Tuesday 17 February 2015

Social Prosperity Wood Buffalo Receives Social Innovation Award from Minister of Innovation and Advanced Education

(from left to right: Mike Allen, MLA Fort McMurray – Wood Buffalo, Honorable Don Scott, Minister of Innovation & Advanced Education, Deputy Government House Leader; Honorable Heather Klimchuk, Minister of Human Services; Nancy Mattes, Social Prosperity Wood Buffalo, University of Waterloo; Cathy Brothers, Capacity Canada; Bryan Jackson, Suncor Energy; Diane Shannon, United Way of Fort McMurray; Heather Evasiuk, Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo; Bonnah Carey, Some Other Solutions; Katharine Zywert, Social Prosperity Wood Buffalo, University of Waterloo, Ifeatu Efu, Social Prosperity Wood Buffalo; Sana Elache, Syncrude Inc.  Missing from the photo: Cathy Glover, Suncor Energy Foundation; Kim Nordbye, Suncor Energy Foundation; Tracey Carnochan, Suncor Energy; Brandi Gartner, Oil Sands Community Alliance; Manny Makia, FuseSocial; Russell Thomas, United Way of Fort McMurray; Ken Coates, University of Saskatchewan, Tanya Darisi, The O’Halloran Group; Katharine McGowan, University of Waterloo.)



Social Prosperity Wood Buffalo was honoured today for using social innovation to successfully strengthen the social profit sector in Wood Buffalo, increase community resilience, and improve capacity to address complex social problems.  The social innovation scroll of recognition was presented by the Honourable Don Scott, Minister of Innovation and Advanced Education for the Province of Alberta at the ConvergenceYMM summit in Fort McMurray, Alberta.  In his remarks, Minister Scott acknowledged that community-driven social innovation provides the greatest opportunity to improve the quality of life of Albertans.  He thanked the Suncor Energy Foundation for their leadership and vision.

  “Since its inception, Social Prosperity Wood Buffalo has had an incredible legacy of success,” he said.  “On behalf of the government and all Albertans, I want to congratulate Social Prosperity Wood Buffalo for helping to build a stronger and better Alberta.”

Nancy Mattes, Director of Social Prosperity Wood Buffalo, accepted the award on behalf of project partners including the Suncor Energy Foundation, the United Way of Fort McMurray, the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, the Oil Sands Community Alliance, FuseSocial, Capacity Canada, the University of Waterloo; Steering Committee members Cathy Glover, Bryan Jackson, Kim Nordbye, Tracey Carnochan, Bonnah Carey, Diane Shannon, Russell Thomas, Ken Coates, Manny Makia, Heather Evasiuk, Sana Elache, Brandi Gartner, Cathy Brothers,  and project team members Katharine Zywert, Tanya Darisi, Katharine McGowan, and Ifeatu Efu.

“I am deeply honoured to accept this social innovation scroll of recognition on behalf of Social Prosperity Wood Buffalo,” said Mattes. “We are so proud of the extraordinary outcomes that have occurred as a result of our work including the Heart of Wood Buffalo Awards, the Arts Council Wood Buffalo, the ‘Look into Wood Buffalo’ Community Wellbeing Survey and ConvergenceYMM.  Social Prosperity Wood Buffalo effectively stewarded community initiatives and shifted the social profit sector towards greater resiliency and capacity so they are better able to achieve their missions.  We look forward to continuing our collective efforts to build a culture of social innovation in Wood Buffalo.”

For more information about the award and Social Prosperity Wood Buffalo please contact Director, Nancy Mattes;

Telephone: 519-888-4567 ext. 38213

Twitter: @NMattes

No comments:

Post a Comment