NORDIK to offer free coaching program for women-led initiatives

The program is part of the Women of Ontario Social Enterprise Network project that supports women and gender non-binary people, typically underrepresented in business

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NEWS RELEASE
NORDIK INSTITUTE
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A free coaching program for women-led initiatives that address a social, cultural, or environmental concern is launching through NORDIK Institute’s Social Enterprise and Entrepreneurship initiative. The program provides tailored one-on-one coaching for individuals or organizations at various stages in their entrepreneurial journey, from startup to pivoting in response to COVID-19, to scaling. Program participants will be coached by experienced women social entrepreneurs from Northern Ontario.

“Research indicates that women are a key component of community economic recovery and regeneration; however, it also reveals that the gender gap between men and women in access to education, finances, and technology is negatively impacting women’s potential,” states NORDIK Institute’s Social Innovation and Community Developer, Maureen Strickland, referring to recent studies undertaken by the Women’s Entrepreneur Knowledge Network, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce and the Diversity Institute.

“Helping women entrepreneurs succeed is essential to ensuring a strong and sustainable economic recovery for all Canadians,” says the Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade. “Our government’s Women Entrepreneurship Strategy, as well as the collaborative efforts between Pillar Nonprofit Network and WOSEN, are crucial to helping women entrepreneurs to overcome the challenges they face – giving them the tools and support they need to rebuild and succeed for years to come.”

The laser focus of a one-on-one coaching program supports women’s unique needs in advancing their part-time or full-time entrepreneurial initiatives. Participants select a coach with the expertise they are seeking and schedule the sessions’ duration and frequency according to their availability. The program allows for up to ten hours of coaching that must be completed by March 31, 2021.

The program is part of the Women of Ontario Social Enterprise Network project that supports women and gender non-binary people, typically underrepresented in business, to create and grow enterprises that embed social values into their business models, such as through cooperative, non-profit, as well as both for-profit and not-for-profit social enterprises.

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