Entrepreneurs with Disabilities Program - Rural Saskatchewan

I spent some quality time with a great group learning about the services Community Futures (CF) offers to assist people with disabilities start their own business; Entrepreneurs with Disabilities Program - Rural Saskatchewan. Our local CF is Meridian and Vickie Newmeyer is the General Manager. Attending today were people from the West Central Crisis & Family Support Centre, Heartland Health, Sarcan, and Canadian Mental Health.

Learning about Entrepreneurs with Disabilities Program. May 21, 2015.

This is a terrific example of collective impact working to help an individual gain independence through entrepreneurship.

Community Futures offices provide:

• one to one business consultation;
• business plan development;
• business resources;
• access to repayable loans for viable businesses.

CF has a variety of resources available to a wide group of people including both physical disabilities and mental health challenges. For example business plan templates are available in braille, plain language, and mp3. Training is available for individuals.

An interesting success story shared involved a person with social anxiety. The person was a very good baker and had a successful online business mailing cakes in the mail. Another story involved a person in Outlook starting and operating an ongoing rural recycling business.

One of CF's saying is: "Finding a way to yes."

If you know someone who may be interested send them to Vickie at Community Futures Meridian on First St East.