Our Ideas

While the winter season is always full of events, gatherings and opportunities for learning and networking, few are as full as the week March 5, 2012 in Vancouver—which has led us to dub this Social Innovation Week.

ENP’s Social Enterprise Dragons & Day of Learning

Thursday, March 8 is the Social Enterprise Day of Learning, which brings together some 200 delegates, and a diverse range of practitioners, consultants and funders to celebrate successes in the burgeoning social enterprise sector, and to learn new skills and insights. Presented by Enterprising Non-Profits, in partnership with Junxion Strategy, JDQ Systems, and KPMG, the event is a dynamic, fast-paced learning opportunity for new social entrepreneurs and established leaders alike. Learn more at ENP’s website.

Following the Day of Learning is the fourth annual Social Enterprise Dragons event, which this year has expanded to the Goldcorp Centre for the Arts theatre at SFU. This is an entertaining and informative evening that celebrates the role of social enterprise in our communities. Come witness the finalists make their “pitches” to the Social Enterprise Dragons and watch the judges’ decisions to allocate the financial and consulting support! Learn more at the Social Enterprise Dragons website.

Values-Based Banking: Financing the Future of a Changing World

The Global Alliance for Banking on Values (GABV) is hosting a dialogue and debate with Canadian journalist and author Naomi Klein, UK-based New Economics Foundation Executive Director Stewart Wallis and Vancity CEO Tamara Vrooman on Thursday March 8. The session will be moderated by CBC TV journalist Ian Hanomansing as they explore how communities, business and banks can best respond to the need for change and what kind of future we can expect by putting the needs of people first. Peter Blom, CEO of Netherlands-based Triodos Bank and Chair of the GABV will open the event, which is presented by Vancity, and sponsored by KPMG. Learn more at the dialogue’s Eventbrite page.

Vancouver for Acumen Case Competition: Investing for Impact

Acumen Fund is a pioneering not-for-profit venture fund that is changing the way the world addresses poverty. Vancouver for Acumen, a volunteer-run chapter, supports this mission by actively championing Acumen Fund’s innovative model of investing patient capital in enterprises that solve the problems of poverty. On Saturday, March 10, they’re hosting a 24-hour Case Competition—a take home, ‘open’ case with final presentation to be made to a panel of judges made up of industry leaders in finance and social enterprise. Learn more at Vancouver for Acumen’s website.

Young Social Innovators – Speak Up!

The BC Advisory Council on Social Entrepreneurship wants to hear your opinion: How can the BC government create a community that enables and empowers young social entrepreneurs and innovators by the year 2020?

Targeted at young professionals, entrepreneurs and innovators; university students; students graduating highschool; youth serving organizations and all individuals interested in social innovation amongst young people. The event will be co-hosted by Young Women in Business and Global Agents for Change. Learn more at the dialogue’s Eventbrite page.

Launch of the Community Contribution Company

And today the Government of British Columbia announced changes to the Business Corporations Act that would allow for a new hybrid type of company—the community contribution company—that combines socially beneficial purposes with a restricted ability to distribute profits to shareholders. Learn more by reading the press release.