Québec City, November 9, 2023―The Regional Development Network’s social economy initiative, SEEnet, will host an English-language “Social Economy 101” event on Monday, November 20, at the Douglas Community Centre in Gaspé from 5 to 7 p.m. The event is being held in collaboration with Vision Gaspé–Percé Now (VGPN), the Pôle d’économie sociale Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine, and the Cooperative de développement régionale du Québec (CDRQ).
Intended for those interested in learning more about the social economy, the event will introduce the basics and provide information about the social economy in the region. Representatives from the Pôle and the CDRQ will share how social enterprises can be effective solutions for community issues and how attendees can start their own.
Social entrepreneurs including Dave Felker from Projet Rural, Ève Bédard from the Centre communautaire de Douglas, and a director from the Association des capitaines-propriétaires de la Gaspésie (ACPG) will be on hand to discuss their enterprises and their experience becoming a part of the social economy. A question-and-answer period will follow.
“We’re really looking forward to showcasing the social economy in the Gaspésie in English with this event,” said RDN Executive Director Cathy Brown. “SEEnet’s role is to get the province’s English speakers more involved with the social economy, and events like these are a great way to connect with our communities.”
This year marks the first that SEEnet will be hosting English-language Social Economy Month events, doing so in partnership with other regional social enterprise organizations and the member organizations of the Regional Development Network (RDN). This year’s events will be held in Châteauguay, Québec City, Gaspé, and Baie-Comeau. The event is free of charge with refreshments provided. Registration is required. More information is available via the SEEnet website.
ABOUT THE SOCIAL ECONOMY
The social economy is made up of enterprises, typically either cooperatives or revenue-generating nonprofits, which include a democratic decision-making process and whose objectives go beyond generating profit for owners and shareholders. The province of Québec is a world leader in the social economy; however, its English speakers have historically been less involved than their French-speaking counterparts. SEEnet’s role is to increase English speakers’ participation in the social economy and explore the ways in which social enterprises can help solve community-specific issues.
ABOUT RDN AND SEEnet
The Regional Development Network (RDN) is a provincial nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing socio-economic development for English-speaking communities across the province of Québec. Supported by a network of 18 community-based organizations serving English speakers in Québec, RDN collaborates with federal, provincial, and municipal governments as a way to represent its network’s needs and challenges and to create projects and partnerships. regdevnet.ca
Launched in 2021, SEEnet is the social economy initiative of RDN. SEEnet educates and informs English-speaking Quebecers about the social economy, supports the development of social enterprises by English speakers, and builds links with other social economy organizations in the province. SEEnet is funded by the Secrétariat aux relations avec les Québécois d’expression anglaise. see-net.ca
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FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Hoffman Wolff
Social Economy Officer
Regional Development Network
[email protected] · 418-684-8810
