Two-day workshop to teach local students that ‘good business’ not just about profit

The second annual Social Enterprise for a Day will launch Friday, February 1 at Mount Saint Vincent University. The popular event, a collaborative partnership between Mount Saint Vincent University (the Mount), the Centre for Entrepreneurship Education & Development (CEED) and Dalhousie University, seeks to teach local students that good business isn’t just about profit anymore.

“We are very excited to be hosting SE4D again this year, welcoming some of our best known local experts and experienced facilitators to work with the students,” said Dr. Peter Mombourquette, Chair of the Mount’s Business and Tourism Department. “We are working in partnership with CEED and Dalhousie to offer students a unique and valuable opportunity to experience the highs and lows of developing and running a social enterprise for themselves. Last year’s event was a great success and we look forward to watching the initiative continue to grow and evolve.”

Through the innovative two-day workshop, students from local colleges, universities, high schools, CEED’s Second Chance Program and Youth Employability Project will work together to develop and run numerous social enterprises – all in the span of 24 hours. Participants will generate social enterprise ideas on Friday night and on Saturday their ideas will come to life throughout the HRM.

Other highlights of the weekend include a keynote address by Pete Luckett of Pete’s Frootique and Luckett Vineyards, and a social enterprise panel discussion representing successful local social enterprises: Jayme Melrose of Common Roots Urban Farm in Halifax, Sean Gallagher of Local Source in Halifax, Peter La Pierre of Home Harvest Kitchen Gardens in HRM, a representative from Just Us Coffee Roaster’s Co-op, based in Grand Pre, and Faye McLellan of The Riverbank General Store in Mill River.

For the purpose of the event, ‘social entrepreneur’ is defined as a business owner who focuses on the triple bottom line: people, planet, and profit. Success is measured not solely by the bottom line, but also by the positive impact their business has on a community. Social entrepreneurs take the same risk as entrepreneurs, while instilling positive changes.

You can find student enterprises at a number of locations throughout the HRM on Saturday afternoon including the Halifax Shopping Centre (first level), Park Lane, Mount Saint Vincent University, and the Hub on Barrington Street. Please help support their enterprises and let them know their efforts are making a difference – for our local economy and the community.

Media Contacts:

Sabrina Poirier Trevor Corkum Ed Leach
CEED Mount Saint Vincent University Dalhousie University spoirier@ceed.ca Trevor.Corkum@msvu.ca ed.leach@dal.ca
902.209.3573 902.457.6439 902.476.6449