BCAAFC Supports Aboriginal Social Enterprise Day

PRESS RELEASE

BC Assn of Aboriginal Friendship Centres
For Immediate Release
April 22nd, 2014

BC Friendship Centres Facing Funding Crisis

Songhees-Esquimalt Territory / Victoria, BC – Today, April 22nd, has been proclaimed Aboriginal Social Enterprise Day by the Province of British Columbia. This follows the Province’s recent announcement of April as Social Enterprise month in BC, and the showcasing of social enterprise successes on the steps of the provincial legislature by Minister of Social Development and Social Innovation, Minister Don McRae.

The BC Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres (BCAAFC) is pleased with this announcement and is looking forward to working in partnership with the Provincial Government and the private sector to support the development and implementation of Aboriginal Social Enterprises in BC. Aboriginal Friendship Centres in BC are running social enterprises as a means to support community based programs intended to improve the quality of life for Aboriginal people. Building the capacity of Aboriginal Social Enterprises is also part of the BCAAFC’s ‘Five by Five’ Aboriginal Jobs Strategy. The target of the ‘Five by Five’ Jobs Strategy is to facilitate employment opportunities for 5000 Aboriginal people over 5 years through an integrated approach to increasing labour market participation amongst Aboriginal people. Social enterprises not only provide an appropriate environment for training and skills development, but also creates employment opportunities.

BCAAFC President, Annette Morgan, states that: “Friendship Centres have used innovation for decades as a means to help the people in our communities, and social enterprises are one example of the ways we are accomplishing this. I commend the Province of BC for recognizing this day and look forward to our work together in this area”. BCAAFC Executive Director, Paul Lacerte, who was one of the members of the BC Advisory Council on Social Innovation, is also supportive of the announcement: “I would like to thank Minister McRae for his leadership in recognizing today as Aboriginal Social Enterprise Day in BC. The BCAAFC is committed to working with his Ministry to build the capacity of Aboriginal Social Enterprises in BC, particularly as it relates to increasing labour market participation amongst Aboriginal people.”

For more information contact:

Paul Lacerte
Executive Director, BCAAFC
placerte@bcaafc.com
250-388-5522

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