Community Futures East Kootenay (CFEK) is excited to introduce the next phase of Innovate for Impact. This unique program supports social entrepreneurs and organizations exploring social enterprise in the Kootenay region. This winter, Innovate for

Impact will be looking at fostering the entrepreneurial spirit of young people in the Kootenays with a program to help them turn bold ideas into real-world impact.

With a flexible, hands-on curriculum and the guidance of mentors, high school students between the ages of 14 to 18 will build social enterprises, develop entrepreneurial skills, and compete for cash funding. Innovate for Impact will be running two cohorts of this youth program, with one kicking off in January 2026, and the next in September 2026.

“Social enterprise can be a powerful tool to build local capacity, support the creation of sustainable jobs and contribute to the overall economic health and development of our rural region,” states Robyn Peel, Community Economic Development Manager with CFEK. “With this program, we hope to show young people the power of inclusive economic growth and the benefit to communities that comes from deep social impact.”

To get ready for the program, CFEK is looking for engaged teachers, youth program leaders and committed community members who are interested in becoming mentors and delivering this initiative to the youth they work with in schools and the community. Training, support and a stipend to offset costs will be provided.

Interested individuals are invited to attend a virtual information session on Wednesday, October 29, at 5:30-6 p.m. MT / 4:30-5 p.m. PT on Zoom. Those who are keen to become part of the social impact movement in the Kootenays as youth mentors can register online to join the first cohort. Registration deadline is December 21.

Innovate for Impact will also be hosting bi-monthly workshops, that look at gaining new insights, building the entrepreneurial toolkit, and connecting Kootenay social entrepreneurs tackling similar community challenges. The first workshop of the series, titled Building a Thriving Community: The Role of Social Enterprise! will happen on Wednesday, November 12, from 1-2 p.m. MT / 12-1 p.m. PT. It is open to anyone interested in making an impact with purpose-driven businesses and interested individuals can register online.

“This work is building on previous projects developed in the Kootenays,” adds Peel. “We were fortunate in 2023 to run a pilot project to enable nonprofit organizations to look at creating social enterprises to support new and sustainable funding streams. We were able to assist in the launch of four local businesses and increase the awareness across the region.”

The next cohort of seven organizations from across the Kootenay region will be kicking off their social enterprise journey this month as well.

CFEK is delivering Innovate for Impact in collaboration with Impact Toolbox, their partner on the previous pilot project. “We are very excited to be able to draw on the experience and expertise of the team at Impact Toolbox to further grow the social enterprise ecosystem in the Kootenays and empower entrepreneurs to explore new approaches and innovative solutions,” said Kerstin Renner, General Manager of CFEK.

This project is made possible with support from the Government of B.C. and the Ministry of Jobs and Economic Growth through a Rural Economic Diversification and Infrastructure Program (REDIP) grant.

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