The 2011 DiverseCity Fellows are currently working in six multi-sectoral teams to design and implement an action-project.
Street Sport
StreetSport aspires to connect residents of our diverse communities through active living and physical activity. Our vision is two-fold: 1) Facilitate the opening of streets and public spaces for active recreation across the GTA. 2) Motivate, empower and inspire residents to creatively use streets and public spaces.
By facilitating events which allow communities to learn, try and participate in activities such as: street hockey, soccer, yoga, wheelchair basketball or bhangra dancing, we hope to bring people from diverse backgrounds together through the timeless mediums of “sport” & “play.”
Through the creation of a unique StreetSport Playbook (which will equip residents with useful information and adaptive techniques for recreational activities of all kinds to be played safely on streets and in public spaces), we hope to empower and inspire residents to run their own events, or simply get active.
We’re inspired by city-building events such as Nuit-Blanche for the arts and Europe’s Cyclovia, with aspirations to hold a large, GTA-wide StreetSport gala that can positively impact our communities.
Check us out on facebook and twitter
In the news:
- “Game on! A new sports festival attempts to erase the divide between jocks and nerds” by Scott Dagostino, YongeStreet Media. October 5, 2011.
- “Taking it to the Streets” by Pam Douglas, Brampton Guardian. September 25, 2011
The Aboriginal Professional Association of Canada (APAC)
The Aboriginal Professional Association of Canada provides Aboriginal professionals working across a variety of sectors a supportive community, providing access to the skills, networks and opportunities to grow as leaders in the Toronto region. As an Association, our vision is to foster and showcase world class leadership within the First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities from coast-to-coast-to-coast. Our mission is to continually advance Aboriginal leadership across Canada in the private, public and social sectors through professional development, networking opportunities and showcasing excellence.
*Professionals can work in a multitude of industries at various levels, including but not limited to: private sector, public sector, not-for-profits, health care, academia, self-employment and the arts.
Check us out on facebook
In the news:
- Adjusting to TO- Interview with 2011 Fellow Gabrielle Scrimshaw on Metro Morning. October 31, 2011
Social Innovation Partnership
Canadians have long relied on government and charities to meet social needs while leaving markets, private capital and the business sector to seek and deliver financial returns. However, this old system is slowly transforming. A growing number of profit and non-profit enterprises are launching innovative programs that meet community and environmental needs while stimulating personal and economic growth.
To support this emerging sector, we are working in partnership with SiG@MaRS to create a talent program for individuals from the private sector looking to engage in secondments with social finance organizations and social ventures. The initiative will create a community of “cross-pollinators” that will work to close the gap between sectors and increase awareness of social finance.
The benefits are multi-fold; the individual gains a vast amount of experience in the social innovation space, the social venture gains a highly motivated and talented individual to increase its impact, and the company is able to bring this new skill set in-house.
myPath
What did you want to be when you grew up? A teacher? A doctor? An astronaut?
The employment world is full of possibilities – most young people just don’t know what options are out there. myPath aims to change that, by exposing young people to the range of job options that exist in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors, as well as across non-traditional fields like the arts. We connect with teens in a way that’s intriguing and meaningful to them, and give them guidance in finding their true calling.
The result? A better match between the skills, talents and passions of Toronto’s young people and the career opportunities that exist on our market. In the long-run, that means lower youth unemployment rates and greater job satisfaction all around.
The myPath project will test a number of different approaches over the next three years to hone in on what will really make a difference in connecting young people with the careers they want and deserve. Our method will rigorously test creative and innovative solutions, implementing improvements all along the way.
Check out our first event this November – where career fair meets speed dating, and where Toronto’s teens will meet the people behind the jobs and learn more about the different paths to success.
Civico: A One-Stop Shop for Political Engagement in the Toronto Region
Civico’s goal is to build an online hub that serves as a non-partisan springboard to get people in the Toronto Region more politically engaged at all levels of government and in their communities. The Civico team takes its inspiration from the idea that many people are not politically engaged and will remain that way until someone makes it easier for them.
Civico aims to provide a starting point and direction for anybody that seeks to participate in politics, ranging from those who may not know a lot about politics to those who are already involved and want to find their next opportunity. Partnering with various civic engagement organizations and people around the Toronto Region, the Civico hub will provide a variety of platforms for political engagement, including: a directory of political engagement organizations in the region, a resource page with information on topics relevant to political engagement, and a blog page hosting original contributions on political issues and profiling a variety of on-the-ground organizations. During election times, Civico will also create special features and tools aimed at providing prospective voters practical and easily-accessible information and insights into candidates, parties and election processes.
Black Entrepreneurship Network
This program strives to train, develop and connect young aspiring entrepreneurs from the black community, taking a cross-sectoral approach to entrepreneurship and leadership. The creation of more black businesses will begin to address economic challenges faced by the black community and create economic prosperity. Through this one year development program, ten young people ages 21-35 will be supported to develop their business ideas, provided with professional and personal training and be matched with a one on one mentor. As part of the strategic business goals, each business is expected to have a social responsibility component to ensure that it supports community development. Each participant will have the opportunity to participate in a business competition and the aim is to provide five grants of $10,000 to five participants to launch their business. The other five participants will receive ongoing business coaching and support for one year.
