Organizations in Calgary are collaborating to empower the region’s ecosystem of entrepreneurship.
“We’ve heard from our community that being an entrepreneur can sometimes be stressful, like you’re doing everything all by yourself,” reads a statement from Innovate Calgary. “We get it; building something from scratch isn’t easy, and it can take its toll.”
Recognizing the equation that “healthy founders mean healthy businesses,” Innovate Calgary’s Social Innovation Hub is teaming up with Collectively Tangled to offer a range of services to members, staff, and partners.
The initiative aims to fill gaps with resources for entrepreneurs and their startups.
With support from the City of Calgary’s Change Can’t Wait Grant, a one-year pilot program is “packed with helpful services,” according to Innovate Calgary, including personalized one-on-one counselling sessions, group workshops tailor-made for entrepreneurs, and a “resources playbook.”
Mental health workshops and counselling sessions will be provided by partner organization Collectively Tangled, which helps Canadian entrepreneurs deal with mental health concerns.
“Entrepreneurs experience mental health challenges at greater rates than the general population,” explains Tangled cofounder Sarah Mateshaytis, “so meeting them where they’re at and reducing barriers to them accessing mental health support–such as cost, stigma, and ease of access–is so important.”
A healthy economy “cannot exist without healthy individuals, including founders,” believes Jordana Armstrong, Director of the Social Innovation Hub. “As we work towards scaling impact in our city and economic development, it is important that we acknowledge that mental health is necessary for strong communities and economies.”
Post-pilot, Collectively Tangled and the Social Innovation Hub will gather insights gleaned from the experience and compile them into a resource that will serve as a guide for other ecosystem partners.
“We’re thrilled to partner with Innovate Calgary and the SIH to offer prevention and intervention-based mental health services to their members, program participants, and staff,” said Mateshaytis. “Taking tangible action to address these barriers really speaks to the SIH’s deep commitment to the success, growth, and development of their members.”
“This partnership with Collectively Tangled not only enhances but also extends the type of support entrepreneurs and founders will benefit from, reinforcing our dedication to their overall well-being,” Jordana agrees.
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