Women’s Economic Council
About the Women’s Economic Council (WEC)
- Our mission is to advance every woman’s participation in building resilient and inclusive economies, especially women who experience systemic barriers. WEC achieves its mission through consultation, networking, research and advocacy to understand and address the challenges women experience creating sustainable livelihoods.
- WEC is the only national organization advocating for women-centred Community Economic Development (CED) * in Canada, and we’re the only organization that supports networks of like-minded organizations that help women-centred CED flourish across the country.
* CED focuses on enacting change across the entirety of the economic system. That focus includes many kinds of development that do not have a direct economic goal or outcome. As it is described by the Canadian CED Network, community economic development is “an approach that recognizes that economic, environmental and social challenges are interdependent, complex and ever-changing.” CED organizations are engaged in very complex problems which is why resource sharing and networking is so important.
Areas of expertise:
- Collaborating with women, especially those from under-represented communities and groups
- Collaborating with co-operatives and CED inspired organizations
- Creating training and other materials in close collaboration with organizations wanting customized GEDI materials, designed to help them grow and thrive well into the future
- Working closely with experienced professionals in co-operative, CED and GEDI spaces to support your organization’s community-inspired goals and ambitions.
How we can support 50 – 30 Challenge Participants:
If you are a co-operative, social enterprise or community economic development (CED) organization, WEC’s 50-30 project is designed to meet your special needs. And if you’re not a CED organization, you can still join our sessions and use our resources. All Challenge Participants can benefit from WEC’s open, inclusive and diverse 50-30 project that will:
- Increase your awareness of barriers limiting women’s access to leadership positions.
- Increase your connection to co-operative and CED leaders engaging with the 50-30 Challenge.
- Develop new strategies, best practices and practical resources to increase your capacity to include more women, especially under-represented women, in senior management and leadership in your organization.
- Increase the number of leadership-ready women, especially women from under-represented groups, in your organization.
- Help you create new opportunities that connect women to decision-making and leadership pathways.
- Increase your ability to develop your own gender sensitive, equitable, diverse and inclusive (GEDI) strategies that move your organization, and your sector, closer to the 50-30 challenge goals.
- Apply and customize the What Works Tool Kit so that women, especially those from underrepresented groups, are welcomed in your organization and motivated to join your management and leadership tracks.
