Dear community colleagues,

I hope you’re well in our incredible province of Newfoundland and Labrador. I have some exciting CSCNL updates and important information to share!

Firstly, I want to express my gratitude to our amazing CSCNL team and colleagues who attended the 2023 EDANL conference in Bonavista last week. It was a remarkable event where progressive community leaders spoke passionately and purposefully about shaping a smart, sustainable future in every corner of the province.

I’m especially proud of the outstanding contributions of Christine Snow, Manager of Research and Policy, and CSCNL Board Member Raïsa Mirza. Together, we proudly collaborated with impactful organizations at the conference including the Newfoundland-Labrador Federation of Co-operatives, Common Good Solutions, and Deloitte. Christine highlighted the significant impact of the community sector as a major employer, purchaser, and creator of goods and services through social enterprise and pointed out how it ranks among the top three economic sectors, contributing significantly to the GDP. Learn more about EDANL’s vision at https://edanl.ca/about.

Speaking of the future, I’d like to draw your attention to an insightful article from Atlantic Business Magazine this month that addresses challenges faced by small and rural businesses in Atlantic Canada regarding retirement, succession planning, and how CSCNL is highlighting potential solutions, including models involving employee cooperatives, non-profit organizations, indigenous-led initiatives, and municipalities. Find the article here:

https://atlanticbusinessmagazine.ca/article/experts-talk-succession-planning-in-a-labour-shortage/

On the topic of growth and opportunities, I’m thrilled to announce that CSCNL will soon undergo a rebranding and launch a new website. The website will serve as a network hub for the community sector, connecting organizations and people with opportunities throughout the province. Stay tuned for further updates on this exciting development as we provide a platform for collaboration, knowledge sharing, and empowering the community sector to make an even greater impact!

In this newsletter, I encourage you to explore current job openings at CSCNL, our new Organizational Continuity Through Partnership Program for seamless leadership transitions, and a survey to better understand your digital capacity and needs. Your insights will help us develop tailored solutions and support systems. Please participate in the survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/G85G2V9.

As we continue to achieve and dream together, thank you for your dedication and commitment to making a difference in our communities.

If you have any questions or would like to get in touch, please email me at Colin@cscnl.ca or call 709-753-9860.

All the best,

Colin

Colin Corcoran CEO, Community Sector Council of Newfoundland and Labrador