Northern CommunitiesTransitioning to Resilience

What best explains why we participate in forums like this?   Where do we start?   How can we make best use of our valuable and limited time?

 I wear two hats here, as Executive Director of PARO, and as Chair of the Policy Council, CCEDNET. At PARO Centre for Women’s Enterprise, we work with women, families, organizations, and communities to help build sustainable livelihoods.  PARO continues to expand services to remote and rural communities in Northern Ontario via distance technology, including video-conferencing through K-Net and online training through Contact North, and in person via the PARO on Wheels mobile training van.  PARO programs aim to initiate and grow businesses and jobs, micro-lending, as well as CED program development, capacity building, strategic planning and board governance for organizations. As Chair of the CCEDNET’s Policy Council, we strive to identify and advance policy to build fairer and stronger local economies, tackle poverty and homelessness, and build sustainable communities. This project is a perfect fit where we can share experiences, challenges, while finding ways to celebrate and to connect partners and programs.