Nothing average ever stood as a monument to progress. When progress is looking for a partner, it doesn't turn to those who believe that they are only average. It turns instead to those who are forever searching and striving to become the best they possibly can.

-- A. Lou Vickery

Never say never: a lesson learned

I have the extremely good fortune to be a partner at the table of a trailblazing social enterprise that is led by a visionary, and supported by folks with boundless energy and expertise.

Abbotsford Recycling Industries Social Enterprise (ARISE) began with an individual at our local recycling depot thinking that there had to be a better way to deal with the 40,000 pounds of glass that they were receiving monthly. She approached Sid Gould, owner of Sandstorm Creative Glass Works Studio and asked him if he could do anything meaningful with large quantities of broken recycled glass. He answered quickly, and absolutely, 'no!'

Thankfully, that was not the end of it. Sid woke up in the middle of a night soon after his unequivocal response. He started thinking about an old, almost forgotten method of glass casting, and knew that he had answered Lisa too hastily.

While his mind played with the possibilities of re-melting the glass and casting it into durable and long-life products such as glass bathtubs, sinks, and wall blocks, Sid was being exposed to my passion: social enterprise.

Innovation meets social enterprise

Sid and I met through my first major community economic development project - the Abbotsford Farm and Country Market - where he serves as President. Our relationship was further enhanced when he volunteered as an artist and business mentor for a second CED project - InsideArt Cooperative, an art marketing co-op for federal offenders that is being developed as a social enterprise.

As Sid's involvement in these two projects grew, his dream of recycling glass began to merge with core social enterprise ideals of building the capacity of marginalized populations, as well as improving organizational self-sustainability. The result is the vision of people, planet, and profits that ARISE now embraces.

Group forming - building community partnerships

Recognizing social values
As Sid's idea grew, the need for community partners became evident. As a result, he invited several local non-profits and interested community members to the planning table. Each partner selected by Sid brought something of benefit to the table and ultimately earned ownership shares in ARISE.

First to the table were two non-profits currently in the process of developing the Fraser Valley Centre for Social Enterprise - MCC Employment and Community Development (MCC-ECD) and Community Futures South Fraser (my own organization). It seemed natural that MCC-ECD's Ron VanWyk would take part in ARISE. Ron was known for his passion for and experience with social enterprise and the success of MCC-ECD's own training business. In addition, Ron was well-grounded in the realities that homeless and other multi-barriered individuals faced when looking for meaningful work.

My own organization, Community Futures South Fraser, houses expert proposal writers with solid funding agency relationships. With a strong grounding in business practices and resources, as well as business planning expertise, and a track record of social enterprise support and practice, South Fraser was a good fit for the ARISE table.

A third non-profit partner rounded out the table. The United Way of the Fraser Valley (UWFV) with its connection to other non-profits, is an ideal vehicle for spreading the possibility of social enterprise to others in the sector. As the initiators of the Fraser Valley Community Needs Assessment, the UWFV demonstrates a clear commitment to identifying and addressing local social needs.

Blending for-profit practices

Sid passionately articulates the need to include the business sector in social enterprise. Given the documented high failure rates of business start-ups and the traditional lack of business acumen of non-profit managers, including for-profit business managers can only increase the social enterprise's chance of success. By engaging for-profit enterprises as project partners, and ultimately as shareholders, ARISE would be able to marry the social values that drive the project with the financial realities of creating a sustainable enterprise.

As originator of the ARISE concept, and winner of last year's Abbotsford Business Excellence Award for Social Responsibility, it made sense that Sid's company, Sandstorm Creative Glass Works Studio, would be the lead for-profit partner.

One of Abbotsford's oldest businesses, Clayburn Industries, celebrated its centennial anniversary as the second business at the ARISE table. President David Lane is an avid supporter of the revitalization of Historic Downtown Abbotsford, and a thoughtful commentator on community social issues. He brings to the group a wealth of expertise in industrial processes similar to those used by ARISE.

Establishing roots and extending reach

A third essential part of the planning process are those community members who hold a non-ownership stake in ARISE. These community activists have 'day jobs' in media, public relations, writing, project management, and non-profit consultancy. These volunteers care deeply about the ARISE project and bring a wealth of expertise and community connections to the table, thus furthering the reach of ARISE partnerships.

Pizza, anyone? Envisioning the future

We meet monthly in the evening. Sid buys pizza. We chat and dream.

At one meeting, Sid's realization that we need to harness the heat coming from the ARISE plant led to a plan for an adjoining community greenhouse that feeds the folks that it employs.

My experience is that the further we proceed, the more generosity and buy-in is evoked from the ARISE group. There has been no experience of flagging energy or commitment.

The ARISE group was founded on existing relationships and new partnerships. Each meeting feels like a reunion, is filled with passion, and is a joy to attend. And, each session results in dramatic leaps forward, with a task list that all members attack with gusto between meetings. Those who show aptitude in attracting funding work on proposals; others with media skills and connections work on promotions, and so on. We cheer each other's accomplishments, and buoy one another during setbacks.

Breaking out of the box: searching for structure

With ARISE ownership held by two charities (MCC-ECD and United Way), a non-profit (Community Futures South Fraser), a corporation (Clayburn Industries), and a sole proprietorship (Sandstorm Creative Glass Works Studio), it is apparent that we have a social enterprise hybrid on our hands!

Where social entrepreneurs aim to change the non-profit world, the ARISE group aims to change the social entrepreneurial world. So far, ARISE has been unable to identify a business structure that aptly accommodates the existing legal structures of the respective ARISE partners. Where social entrepreneurs aim to 'teach the person to fish', ARISE aims to 'revolutionize the entire fishing industry!' As such, ARISE is reacting entrepreneurially by suggesting a national need for a new structure, and a new pathway of possibility.

Funding perspectives: neither fish nor fowl
We have been faced with a mixed reaction to our partnership structure. Some funding agencies are unwilling to support a group with for-profit businesses at the table, while others have demonstrated an unwillingness to fund groups that include the non-profit sector. Increasingly, we meet these objections with joy and good-humour, patiently explaining the need for this cross-sector pollination, sharing information about social enterprise hybrids, and watching as our commonsensical arguments spawn vocal and powerful converts.

It's 'real' to us
When we talk about ARISE to formal groups and our own contacts, we experience people's amazement that we 'talk about ARISE as if it's real'.

In fact, we are nearing the successful procurement of our Phase One funding: $40,000 is required for research that includes a business / marketing plan, plant design, product testing, and social enterprise planning.

Folks hear us talking about a 'real' project because it is real to us. We all work and dream with a determination to watch the test plant open its doors. We regularly envision and talk about the ribbon cutting (and soaking in gorgeous cast recycled glass bathtubs!).

We see ourselves teaching other communities to embrace partnerships and develop their own ventures for self- and community-sustainability.

Contributor's Bio:

Stacey Corriveau spearheaded InsideArt Cooperative, a marketing co-op for artists who are federally incarcerated. She is Director of the Fraser Valley Centre for Social Enterprise, and is one of the project partners of ARISE. Owner of a personal tax and bookkeeping practice, Stacey is an Abbotsford Business Excellence Award winner. She holds a Masters in English (Queens), a professional certificate in CED (SFU), and is an APEC-IBIZ Certified Business Counsellor.




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