Category: Community Involvement

Many owners and managers underestimate the importance of this activity, they do so at their peril. Community involvement is a fundamental key to success.

… about issues at work

Paul Wagenaar

Sixteen-year-old students left to lock up, fourteen-year-old kids running meat cutting equipment, university or college students struggling to balance work/school demands, and more issues that are stressing students who work.

This post provides an introduction and links to help acquire the knowledge they need to know their rights in the workforce. Please share this post with students you know or with parents who have children working after-school and on weekends.

Re-thinking small city malls

Paul Wagenaar

Many small city malls have failed and deservedly so.

They didn’t fail because the basic concept is wrong. Many of these malls failed to adapt and were not flexible to the changing realities of the merchants they almost took for granted. Is it too late? Perhaps for some.

For merchants and mall operators with vision, there is an opportunity in my opinion. By combining social needs, 21st-century environmental practices with the basic convenience, utility, and economics of “one-stop” shopping … there is a future.

Awareness & Education

Paul Wagenaar

One in seven Canadians is affected by this problem as you read these words.

The problem is that this issue is a symptom of larger problems that require expensive and longer-term fixes. This post was meant to deal with 10 solutions, but even at a baker’s dozen, there are likely some missing.

Awareness and education is the first step.

Debate, conversation, collaboration, and solutions.

Paul Wagenaar

Constructively debating, collaborating and dealing with each of these issues would strengthen our society and would provide economic opportunities for growth of businesses. These are just a sampling of the social issues that we should be discussing as part of our economic plans. Social responsibility is not mutually exclusive from economic growth.

Stigma and Food Insecurity

Paul Wagenaar

All of us are affected by social stigma. On occasion, we are the victim of it. Other times we can perpetuate it. Stigma and bias can result from the best of intentions as easily as it can be the result of ignorance. People may want to impose their concept of “what is right” or to help someone to “avoid making a mistake.” Stigma is especially prevalent for people who suffer from poverty or are from marginalized communities.