SEWF 2013 Local Tours Showcase Calgary’s Social Enterprises

 

While SEWF is an extraordinary international gathering of social enterprise leaders, what makes it truly special is its additional commitment to showcase the social enterprise movement of a different host country each year. As part of that tradition, each year local tours give attendees a chance to see first-hand the host-city’s local social enterprise movement.

Dan Overall

“When the Trico Charitable Foundation bid on hosting SEWF 2013 we were excited about the prospect of bringing so many dynamic social impact leaders to Calgary”, explained Dan Overall, Executive Director of SEWF 2013 and Director of Collaboration and Innovation for the Foundation. “But the greatest perk was the chance to introduce the world to Calgary’s social enterprises.”

The tours will occur on October 2 and are broken down into five sets of three organizations.

True to SEWF 2013’s expansion into the for-profit side of social enterprise and its inclusion of social innovation as a program stream, the tours include two social purposes businesses and a first-of-its kind North American innovation centre.

Picking the 15 organizations was a difficult task and the Trico Foundation owes a huge debt of gratitude to Thrive and Courtney Hare for helping select the 15.

Courtney Hare

“Thrive is thrilled to showcase social enterprise in Calgary as well as facilitate connections and learning amongst the brightest and most passionate social entrepreneurs in the world”, said Courtney Hare. “There are so many incredible social enterprises in Calgary that it was hard to narrow the list for tours. The result is a diverse list of social enterprises that offer both breadth and depth to tour participants. Participants on the local tours get an intimate look at the successes, challenges, and day to day operations of some of our most impactful local social enterprises. Registrants do not want to miss out on these behind the scenes tours.”

The Tours are only open to SEWF 2013 attendees. Interested attendees have to register for the tours in addition to their basic registration for SEWF 2013. The cost of the tours is $100.

The organizations featured in the tours are (listed alphabetically):

• Calgary Counselling Centre
• Cerebral Palsy Collection Crew
• Community Wise Resource Centre
• Cookies on the Go
• cSPACE Projects
• DIRTT
• EthniCity Catering
• Fireworks Cooperative (Venu 1008 & Desktop Catering)
• GE Innovation Centre
• Habitat for Humanity Southern Alberta ReStore
• Momentum Community Economic Development Society
• REAP Business Association
• Studio C
• Vecova Social Enterprise
• Women In Need Society

Brief descriptions of the organizations and tour details are available here.

Click here to register for SEWF 2013.

About Thrive

Thrive is Calgary’s Community Economic Development (CED) Network. Our vision is to create a thriving local economy for all. We advance CED understanding and action by hosting learning events, through online engagement, and by collaborating on policy papers. Thrive members are from all sectors – government, business, and non-profit. Our works takes place on four pathways: Neighbourhood Revitalization, Local Business Development, Innovative Social Finance, and Meaningful Work. Social enterprise plays an important role on all pathways leading to a resilient and inclusive local economy. Find out more at http://thrivecalgary.org/

About SEWF:

The Social Enterprise World Forum is a global gathering to hear inspiring speakers, connect, share ideas, and advance a movement dedicated to a powerful idea – that working together we can use markets and innovations to solve the world’s most complex and confounding social, economic, and environmental challenges.

Each year SEWF gives a different host country an incredible opportunity to celebrate and nurture its own social enterprise movement. 2013 is Canada’s chance to shine. Event host, TRICO Charitable Foundation, is partnering with the Social Enterprise Council of Canada, the MaRS Centre for Impact Investing, Social Innovation Generation, and the Canadian Community Economic Development Network to make this a watershed moment for social enterprise, for Canada and for the world.

SEWF 2013 by the numbers:

• Attendees: 1,200 from 30 countries
• 6 Program Tracks: Social Finance/Impact Investing, Indigenous Social Enterprise, Social Enterprise Skills Building, Research and Public Policy, Cross-Boundary Collaboration, Social Innovation
• Breakout Sessions: 36, featuring 120 speakers from 20 countries
• Main Stage Speakers: 17
• 1st time in Canada
• October 2-4, 2013, Calgary, Canada

Click here to register.