The Canadian Social Economy Hub (CSEHub) is proud to announce the winner of the Emerging Leaders Scholarship Program.  The proposals were submitted on April 15th, 2009, and one hard-working youth is now the recipients of $3000 to help with her research project.  The winner is Jody Bauche from British Columbia.

This scholarship program is intended to promote original research by emerging leaders in the Social Economy, and advance the capacity of successful candidates to further strengthen the Social Economy in their academic and practitioner sectors.

Jody Bauche has worked as a community practitioner in the field of early childhood development and social services for nearly twelve years. Her main focus is finding sustainable and holistic ways to improve conditions for First Nations communities in BC. She is currently working as an Aboriginal Early Childhood Development Coordinator for southern Vancouver Island.

“It is my intent to bring life to Indigenous Sustainable Development for First Nations communities in BC’s pacific northwest. It’s common knowledge that British Columbia has one of the highest child poverty rates in the country and Indigenous children are at the centre of poverty in our province. My hope is that my research will help further a conversation and dialogue with regional chiefs around the importance of preserving our culture for future generations.” Part of accomplishing her goal is to travel to New Zealand to research the Maori’s implementation of the quadruple bottom line (environmental, social, economic and culturally sustainability) to see how BC can learn from their experiences and practices.