"The Solidarity Working Group is a vital collaborative for the growth and development of the social innovation, social finance and community economic development sectors in Canada. In our collective work to build sustainable and inclusive communities, the Working Group provides us with an essential vehicle to ensure we are tackling structural issues including racism, colonization, and exclusion inside our own organizations and in our actions in the field."

Adam Spence (he/him), CEO SVX

“CMC believes in the need to have a more diverse, equitable and inclusive economy. The SETSI Solidarity Working Group is an opportunity for dialogue and the co-creation of initiatives to identify, address issues and raise awareness within our own social and solidarity ecosystem, which provides a leading voice in national conversations”.

Daniel Burnette, Director, Advocacy and Partnerships, Co-operatives and Mutuals Canada

“The Solidarity Working Group, facilitated by SETSI's, represents an important opportunity to apply a formative and generative IDEA lens to an ecosystem that is still at the early stages of thinking like a movement.”

Lauren Dobell, Executive Director - Table of Impact Investment Practitioners"

“The SETSI Solidarity Working Group is a wonderful way of bringing a wide range of diverse perspectives to those interested in advancing social good. This deeply engaged community of practice is making communities better across Canada.”

Njeri Kontulahti, Director of Strategic Initiatives at Vancity Community Foundation

“Set against the backdrop of global uprisings to assert the value and the dignity of Black lives, communities, and experiences during the last year, CCEDNet committed to an internal learning journey for all of our staff on anti-racism, anti-oppression, and collective liberation. Through your persistently loving and intelligent leadership, SETSI has helped us to develop common understanding, shared language, and a lot of collective energy amongst our staff, and we are tremendously grateful for this accompaniment as we deepen our personal and professional reflection, commitment to responsibility, and capacity to act.”

Hannah Atkinson Renglich (she/her) Director of Learning - Canadian Community Economic Development Network“

“The SETSI team has demonstrated leadership and innovation in their work with SPO’s, SME’s and the broader social finance ecosystem. I have personally participated in the training sessions and witnessed their transformative curriculum and I am fully endorsing their work.”

Susan Henry, Director, Microfinance & Economic Inclusion, Alterna Savings

“The SETSI SWG (Solidarity Working Group) is working to build a more equitable social finance sector which is clearly needed”

Narinder Dhami, Founder of New Power Labs

“I'm immensely grateful for the opportunity to have shared CCNDR’s work with SETSI's Solidarity Working Group. SETSI’s commitment to equity and systemic change aligns closely with CCNDR’s approach, and I truly appreciate the engagement, insight, and dedication of this community. The way SETSI mobilizes this group, creating a space of safety, agility and purpose, is truly inspiring. As we continue our work to build a digitally enabled nonprofit sector, I look forward to deepening these connections and learning from one another. Thank you again for such a warm welcome and for the important work you do.”

Wilfreda Edwards, Executive Director of the Canadian Centre for Non-Profit Digital Resilience

"The SETSI Solidarity Working Group is an important forum for VERGE Capital where we can learn from our peers in the social impact sector and be held accountable for our actions (or lack thereof) when it comes to advancing equity and justice in our work. We envision a more inclusive economy that promotes prosperity and belonging for all, and where no one is left behind, but we know we cannot accomplish that alone. We believe that being a part of the Solidarity Working Group helps us get closer to making that vision a reality."

James Chan, Verge Capital

“Being a part of the Solidarity Working Group is important to Buy Social Canada. As a social enterprise with the goal to advance social procurement, we acknowledge that the social economy sector has room to improve as we seek to be anti-racist internally within our organizations and externally across the sector. We applaud the work SETSI has done to convene the group and bring the ecosystem together to dig deep and collaborate to move forward. It has been a great opportunity to prompt learning for our team and build connections with others. Our goal is to shape healthy, vibrant communities and this won't be possible if those communities aren't diverse and inclusive.”

Tori Williamson, Director of Education and Communications

“I have been a member of the Solidarity Working Group (SWG) for over a year and I have seen it be a space where uncomfortable conversations are had in promotion of a more equitable impact investing ecosystem. All too often, these discussions are had within organizations or not had at all. The SWG is a critical space where folks in the ecosystem can come together and have informative conversations to learn, unlearn, challenge, be challenged, and advance meaningful action on diversity, equity, and inclusion. Allyship goes beyond ’standing with’ a marginalized group and must include action and accountability. The SWG is continuing to grow and morph into a space where constructive conversation and collective action can take place amongst major players in the impact investing ecosystem."

Keshiv Kaushal, Queens University

Testimonials