Realize Opportunity Building BC’s Social Economy: A Better Future Together
Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue October 7-8, 2013
Realize Opportunity will explore the role of BC’s social economy sector as a contributor to jobs and economic development, and will also explore opportunities for partnerships with the Province and the private sector. Bringing together innovative ideas and people, we will celebrate the strengths of the sector, and look to build bridges, while seeking to raise the profile of the sector with the media. Participants will explore the following topics:
- How do we leverage the productive power of non-profits, cooperatives and social enterprises alongside government and the private sector to build the future of our province?
- What is needed within the sector to strengthen and grow to benefit all British Columbians?
- How can the social economy bring social issues to the forefront of our economies?
Keynote speaker: Vaughn Palmer: The political and economic outlook for BC
Vaughn Palmer’s hard-hitting columns have seen him cover the feats and follies of British Columbia’s premiers for more than 25 years.
Other speakers and panels will address the following topics:
Financing our Future: The Role of Social Financing
Restructuring for Impact: Towards a Stronger Social Economy
Communicating for Impact: Marketing, Polling, Media and Government Relations
Creativity, Risk and Innovation: Trail Blazing Case Studies
For additional information, please contact Ritafarkas@ucscoop.com
More on the role of the social economy
British Columbia is facing an unprecedented opportunity to build more sustainable communities and economies across the province. More and more, we are beginning to realize the power and opportunity of the social economy- a third sector working alongside the private sector and governments through cooperatives, non-profits, credit unions, charities and social impact businesses. In BC, the social economy sector creates more jobs than forestry, mining and agriculture combined- generating more than $11 billion in annual GDP.
About United Community Services Cooperative
UCSC is an enterprise services co-operative offering premier business consulting, knowledge leadership and executive search services to clients across British Columbia. The organization also exists to develop the social economy sector in BC through knowledge leadership, capacity development, institution building and stronger relationships with government and the private sector.
Founded in 1997, UCSC has grown to over 140 members, representing over $400,000,000 in annual revenues in a wide range of sectors including: community social services, environmental conservation, the arts, the local food movement and library services. Our members share a vision of a stronger, more impactful social economy sector that benefits people and communities across BC. They came together to form a co-operative dedicated to finding collective solutions to these complex challenges in a rapidly changing provincial and global economy.