Taking the leap: Starting and strategizing for your social purpose organization
Description
Have you contemplated starting a social purpose organization (e.g. social enterprise, cooperative, etc.)? Would you like some insights on how to create a strong mission-driven organization that centers communities? Have you wondered what kind of leadership is needed or most effective for social purpose organizations? If so, this event was created just for you.
Our incredible speakers Sureya Ibrahim, Amanda Armstrong and Howard Tam will share their journeys’ of creating and actively supporting organizations committed to making a positive difference both on an individual and communal level. We will also have a chance to hear how they navigate the tensions between the social and the financial to achieve their mission. In other words, how they strive to ensure that their social values remain front and centre. And lastly, we will touch on how they ‘lead from where they stand’. Or simply put, how they galvanize individuals and groups to work toward the collective good within their own unique contexts.
We look forward to you joining us for what we trust will be an evening of storytelling, learning and inspiration.
Speaker Bios
Ms. Sureya Ibrahim is the supervisor of Community Connections at the Centre for Community Learning & Development. She was born in the city of Harar, Ethiopia. She came to Canada when she was about 17 and moved to Regent Park shortly afterwards. She has lived in Regent Park ever since, volunteering, studying, and working in the community.
In 2014, Sureya received the Distinguished Service Award from the Canadian Council of Muslim Women at their annual Women Who Inspire event. In 2015, she was the torch bearer for the Pan Am Games and also received the Jane Jacobs Prize in the same year. In 2018, Sureya was one of the recipients of the Attorney General’s Victim Services Awards of Distinction. In 2019, she received the
Bhayana Family Foundation Awards from United Way and the Community Champions Award from CBC.
Sureya has been involved in many community development projects, including the Regent Park Catering Collective, which has catered for more than 300 events and created income-generating opportunities over 65 Regent Park residents. She is the Co-founder of Mother of peace and has been featured in various media outlets such as the CBC Radio, and The New York Times. Sureya loves her work and continues to be inspired and motivated by the residents of Regent Park.
Amanda Armstrong is a social entrepreneur, career coach, and speaker dedicated to helping young people find their dream jobs and build purpose driven careers. She has over 10 years of experience working in non-profit, international development, youth livelihoods and leadership, women’s empowerment, education, tech start-ups, and social entrepreneurship. Her work spans North America, the Caribbean, and Sub-Saharan Africa, including Canada, the US, Guyana, Trinidad, Jamaica, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, and Ghana.
Amanda launched her social enterprise Athari to inspire and support students, recent graduates, and young people to achieve their greatest potential and turn their passion in to successful careers. Athari provides one-on-one coaching, group workshops, networking opportunities, and a community of people committed to making a positive impact in the world.
Amanda is a big believer of using business and entrepreneurship as a force for good. With over three years of experience as a top sales rep at an EdTech start-up, she is passionate about helping small businesses, women-led businesses, and social enterprises scale and grow to create sustainability and greater impact.
Amanda is an avid soccer player and snowboarder and has summited both Mt. Kenya and Mt. Kilimanjaro.
Howard Tam, MSc.,BASc. is a Designer and Urban Planner. As Founder and Principal at ThinkFresh Group, a city building consultancy, Howard has worked with government and private sector clients in Canada to facilitate and design strategies that create urban spaces with amazing human experiences. Major projects have included the Honest Ed’s Micro-Retail Incubator and the Dragon Centre Stories Commemoration Project, both in Toronto.
Raised in Toronto and having lived in Hong Kong, Howard believes that human experience design (HXD) and strategic foresight are fundamental to tackling the urban challenges of the 21st century. Howard has taught Design Thinking and Design Strategy at Chinese University of Hong Kong and Rotman School of Management at University of Toronto.
Prior to founding the ThinkFresh Group, Howard worked as a Policy Advisor and Business Analyst with the Government of Ontario, Canada. He holds a Master’s degree in urban planning from the University of Hong Kong and a Bachelor’s degree in computer engineering from the University of Toronto.