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CSI Network News: There’s no checklist for systems change

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Every Sunday, we curate solutions, stories, community events, jobs, and funding opportunities in our weekly newsletter. Here’s this week’s CSI Network News.

P.S. You might notice that it looks a little more clunky than what you’d normally see in your inbox. If you’d like to see CSI Network News in all its glory (and emailed directly to you at the beginning of every week), please subscribe!









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Annnd we’re back! Much has happened during our short breather: we’ve wrapped up some programs, launched new ones, and our alumni have scored some big ($$$) wins — so we’ve got a lot to cover this issue. Thanks, as always, for having us in your inbox. 

P.S. We’re still looking for a Chief Operating Officer and a Chief Program Officer. If you know someone who would be a great addition to our C-suite, please send them our way! Now, without further ado…
 

Next Economy
Solutions


WOSEN’s Design Principles: Moving Beyond Checkboxes to Create Systems Change

CSI has been a proud member of the Women of Ontario Social Enterprise Network (WOSEN) since its inception. In this blog, the WOSEN team — including our very own Jo Reynolds, Social Innovation Specialist, and Mitalie Makhani, Senior Program Manager — reflect on the unique approach they took to designing business supports: how they arrived at their seven design principles, and how their understanding of each principle evolved over time. 

Camellia Wong, Director of Communications at Future Majority, speaks to CTV news

Canadian Youth will be Paying Close Attention to these Election Issues

CSI Member Future Majority spoke to CTV news about top priorities for Canadian youth, and their plans to help get out the youth vote for this upcoming Federal election.


A Growing Movement Demands Free, Expanded Public Transit in Canada

In this piece, journalist Samphe Brulé highlights the work of groups advocating for more affordable and accessible public transit in three Canadian cities, including Toronto’s TTCriders (who are based out of CSI Annex).

Stories from
the Network

From left to right: Janice Bartley, Founder of Foodpreneur Lab; Kevin Jakiela and Conner Tidd, Co-Founders of Just Vertical; Angelique Ahlstrom, Co-Founder of Flash Forest; Alisha and Sean McFetridge, Co-Founders of Rainstick Shower

4 CSI Alumni Secure Over 8M in Funding 

We’re thrilled to see our WOSEN and Earth Tech alumni rewarded for their ideas! These ventures have collectively raised over $8M, which includes investment from a seed round and grants from the Black Entrepreneurship Program and the SDTC Seed Fund.

Circular samples of Calmura's monolithic biocomposite walls

A Canadian Company is Building Walls that Can Hold Carbon

Earth Tech-accelerated venture Calmura Natural Walls was profiled by The Organic Magazine. Their monolithic biocomposite wall system can be used to help reduce carbon emissions and create a healthier environment.

National Canadian Film Day

Highlights from National Canadian Film Day

This year, more than 2.5 million Canadians watched a film from home — including some of the 11 new short films commissioned by event organizer and CSI Member REEL CANADA. Read the highlights and watch Q&As with the directors, producers, and actors involved in their 2021 report!

MORE STORIES

CSI Educates

Start Program

Refine your social purpose idea, build a business model, and develop an action plan to help you move forward in 9 weeks.

Join a supportive group of early-stage entrepreneurs! Start is for trans and cis women, Two-Spirit, non-binary, and genderqueer entrepreneurs in the GTHA and Central Ontario. Apply before August 29!

CSI Accelerates

Grow Program

Gain confidence in your business as you step into the next stage of your entrepreneurship journey! Our Grow accelerator is for trans and cis women, Two-Spirit, non-binary, and genderqueer entrepreneurs in the GTHA and Central Ontario. You’ll join a supportive community of facilitators, experts, coaches, and peers as you refine your business model and build leadership skills. Apply by September 12!
 
MORE PROGRAMS

Community
Events

Want to get your events on our events calendar? Find out what membership could look like for you!

Wait, What's Happening? An alternative to (stuffy) political panels.

Wait, What’s Happening?
Thursdays, 6:00 PM ET
Join the On Canada Project and CSI Member Apathy is Boring for weekly Instagram Lives leading up to the election. Their panel will keep you up-to-date so you can make the most informed decision on September 20.

League for Green Leaders

League for Green Leaders Workshop
Thursdays, August 26 to September 16
If you teach kids aged 8 to 14, check out Earth Tech Alumni Springbay Studio’s League for Green Leaders. It’s an online climate-action competition for children. Springbay Studio is hosting info sessions every Thursday for the next month. Participants will enter a draw for free class access to the competition.  

Ontario Environment Industry Association's Emerging Leaders' Community Day

Emerging Leaders’ Community Day
Thursday, September 16, 2021, 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM ET
CSI Member ONEIA is hosting a gathering for up-and-coming professionals in the environment and cleantech sector (with less than 10 years of work experience) who are looking to grow their networks. 

SVI Hollyhock

Social Venture Institute @ Hollyhock
September 22-26
Reconnect with the land, yourself, and a community of mission-driven leaders committed to generating positive impact through social venture for 5 days of problem-solving, wisdom sharing, deep thinking, and connecting. Apply by August 25. Scholarships available.
 
MORE EVENTS

Community

Job Board

Want to post your opportunities to our job board? Find out what membership could look like for you!

Full-Stack Javascript Developer | CSI (that’s us!)
Deadline: August 31
We’re looking for someone to help automate, synchronize, and build functional, accessible and elegant user interfaces; and maintain, troubleshoot, and fix any bugs that come up.

Senior Program Manager, Adopting Common Measures | CSI (that’s us!)
Deadline: August 31
Do you have a passion for impact measurement and the SDGs? We’re looking for a program manager to steward our new program to success!

Get Out The Vote Canvasser | Future Majority
Deadline: Rolling
This CSI Member is seeking enthusiastic full-time Canvassers who canvass door to door, on streets and campuses, mobilizing hundreds of young people to take action in the federal election. 

Project Manager, Account Coordinator, and more | Briteweb
Deadline: Rolling
One of our newest members is looking to fill six positions on their team! Briteweb is a social impact agency, delivering strategy, branding, and digital for nonprofits, foundations, and companies serious about social impact. 

Social Venture Coach | Sheridan EDGE
Deadline: Rolling
This CSI Member is seeking a social innovation professional with deep social impact and enterprise experience to work with EDGE founders as they develop their ventures.

MORE JOBS

Go For It

In another CSI Member collaboration, Green Thumbs Growing Kids and Project Canoe have come together to launch Local Explorers, a program that aims to support Black and Indigenous young girls to foster and cultivate their connection to nature in a meaningful way. Sessions start in September!

Rise supports entrepreneurs that self-identify as having mental health and addictions challenges with business education that supports their businesses thrive. Applications are currently open for three of their programs.

CSI Member Impact Zero Foundation has a few spots left in their Impact Project Accelerator for circular businesses.

The City of Toronto has put out a Request for Information for an operator for the Indigenous Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (ICIE). They are seeking Indigenous-led organizations that reflect the unique values, principles and needs of Tkaronto’s diverse Indigenous business and entrepreneurship community. Deadline: August 30, 12:00 PM ET

As Seen At CSI

Collage of photos from CSI Annex. From left: hot desk space in The Garage, fourth floor member directory, placards of the Sustainable Development Goals.

We’ve recently welcomed many new members to our spaces, like The Greater, who put together this wonderful Instagram post about why they chose CSI Annex as their new home.

If you’re a business owner looking for your own corner of downtown Toronto, check out our workspace options and book an info session today!

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whai header
CSI is many things - a coworking space, a non-profit organization, and a launchpad - but, first and foremost, we are a community. A community of innovators, of changemakers, of neighbours, of people putting people and planet first. And the awesome work that our members do, each and every day, never ceases to amaze us! So of course, we do our best to highlight our members whenever possible. Recently, we had the pleasure of sitting down with Molly Bannerman, Director of Women HIV/Aids Initiative (WHAI), a community-based response to HIV and AIDS among cis and trans women in Ontario. Below is an edited summary of our chat, where we discussed the work of WHAI and their latest Collective Action Community Change report.
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