It’s obviously an unusual time to be a coworking space. What happens to shared spaces when we’re not allowed to share space with one another? As a not-for-profit, CSI has always been about more than bricks and beams. We’re about people. And we’re not going to let a global pandemic keep us from supporting people as best we can.
This is a fact our CEO outlined in a recent interview:
“We’re trying to maintain communication, collaboration, and the sharing of ideas,” she said. “We’re really looking at how to keep these networks robust.”
Despite those efforts, the reality is small businesses and organizations are struggling to remain afloat.
“This is a really difficult time. We’re seeing about 60 per cent of our members in some form of financial trouble,” Surman shared, adding the absence of the in-person interaction among CSI members and staff is also taking a toll.
“The question is how long will they be able to keep going (like this)? People need people. Social distancing is so hard.”
Want to get a quick idea of how we are continuing to support our members right now? Check out CSI Supports! Here are some highlights:
Calendar: CSI’s Programming Calendar is your place to check out all the online webinars, workshops, peer circles, and talks we have available.
Programs: Our accelerators and educational courses such as Social Entrepreneurship 101, Agents of Change and Earth Tech are all now taking place online.
Community: We’re still fostering the CSI community – moving the party from the kitchen to the cloud! Salad Club is still happening, check out our calendar!
Concierge: CSI will help our members navigate government programs. If you need help, email us support@socialinnovation.ca. Looking for help with CERB? Check out this blog post!
Newsletters: Get daily updates, resources, and stories of hope from the social innovation community in your inbox. Sign up here!
