already the practice. Important issues arise, however, when working with large multinational corporations.

A few speakers mentioned that about two thirds of corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs are a failure. Many corporations have such programs to “look good” and are not real commitments. Some corporations do better. For example some corporations incentivize staff to become personally involved in the volunteer sector. These corporations understand that volunteer experience can enrich the capacities of staff while helping people in less advantaged situations.

One of the issues where there appears to be no consensus is the involvement of mining companies in international development, most of which happen to be headquartered in Canada. Some would unequivocally say no to signing an agreement with such corporations. Others seem more flexible, making decisions based on how committed the mining companies are to help communities and preserve the environment. However, I did hear one clear trend emerge. “We will not have partnerships with mining companies, but with the communities where mining companies operate.” This might mean, for example, helping communities to set up businesses that hire people locally to provide maintenance and/or food services for staff of the mine. As we heard during the Uniterra seminar, a business like this was created in Burkina Faso with the help of the Uniterra programme. The business is led by a group of young people and serves different mining regions in the country. A similar company exists in the Abitibi region of Quebec, providing machinery maintenance to the mining industry.

uniterra_seminar.jpg

Uniterra Seminar

The IVCO 2014 program during the Seminar included a workshop on the Social Solidarity Economy (SSE), in which CCEDNet, a Uniterra partner since 2005, played a speaking role. This was an occasion to share with approximately 25 workshop participants the efforts being made to ensure that the SSE is incoprorated into the Post-2015 SDGs. The workshop also highlighted the work of two organizations: Tikonel from Guatemala which works with 1,700 indigenous producers to improve their livelihoods; and Red OEPAIC, a network of people producing and marketing handicrafts in Bolivia.

The Uniterra Seminar on October 22nd included participants from all countries (13) that will be involved in the 2015-2020 Uniterra program (funding approval confirmation is expected in the next 2-3 months). Unfortunately, our friends from the Mali network (RENAPESS; they have attended CCEDNet conferences in the past) were unable to attend because of visa problems. The Seminar was a great occasion for all participants to learn about the future program since it will be much more focused on economic and enterprise development than the first two programs (2004-2009 and 2009-2014).

Volunteer involvement of CCEDNet members will be important during the 2015-2020 program since as CED practitioners, and often specialists, we will better “fit” within the new priorities. However, practical challenges still exist. As the word suggests, to be a “volunteer” implies a leave of absence from salaried (or consultant) jobs. Not many CCEDNet members have the capacity to undertake this, except for sometimes very short missions (a couple of weeks of vacation time or unpaid leave).

with_the_delegation_from_nepal.jpg

Nepalese delegation with Yvon Poirier (L to R)
Sagun Bista, CECI; Meena Pokhrel, Nepal
Agricultural Cooperative Central Federation;
Keshava Koirala, CECI

However, those that do volunteer will have their expenses covered. For some, longer missions (e.g. 1-2 years) can also be a great way to learn new skills, new languages, etc. We have the expertise, but how to actually find the capacity for volunteer work is an important question.

The IVCO conference and Uniterra meetings were a great opportunity to meet new people and to renew links with people from previous meetings. One such opportunity was the delegation from Nepal. While this was my first meeting with these three individuals, we share friends met in previous occasions. I look forward to renewing many of these connections in future international gatherings.

yvon-poirier.jpg

Yvon Poirier is Chair of CCEDNet’s International Committee and Secretary of the Board. He has a long history of involvement in the labour and social movements in Québec and Canada and has been very active in the Intercontinental Network for the Promotion of the Social Solidarity Economy (RIPESS). He represents the CDÉC de Québec in CCEDNet.

< BACK

Over the past few years, key national organizations supporting the social economy, including the Canadian CED Network, the Chantier de l’économie sociale and the Social Enterprise Council of Canada have come together to build a mutual framework with encourage government support for social innovation. Collectively, these organizations represent thousands of social enterprises, co-operatives and community organizations dedicated to creating and supporting businesses that blend social and economic goals, thereby responding to community needs with innovative solutions.

In anticipation of the federal election expected in 2015, we have updated our policy framework to focus recommendations for action to grow Canada’s social economy in four key areas:

• Support social economy business development
• Stimulate investment in the social economy
• Leverage procurement to expand the market
• Modernize legislation and regulations

The full list of recommendations can be found here (Policy Proposals for Canada’s Social Economy) and were recently sent to:

• Honourable Joe Oliver, Minister of Finance
• Honourable Jason Kenney, Minister of Employment and Social Development
• Nathan Cullen, Critic for Finance, New Democratic Party
• Jinny Sims, Critic for Employment and Social Development, New Democratic Party,
• Scott Brison, Critic for Finance, Liberal Party
• Rodger Cuzner, Critic for Employment and Social Development, Liberal Party
• Elizabeth May, Green Party of Canada

Groups consulted for the development of these policies include Co-operatives and Mutuals Canada, MaRS Centre for Impact Investing, the Ontario Nonprofit Network, Trico Charitable Foundation, and the Women’s Economic Council.

< BACK