Mobilizing Social Value Practitioners

 

On June 20th, we held a gathering of Social Value Practitioners from across Canada. It was an opportunity to connect, share insights, and plan for the future of our movement. We also discussed how Social Value Canada can better support our dedicated practitioners and address their evolving needs.

Here are some highlights:

• “An Introduction to Social Value”: Practitioners spoke of their need for content that clearly explains what social value is for audiences encountering the concept for the first time. In response, we shared this presentation: Social Value 101, click here.
• Volunteers for social value training Q&A: A number of practitioners have kindly volunteered to answer questions and provide advice to individuals who are interested in joining our social value training courses. If you have questions about our training and would like to be matched with one of these volunteers, please email us at svc@socialvalue-canada.org
• Case Studies: Practitioners spoke about the value of case studies that illustrate how social value thinking is applied in different contexts. We are in the process of assembling a library of Canadian case studies, showcasing the broad applicability of social value across sectors and industries. We invite all practitioners who have compelling case studies to share them with us. Please send them to svc@socialvalue-canada.org

We also agreed to hold practitioner gatherings on a more regular basis starting in the early Fall.

If you would like to join the next practitioner event, please send us an email and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter for updates!

Conversations with Canadian Changemakers

This year we’ve convened a series of engaging conversations with changemakers whose work brings social value thinking to life. The series is called the Canadian Social Value Exchange.

Collectively, these conversations underscore the broad applicability of social value across sectors. They show how social value thinking helps organizations as diverse as the DUCA Impact Lab and the Toronto Community Benefits Network to maximize their social impact. And they prompt us to reflect on how we account for value in decision-making, reporting, and sustainability strategies.

Yet it’s the specific details and applications of social value in the real world – for example in creating opportunity for communities facing systemic barriers to employment – that make these events so distinctive and instructive.

If you didn’t get a chance to see them live, you can watch recordings of all of these conversations on our Canadian Social Value Exchange page. Featured speakers include:

• Rosemarie Powell, Executive Director of the Toronto Community Benefits Network, who highlighted the transformative power of Community Benefits Agreements (CBAs) and social procurement
• Keith Taylor, Executive Director of DUCA Impact Lab, who discussed the social value of financial inclusion and relief from predatory loans
• Bonnie Chiu, gender equality advocate and Managing Director at the The Social Investment Consultancy, who spoke about how Social Return on Investment (SROI) training has benefited her international career
• Sean Wiltshire, CEO of Avalon Employment, who spoke about how a a Social Return on Investment (SROI) study helped Avalon improve their services and enhance credibility in presenting impact to the government.

Let’s Watch these Conversations.

Come Check Us Out!

Do you have a need to express the value of impact achieved through your work?

Our social value training empowers you with the skills to measure and maximize the social impact of any initiative by applying the Principles of Social Value.

Our courses have been offered in Canada since 2011 and are certified by Social Value International, the global standard setter for social value and impact measurement and management.

So whether you want to know more about Social Value thinking, gain the skills to confidently manage social impact, or become a trained practitioner yourself, you’ve come to the right place.

Become a Social Value Canada Affiliate

SVC Affiliates are organizations that share our Canadian and global vision to address inequality and climate change, through decision-making that seeks to enhance wellbeing for all.

There is no cost to affiliation, merely a mutual commitment to cross-post news, knowledge, and information about training and learning opportunities. SVC affiliates can offer their own members discounted access to SVC ‘happenings’.

As an affiliate you will also receive ongoing recognition as part of our national and international movement on the SVC website, in newsletters, and on social media. Contact us for more details.

Explore the SVI Member Portal

As a member of Social Value Canada, you will benefit from access to the Social Value International Members Area. This online platform provides a space for our Canadian and global communities to connect, collaborate and accelerate our movement for change. You will be able to enjoy a dedicated space for Social Value Canada members as well as connect with international peers who are active in the social value movement.

The SVI members area is designed to facilitate peer-to-peer learning and support, provide improved networking opportunities and enhance your ability to engage and communicate with one another at a national and international level.

The members area contains a wide range of useful features, including:

• a live feed
• discussion forums
• an interactive member directory
• resources
• sub-groups.

This pioneering community contains approximately 3,000 members from 50 countries, drawn from a huge range of different sectors and disciplines. It is designed to help all members to connect with fellow practitioners and professionals, exchange and enhance their skills and knowledge, and network to help achieve personal and professional goals and build our movement for change!

There has never been a more important time to join Social Value Canada and the Social Value International global community and help change the way society accounts for value. Become a member now.