Partners In Health (PIH) is a ground-breaking global health and social justice organization that brings high quality health care to some of the poorest areas of the world. They do this not as an act of charity, but as a fulfillment of fundamental human rights.
For the second year in a row, Dexterity Consulting will be partnering with REAP Calgary to bring a social captial discussion as part of the Down to Earth Week in Calgary, Alberta April 11-15. The Capital for a Cause summit is being brought to you in part by Dolan Wealth Management - Raymond James and Toniic. We started exploring this topic when the price of a barrel of oil was still fairly strong. Since those initial planning days, the Canadian dollar has tanked, oil is still trading at $40/barrel and tens of thousands of people have been laid off. So why are we talking about social capitla management now? It might seem counter-intuitive. It is for this very reason that we are undertaking this discussion at this time.
In Canada it is the Family Day long weekend. Over the past two generations the make-up and definition of family has shifted from a nuclear - Mom, Dad and 2 kids to any combination therein including same-sex couples (thankfully our legislation is catching up with these shifts in family dynamics).
This post comes courtesy of Sybil Verch of Raymond James. Please make sure to view this interview with Sybil entitled The Wealthy Life.
Before you say “I do,” it’s a good idea to sit down and discuss your finances. Even if you’re already married or in a committed relationship, scheduling a regular “financial date” to proactively talk about moneywill help avoid any unpleasant surprises in the future. Here are some ideas of what to talk about:
A community focused and community funded restaurant in the inner-city neighbourhood of Inglewood, in Calgary, Alberta is the latest social business to launch in Calgary's growing social enterprise sector. It's mission is to be a beautiful space where people come together to create, enjoy, share and become inspired.
What is a community built restaurant? It is one where each of us in the neighbourhood take a financial stake in the success of the business. During the day, it is a coffee and co-work space in the evening it is a pub featuring craft nachos, unique salads and craft beer. In the summer the patio opens up for curbside dining, people watching and overall neighbourliness. In essence, we are building the buisnesses that we want to have in our community and we are taking ownership of their successes.
For more information on Main Street investing check out Michael Shuman's book Local Dollars, Local Sense or catch this video.
This weekend I caught up on my reading. You know what that is like - the back issues of magazines that you have been wanting to get to, the pile of books that you bought (some because they make you feel smart, other’s because they make you smart, and still others that are brain candy) that are lying on your nightstand or on the table beside your favourite reading area.
About a year ago it was brought to my attention that due to low literacy rates in North America, the generation that is currently in elementary school will not be literate enough to carry our economy forward. Low literacy, is whatHorst Rittelwould call a,Wicked Problem. As I have explored this issue as part of theGive to GrowFund I have come to realize that literacy isn't just about the ability to read. Literacy directly correlates to:
access to local language (English as a Second Language training)
health and nutrition (kids can't learn on empty bellies)
access to banking services (parents can't learn financial literacy without the tools)
seeing employees as part of the revenue side of the equation by investing in their professional development (employees can't advance in their field if employers aren't investing in them leading to economic growth)
acculturation and integration (language nuance and social norms)
supplies in schools and quality education
access to literature outside of the school and work environment (book deserts)
Guest Blogger: Danica Strocen was born and raised in Calgary Alberta. She is a recent graduate of Mount Royal University with a Bachelors of Arts degree in Sociology.
Last year, we saw incredible and heart breaking pictures of refugees encountering, succumbing, but often overcoming to incredible obstacles in their search for a safe and secure haven. In Canada, similar to other parts of the world, we also witnessed a sharp rise in anti-refugee rhetoric. These anti-refugee messages were filled with distrust and fear. Refugees were (and continue to be) being presented as dangerous and detrimental to our way of life. Amongst this bitter environment, our Mayor, Naheed Nenshi courageously stepped forward and urged Calgarians and rest of Canadians to welcome the incoming refugees with “open arms.”
