Jodi McDavid – mother, academic researcher, writer, instructor, performer, and volunteer – will lead an exploration on the “virtue of the small” in community building at the last IDEAS: Powered by Passion talk of the 2014 season. The event, presented by New Dawn Community Engagement, is free to the public and will take place Tuesday, November 25 at the Dawn Centre for Social Innovation.
McDavid will examine the power of the small as she has witnessed it working in universities and her research with a variety of community based groups. “I’m honoured to have the opportunity to speak in this forum,” says the Director of the Co-operative Study Club and Major Research Projects Officer at CBU. “I think it’s very important that things like IDEAS exist because it gives us all an alternative space to talk about community issues”.
The series, which has been dubbed the “Cape Breton TED”, seeks to encourage new approaches, directions and thinking through speech and music. It aims to uncover the passions of our people through the sharing of their stories. Previous speakers have inspired many IDEAS guests to action by helping them to realize their own passions.
Opening the evening is Derek Mombourquette, Coordinator of the Island Sandbox – a space where the Cape Breton community can explore and develop new ideas for businesses. Focusing on clean technology, social entrepreneurship and new Canadian entrepreneurship, Derek will talk about the Island Sandbox’s role in creating and building on a culture of entrepreneurship in Cape Breton.
Host, Helen Morrison, Executive Director of the Cape Breton Transition House, will carry this exciting evening featuring music from Ian MacDougall, frontman of the internationally acclaimed ensemble The Tom Fun Orchestra.
Admission is free for all talks in the series. Attendees are encouraged to bring a friend, a smile, and their favourite mug to fill with complimentary organic, fair trade coffee or tea.
