This pilot project is intended to directly support women and to increase their economic security and thus to participate more fully in the economic, social and democratic life of Canada.

This 36 month national initiative will respond to the challenges of assisting unemployed women, who are currently living in poverty, isolated and representative of marginalized segments of the population to enter and remain in the labour market through self-employment initiatives. The project will focus on empowering women to start and grow a viable enterprise in their communities through a Women’s Community Economic Development (CED) project. This project will build on local and regional resources, capacities and talent to support its goals and objectives (women business leaders). The project will work and partner with key women-led organizations to co-sponsor cluster sites in four regions of Canada. At the same time, this national project will serve as a conduit for the sharing of ideas, approaches, best practices, successes and learning across among provinces and across the country. In addition to assisting women in reaching their economic security goals, WEC intends to use this project to heighten stakeholders’ awareness and support of women’s CED as a realistic and viable economic option for women in Canada.

Each Cluster Model site will use unique approaches and applications that work best for the women of the region and/or community.  Each Cluster will be designed to respond to local and regional conditions and requirements.  The geographic economic conditions vary significantly across Canada. What may be the norm on reserve will certainly not be the situation in other rural and remote communities.

In order for the cluster models to work they need to be flexible enough to create opportunities that best suit the areas where they will be established.  This means that each cluster table will change and respond to the needs of the women’s organization or individual as required.  For example if the cluster table is asked to help guide the establishment of a new social enterprise experts in this field will be bought together next we may have a budding entrepreneur who requires financial support and/or advice for their new business.  The cluster table will bring together business leaders and experts to help the individual towards economic business success.

Planned Results of This Project

The Goal:

• To increase the economic security of women through the establishment of women-led Community Economic Development initiatives in Canada.

The Objective:

• To strengthen the ability of women to start and grow their own businesses through the development of community based support systems.
• To increase leadership capacity and other types of support intentional in enabling and supporting women-led community economic development initiatives in Canada
• To establish women-led businesses and community economic development initiatives in Canada

Short-Term Results:

1. Increased awareness of the benefits of community economic development (CED) among stakeholders and partners.
2. Enhanced capacity for Cluster Model site organizations to deliver economic development programming for marginalized women.
3. Women have increased access to resources and networks to support them in achieving their economic self-sufficiency goals.

Medium to Long-Term Results:

1. Partnerships to support community economic development opportunities for women.
2. Cluster Model sites are operational in different regions of Canada.
3. A mutually supportive network of Cluster Model sites has been established.
4. Women have increased their opportunities for economic self-sufficiency. Examples of economic self-sufficiency include: Increased employment income for participants; Women are starting and growing their enterprises (on their own or collectively); Women are better able to access financing; Women and their organizations and CED operations are networking and learning from one another.
5. Increased access to tools, training and resources for organizations on how to support community economic development initiatives for marginalized women.

The Role of Partners

There are two different partnership roles to help implement the cluster sites.  First, at each cluster site, WEC will partner with a women’s organization that has experience and capacity to help implement and operate a cluster site table from their organization.  These organizations should have the following capacities when considering partnering with WEC:

• Connection with community members who are either Immigrant and/or Aboriginal women
• Credibility with community members as a women’s organization
• Strong connections with the communities at large that will support the recruitment of business leaders to the cluster site sessions
• Organizational capacity to lead, direct and support the cluster with limited funding and through voluntarism (limited amount of resources will be available and WEC will help to leverage additional if required)
• Ability to visualize and support the performance measures and outcomes of cluster site tables as agreed to between WEC and government sponsored agency
• Connections and ability to communicate to Aboriginal and Immigrant women the cluster site opportunity
• Ability to recruit the targeted women and their organizations to the cluster tables for support
• Work in partnership WEC in their values in supporting women’s economic security
• WEC will provide some cluster site management support and limited onsite training designed to support the specific region and groups accessing the cluster tables.

The second kind of partner is the business leader/organization and/or institute that comes to the cluster tables to advice, support and help implement CED/entrepreneurial plans.  Cluster table sites are not meant to be stagnant but rather interchangeable and responsive to the kind of experts required for the right kind of advice.  One group may require financial expertise another ideas on operating a franchise or how to get a clothing store social enterprise up in running.  As individuals and their organizations come to the table business leaders and their organizations will be invited to sit and advise as needed.  Therefore the table will always shift and respond.  This will require recruitment of several different business leaders and their organizations to be on hand and ready to support the demand from the cluster site.

If you have any questions regarding this project please contact:

Jessica Hill- Project Manager

jessicahill99@gmail.com

Patricia Baxter- WEC Executive Director

patbax@videotron.ca

Cathy Dennis- WEC Executive Assistant

csdennis@womenseconomiccouncil.ca

The project, entitled Leadership and Women’s Economic Security: A Sustainability Approach, will focus the efforts of eight women-centred, community-based, economic development enterprises in Quebec, Nunavut, Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia, to help 570 low-income women find and maintain employment, and enhance their leadership and financial skills.

“Providing low-income women with the tools they need to overcome barriers in the current global economic climate will strengthen them in their fight against poverty,” said Minister of State Guergis. “I commend the Women’s Economic Council, as they work to empower women to make valuable contributions to the economic life of this country.”

“By nurturing the leadership and economic literacy of women, we will ensure that they are full participants in the Canadian economy,” said Ms. Rosalind Lockyer, President, Women’s Economic Council. “Through the Leadership and Women’s Economic Security: A Sustainability Approach project, we are increasing the financial competency and leadership skills of low-income women by using women-centred community economic development approaches to strengthen individual women and women-centred community development organizations and enterprises.”

To carry out the project, the Council has received $444,845 over a 24-month period to address women’s economic security and leadership. The Council is working in collaboration with eight women-centred community economic development enterprises in Quebec, Nunavut, Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia to help 570 low-income women find and maintain employment.

The Women’s Economic Council is a national association of women community economic development practitioners. Its mandate is to advance women-centred community economic development as a means of reducing poverty and improving the lives of women, their families and their communities.

Funding for the Leadership and Women’s Economic Security: A Sustainability Approach project comes from the Women’s Community Fund of the Women’s Program of Status of Women Canada. This Fund is for eligible organizations to carry out projects at the local, regional, provincial/territorial and national levels.

Status of Women Canada is a federal government agency working to promote equality for women, and their full participation in the economic, social and democratic life of Canada.

Click here to read the official News Release here.