Q&A with Amy Spizuoco, Medical Volunteer Trip participant
Passion to Heal, an initiative of Valeant Pharmaceuticals, gives dermatologists and dermatology practitioners the opportunity to help transform health care for thousands of people in WE Villages communities. Taking place in Kenya and India, each fully funded trip is run by ME to WE, giving American practitioners the chance to treat and educate community members, and train local clinicians to create sustainable health care solutions. We sat down with dermatologist and dermatopathologist to find out about her experiences on a 2016 Passion to Heal trip to India.
How did you hear about this trip, and why did you decide to go?
Some friends of mine travel to the Dominican Republic each year to run a dental program, and I had joined them for one day as a dermatologist. I saw over 100 patients and realized how much of a need there was for dermatologists in developing countries. Then, two of my friends had travelled on Passion to Heal trips to Kenya and told me about what an amazing experience it was—so I applied, and ended up going to India!
What was your trip experience like? The other physicians on the trip were some of the most amazing, kind, generous, thoughtful and wonderful people, and the facilitators were fantastic as well. Ricky, who’s from Udaipur, the city near where we had the medical camp, is the most down-to-earth guy, he could get along with anyone. Two people from the Kenya team, Michelle and Joseph, joined us and they were amazing too. They organized everything and we were so well taken care of.
Personally I saw about 100 patients a day over four days. I think in the end, between all of us we saw more than 2,000 patients. The health camp was really well received in the community we visited and I think we really did make a difference.
Do you have any favourite moments from the trip?
At the end of each day on the trip, we did a highlight of the day, and I’ve tried to bring the idea of doing that home to my family. It just really makes you grateful for the things that you have.
On the trip we met this little girl, Kumla, who was 12 years old. Every day, she would greet us, thank us, ask us questions. Then throughout the day, she would help direct every patient who came in—where to go or what to do. And this girl was never without a smile, it was really awesome.
Were there any moments on the trip that surprised you, or made you really proud?
There are so many! The whole group there was in the medical profession, and there were two specific people there who were pharmaceutical reps. Those two were so open-eyed to be there, probably more than anyone else—they were happy to be there and pitch in wherever they were needed. On the first day, I had been assigned as the dermatology lead for the girls’ group, and was working with a medical assistant. One of the pharmaceutical reps hadn’t been assigned a specific task, but within an hour of being at the medical camp, she realized that so many of these kids and adults had wounds, from things like not wearing shoes because they didn’t have any. So she took it upon herself to set up a wounds clinic—she gathered all the gauze, bandages and antibiotic ointment that was there and set it up. That was a really touching moment, seeing someone who has some health care experience just taking it upon herself to pitch in in any possible way.
What impact has this trip had on you and your work?
Now, when I have days I get stressed out at work—someone comes in angry, or I had to have someone wait 20 minutes—I just take a second and think, you know what, I should just be grateful that I have a job, I have a roof above my head, I have clean water and enough food. When I’m stressed out I just try to remind myself that it’s really not that bad.
A big takeaway I’ve learned is that happiness is not based on success, or money, or what you do every day. It’s really based on the people you surround yourself with and what you make of it, the resources that you have and how you make do with what you have, and your community and family.
Here at home, clean water is a tap away. Still, millions of people around the world don’t live near a reliable, clean water source, or have access to sanitary washing facilities, leaving them at risk of illness and deadly disease.
For two decades, WE Villages has been engineering an international development model to end poverty. It’s not a handout or a single solution, but a combination of key interventions that empower a community to help themselves. Our local staff work with rural villages and regional governments to support, teach and empower people within our five Pillars of Impact: Education, Water, Health, Food and Opportunity.
Improving access to clean water is one of the most crucial and quickest ways to lift a community up. It reduces illness, allows girls to go to school instead of bearing the responsibility of fetching their family’s water and leads to better agriculture and access to food.
As of today, the WE Movement has helped one million people gain access to clean water, health care and sanitation. By installing hand pumps, boreholes, wells, pipes, hand-washing stations, rain catchment systems and latrines, we are seeing these communities rise up and thrive.
Now, here’s where you join in! Our work in water is gaining momentum and with your support, we’ll continue to see great improvements. We encourage you to be part of our tidal wave of change. As part of the WE Movement, you are empowered through actions as simple as spreading the WE story, wearing your passion for changing the worldwith ME to WE, following the changes with Track Your Impact and seeing it all firsthand on a ME to WE Immersive Volunteer Trip. There are so many ways you can make access to clean water part of your WE Movement!
ME to WE returns to StFX University for Summer Leadership Camp
This July, ME to WE facilitators will be returning to the St. Francis Xavier University (StFX) campus in Antigonish, Nova Scotia for a weeklong leadership camp. This will be the third annual StFX ME to WE Leadership Camp, which invites young people from around the world to Antigonish to learn about life on the social-justice focused campus.
Last June, 75 students from across Canada and the U.S. participated in the StFX ME to WE Leadership Camp, informally called XLeads by participants. XLeads is an opportunity for students to learn about life at StFX, which firmly believes in students developing a connection to the world as they complete their degree. StFX’s commitment to student leadership extends beyond their campus, so they partner with ME to WE Leadership to bring together 75 young leaders for in-depth leadership training, issue exploration, and personal reflection.
During last year’s camp, participants were able to immerse themselves in leadership training, engage in meaningful conversations with their peers and have fun against the backdrop of StFX. They stayed in dorm-style residences, toured the campus, visited the McKenna Centre for Student Leadership, explored the Coady Institute, and participated in conference sessions with university professors.
In particular, their time at the Coady Institute stuck out to all participants. During the visit, participants learned about the Institute’s commitment to connecting Canadians with people from the global South to exchange innovations in order to end poverty. Addy Strickland, an Ontario student currently in Grade 11, describes it as one of her camp highlights. “I’m considering development studies for post-secondary, so visiting the Coady Institute and learning about their approach to development was really amazing!” says Addy. “I learned so much, and have found so many ways to connect what I learned to my own social justice initiatives, as well as to the campaigns run by my school social justice group.”
Beyond the opportunity to learn more about post-secondary options and social justice issues, camp participants formed strong bonds and built long-lasting friendships. Meghan Luft, an Alberta student, speaks highly of the friends she made at XLeads. “I met the most amazing people who were not only awesome to hang out with but also shared a passion to make a change in the world just like me!” says Meghan. “The best part is that I’m still in touch with all of them even though we live all across Canada.”
Meghan’s thoughts were echoed by fellow camper Nekki Forbes, a student from Nova Scotia. “You’re going to sing, you’re going to dance, you’re going to laugh, you’re going to cry, and you’re going to make memories that you’ll carry with you forever,” says Nekki. “This camp changed my life.”
Applications are now open for this year’s program, taking place July 11- July 17, 2016. Successful applicants will be awarded entrance to the program, which includes training, accommodations and meals, but are responsible for their own travel to the Halifax Stanfield Airport. Any student that is currently enrolled in Grade 10, 11, or equivalent is invited to apply to the program.
ME to WE facilitator, Chris Tse, considers the program one of his highlights of the year. “The youth who attend XLeads are among the brightest, most passionate, swaggiest young people I have had the opportunity to work with,” says Chris. “It gives me a tremendous sense of hope for the future to see the growth, camaraderie, and awareness they achieve during the course of the week.”
If you’re ready to take your passion for leadership and world change to the next level, this is the trip for you! A journey to Arizona may be close to home, but it’s as unique and full of adventure as any other ME to WE Trip. Stay at our sustainable eco-ranch, Windsong, where you’ll participate in one of two advanced leadership programs, designed to bring out your inner superstar leader.
In Advanced Leadership Training, learn how to amplify your passion and skills to lead others toward a shared goal, and discover your personal leadership style to be a strong leader in any group. In Advanced Facilitation Training, you’ll have the chance to learn the art of facilitating social justice programs and workshops, and practice in a supportive environment. In both programs, you’ll learn from our top facilitators and receive extensive and personalized feedback. Build the confidence you need to lead at school, within your community and to prepare for your future career and beyond! Along the way, you’ll also have the chance to experience the incredible Arizona landscape around you as you dive into life at the ranch and explore local border and environmental issues.
Don’t just take it from us—hear from those who have been there:
Emily Summers: Senior Speaker and Leadership Facilitator
How would you describe the landscape in Arizona?
“The drive to Windsong is beautiful—a desert landscape in oranges, browns and bronze. You can see cacti at the airport right when you land! When you arrive at Windsong, you’ll see all the chickens, goats and other animals on the property. The sunsets are amazing, with bright purple skies and so many stars.”
What are some of your favourite parts about Arizona trips?
“You get to help out at the ranch every day, which is so much fun. You’ll collect eggs, or take care of animals, whatever needs doing, so you’re really contributing to the community when you’re down there. Whether you’re learning about the land and food security or migration issues, there’s a connection back to the environment and the ways we interact with the world.”
Erin Blanding: Arizona Director of Operations
What makes our Arizona programs unique?
“In Arizona, you can live the ME to WE philosophy every day in every action you take—from the food you harvest, to the way you conserve water, to the volunteer projects in the community. Everything has a positive impact on the planet and people.”
Courtney Murdoch: Advanced Leadership Training participant
Tell us about your experience!
“ALT was really an experience unlike any other. I had gone to Take Action Camp the previous summer and was in the middle of planning my trip to Tanzania, so heading out to Arizona was a really neat experience that gave me a more encompassing look at what to expect on future trips. It was great to combine leadership and team-building activities with learning about local culture and issues, as well as getting to actively volunteer and give back to the community and our planet! I loved every second of it, and definitely wished it could have lasted longer.”
What was your favourite part of Advanced Leadership Training?
“It was such an enriching experience, but my favourite part was definitely the friendships that we formed while in Arizona. It’s funny how much putting away your cellphone for a week helps you connect to other people. A few days into the trip I already felt like I had known most of the other ALT students for years. Being surrounded by people who were so passionate, driven and full of ideas was amazing. We were able to challenge each other and really get out of our comfort zones. I know that thanks to the group, I learned a lot about myself. We still keep in touch and visit each other when we’re in the same city and I wouldn’t trade those friendships for the world.”
Maya Koparkar: Advanced Facilitation Training participant
Maya’s the definition of superstar leader—after travelling to Kenya twice on ME to WE Trips, she took part in Advanced Facilitation training, which led her to a summer position as a Junior Facilitator at Take Action Camp in Bethany, Ontario.
Tell us about your Arizona experience!
“Advanced Facilitation Training was amazing! It was a group of university-aged students who had all been on ME to WE Trips. We did some pretty intensive social justice and leadership training, and at the end we got to prepare our own modules that we could actually facilitate for our group. We also got to experience the cultural aspect of Arizona as well—we learned about some of the border issues in the area, and we volunteered at Deep Dirt Farm [a local organization]. We got a whole trip experience, plus that in-depth training that you wouldn’t get on any other trip.”
What were your biggest takeaways and highlights from the experience?
“One highlight is definitely the people on the trip. They’re some of the best people I’ve ever met and they made the trip what it was. And learning the art of facilitation in itself was great. I’d seen my facilitators do what they do multiple times but I never knew the strategies behind it—learning that gave me a better idea of what I eventually wanted to be doing. The social justice training added a lot because as a facilitator, it’s important to know the roots of what you’re trying to facilitate a discussion about.
How camp helped Heyden, 14, find her voice and her people
More than a typical summer camp, ME to WE’S Take Action Camp is a place for kids to discover their passions, build leadership skills and learn how to make a difference at home and abroad. We caught up with six-time camper Heyden, from Kitchener, Ontario—who first went to Take Action Camp at age nine—to find out what she loves about camp!
What is it about Take Action Camp that has kept you coming back for six summers?
The way it makes me feel—I know that at camp I can be myself and no one will judge me. Camp is where I feel my safest, because in the outside world, sometimes people can be very judgmental and there are terrible things going on, but at camp you can just focus on happiness. It’s such a positive environment. The food’s not bad either!
What’s your favourite camp meal?
The French Toast casserole—they’ve had it since the first time I came here and it’s my favourite food on the entire planet! Paula, the camp chef, is the best cook I know.
What’s it like being around other people who also feel the same way as you about the world?
It’s so empowering, because knowing that the people around you support you, understand what you’re going through and are willing to help you with it is such a satisfying thing. It makes you so much more confident in your ideas and how you share them—you know you’re not the only one that cares enough to do something about the issues going on in the world.
What’s been one of your favourite moments at camp?
We did this activity where people lined up in two rows, and you close your eyes and walk through them, and they’d whisper compliments to you. I think it’s so important to give compliments and positive reinforcements to people, because going through that line and hearing people say things like ‘You’re amazing! You inspire me! You’re gonna change the world’ pushed me so far; it gave me so much passion.
At Take Action Camp we talk a lot about ‘Camp Magic’—what does that phrase mean to you?
Camp Magic is the ability to open up to people on the first day, cry in front of people on the first day and feel safe in front of people on the first day. I know on the first day of school you keep to yourself, you keep to your small friend group, you’re very shy. But here it’s a free-for-all of people hanging out, making friends—it’s just that essence in the air, that kind of energy in the air that you can’t find anywhere else, that pure happiness and positivity.
What advice would you give to a first-time camper?
Let yourself open up, let your walls down. Because if you’re going to do it, this is the place to do it. Once you let your walls down it’s so much easier to let love in and let support in, and that’ll help you in all your endeavors.
Can you tell us about some of your camp action plans?
One year, my friends and I created a website and Instagram page with the theme of ‘that’s what makes you beautiful,’ because we had realized that we all had a little bit of self-esteem issues. We wanted to use social media as a positive outlet to encourage everyone to feel better about themselves and boost others’ self-esteem. I also want to write a children’s book about the issues in the world around us. I have a younger sister, and I want her to know the difference between right and wrong, and make sure all kids have a strong moral compass.
What’s next for Heyden? This year, she’s headed to Ecuador’s Amazon rainforest on a ME to WE Trip. We can’t wait to hear about all the incredible adventures she’ll have!
Registration is open for Take Action Camp 2016! Find out more and sign up at metowe.com/camp.
Questions? Contact us at [email protected] or call us toll-free at 1-877-638-6931 x 510.
All you need is a backpack—and a sense of adventure!
Highlights from a ME to WE Trip to Rural China
It’s an awe-inspiring journey, an incredible adventure—and completely unlike any other ME to WE Trip. Every day brings new and exciting experiences and a chance to explore one of the world’s richest cultures. Meet families in a Free The Children partner community to learn firsthand about the issues that impact their lives, then work side-by-side on a project that’s helping empower people to break the cycle of poverty, whether it’s laying the bricks to build a school kitchen or painting a brand-new classroom.
To find out more about our rural China trips, we chatted with Breanna—one of our Youth Engagement Team members and trip facilitators who also spent eight months living in China. Keep reading to see what she had to say!
What’s it like when you first arrive at one of our partner communities?
Gufubao, in Hebei province, is one of the communities you’ll probably visit. First of all, the scenery is stunning! Gufubao is in a big valley, with big mountains around it. You can see storms coming in from the distance, and they’ll hit the mountains but they’ll never come into the valley. So you see these big clouds come in, you see rain and hear thunder, but it never actually comes to you.
The people are so welcoming too—the headmaster of the school is the first person you’ll see to greet you. We’ve partnered with that community for so long, and it’s amazing to see the school and everything established there, and to see the end goal of what Free The Children’s all about.
Tell us more about the kids you’ll meet in the community!
The kids are so active and high-energy; they’re so happy to have you there. On your trip you’ll get the chance to teach an English lesson, teaching basic words like rabbit, cat, and dog. The best part is when you see people go from standing at the front of the classroom to sitting at the desks with the students and working with them individually.
What’s something that makes trips to China really unique?
You get to see so much of the country, going from the north to the south border—and each area has a completely different culture, with different dialects, mannerisms and traditional foods. You start in Beijing, which is really metropolitan so you see the hustle and bustle of the city. Once you leave the border of Beijing, it’s completely rural. In Gufubao, you’re in the mountains, with beautiful scenery and very open spaces. Then you take the night train to Shaolin in the south, and you see all the bamboo forest scenery.
In Gufubao you’ll also get to go on a mountain hike, which is a really cool way to learn about the nature there, and see another perspective. You’ll see the mountain springs that bring water to taps in the community, and see how it’s all connected.
What are some of the issues you’ll see and explore? Definitely the difference between urban and rural—and the age gap that causes. To access secondary school, kids have to go to boarding school. You don’t really see anyone over the age of 10 and under 30. It’s hard to find jobs, and sometimes the farming industry isn’t good enough, so parents have to go to the city to find better work and leave their kids with grandparents.
You don’t really see poverty in big cities like Beijing at all, it’s all in the rural areas. That’s really interesting to see. There are also the environmental issues. Looking at Beijing, it’s kind of a realistic view of where our countries and cities could end up being if we don’t act on it now, because we don’t have as high of a population right now compared to them. In Beijing you’ll feel the smog in your lungs and see it on your clothes, and then you go into a rural area and it’s completely blue skies. It’s sad to see that kids in the city have to miss out on a sunny, blue sky day, or might not be able to run around at a park. I think that’s a really good thing to bring back home as a participant on a trip—to appreciate your home life and your environment.
What’s your favourite thing about China?
I really enjoy how everything has a meaning. Chinese characters are their basic language, but each character is broken down into so much more of a deeper meaning than just a syllable of a word. There’s so much complexity to the culture that I really admire. It goes back so many years, and there’s so much deep-rooted history that’s rich from so many centuries.
And finally—tell us about the food in China!
It’s amazing! I didn’t even realize how many different types of Chinese food there were until I lived there. You’re not going to get chicken balls—and the sweet and sour sauce is way better there! The flavours are endless, and there are so many delicacies to try. The lifestyle of eating is also really cool, because it’s all communal, everything’s in the centre and you share it. That’s how you socialize in China, is you go out and eat. I think it’s a really great way for travellers to bond with each other, because every night, you’re always with each other for dinner at these close-knit, circle tables.
Ready to start your adventure to China? Learn more and book your trip here!
If you’re travelling as a school, learn more about our school and group trips here.
Take Action Camp: Discover your inner world-changer!
Take Action Camp is definitely, definitely not a typical summer camp!
It’s a place where you can find your people—people who, like you, care about making the world a better place! It’s a place of acceptance, belonging, and a little thing we call Camp Magic. No one can quite define what Camp Magic is, but by the end of a week, it’s clear that something special has happened. Campers that were strangers on day one are friends by day two, and by day seven, they’re besties for a lifetime!
“At camp, we’re all so comfortable around each other,” says Sadie, 16. “We have so many things in common, which makes it easier for us to bond, and we understand each other a lot better than most people. Sometimes I feel like nobody can understand how passionate I really am about making a difference and how much it really means to me—but at camp I found people that can actually understand where I come from.”
Together with fellow campers, you’ll explore local and global issues and share opinions with one another, diving into your passions and discovering new ones. Each day brings new inspiration and ideas, and by the end of the week, you’ll have gained the skills to take action at home on the issue of your choice—from bullying, to local hunger, to world poverty, and more. You’ll be supported to follow anything you’re passionate about!
Of course camp wouldn’t be camp without the usual summer camp traditions! S’mores and singalongs around the campfire? Check! Spontaneous dance parties? Three times a day! Tie-dye, bracelet-weaving, basketball, soccer, relay races? For sure! If there’s one thing that’s certain about Take Action Camp, it’s that no two days are alike—and it’s an experience that definitely can’t be missed.
“My advice to other parents is to just let your child have the confidence to come to Take Action Camp and experience it, because it does take courage on their part to leave their family for a week and go visit a bunch of strangers,” says Rob Cowie, parent of a six-time camper. “But once they do, they realize they can change the world. When my daughter comes home, she has so many amazing stories. We feel like we want to be better now because she inspires us so much after camp.”
We won’t spoil all the surprises, but here’s a look at what to expect in a week at camp:
Coaching Sessions & Breakout Groups: Campers are divided into groups by age and spend time each day with their counsellors delving into social issues, taking part in fun modules and games to build leadership skills, and engaging in meaningful group discussions.
Take Action Day: It’s not just talk! One day of the week is dedicated to volunteering at a local organization as a group. Past placement has included food banks, an organic farm and community shelter.
Action Planning: Guided by their counsellors, campers take their interests, talents and passions and turn them into a tangible, step-by-step plan to take action in their community or school.
Minga Games: Who will be Minga Games Champion?! Each camper is part of a colour team, taking part in fun, camp-wide games each day to compete for a winning title. Each day’s challenge is different, from lip-synch battles to scavenger hunts, and more!
Choice Time: It’s free time, with choices! Each day, campers can spend time taking part in activity of their choosing, whether it’s soccer, journaling, reading or a jam session.
Guest Speakers: Each week at camp includes appearances from special guests and motivational speakers who share experience, expertise and inspiration.
TANZANIA: Be a ground-breaker on a one-of-a-kind adventure!
“The first time I went to Tanzania, I climbed Mount Kilimanjaro with two of my best friends—an incredible experience I’ll never forget. I’m so excited to return to Tanzania with ME to WE this year!”
– Spencer West, ME to WE Speaker and leadership facilitator
Imagine being an explorer. An adventurer. A leader of change. Imagine what it would be like to be part of one of the first groups to travel to Tanzania—building connections that will pave the way for groups of travellers to come. This is adventure to the max.
Your home-away-from-home is a tented camp in the heart of the savannah, with the stunning peaks of Mount Kilimanjaro towering in the distance. Joined by like-minded travellers, you’ll visit communities who are some of the first in the region to partner with Free The Children. Throughout your trip, spend time volunteering alongside local families on a Free The Children project like a new classroom or school library—share in a community’s energy and excitement at the start of this new partnership!
Meet and connect with people like Esther, a young student who grew up in the Maasai community of Engikaret. As a child, many of Esther’s family members didn’t want her to go to school, instead encouraging her parents to have their daughter married at a young age. But her parents were determined to see Esther complete her education. Now, seeing people in her community working alongside Free The Children to build a new school, Esther is full of renewed hope for the future, not just for herself but for generations to come. She’s so excited about working alongside travellers like you to build new classrooms in her community!
Outside of the build site, every day of this trip is packed full of exciting new adventures! Soak in Maasai culture and the region’s unique history with unforgettable activities and experiences—spend time with a local men’s group and get to know their stories, train with a Maasai warrior and learn how to make a rungu, and share stories with a family over traditional Chai tea. Along the way, you’ll also get to take part in amazing adventures like a safari in Lake Manyara National Park, looking out for lions, elephants, zebras and more as you ride in a lorry with your Maasai guide. Trust us—this is an adventure you don’t want to miss!
After an intensive and rigorous, yearlong process, I’m thrilled to say that ME to WE is now a Certified B Corporation—the 150th Certified B Corp in Canada!
Joyce Sou, Director of B Lab Canada, told us: “We are seeing an unprecedented amount of interest in this movement from Canadian companies as the global community continues to grow. ME to WE is a great Canadian example of an innovative business model for positive social change.”
Certified B Corporations meet higher standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability than other businesses. So to be at the top of that impressive group is well, humbling.
B Corporation certification is to business what Fair Trade is to coffee or LEED is to a building.
Let’s just say it was an extensive and long process, but we loved the outcome.
Over more than a year, the B Lab, which conducts the certification, required more than 25 documents from us. In some cases, we had to create new processes, tracking systems and templates to fulfill these requests. But we were determined to meet and master their processes.
Our amazing team had to solicit answers and documents from all departments, including human resources, consumer engagement, the leadership team, facilities team, accounting and finance, which had to answer upwards of 50 questions each to complete the B Lab’s application.
It was darn hard and something we should be proud of. In one case, we had to provide a list of suppliers to show how much of our cost of goods (COGS) sold went to artisans versus other suppliers. This was reporting we’d never done before but incredibly fulfilling when we realized the impact our manufacturing standards have.
In the end, we were gratified to find out 76 percent of costs of goods sold (COGS) went to artisans. Seventy-six percent of ME to WE’s Cost of Goods Sold is spent on providing opportunity and paying fair wages to small-scale, independent suppliers in “low-income, poor or very poor markets.”
This is extremely high. It is interesting in that ME to WE donates its profit to Free The Children, but it also makes an impact through its costs and expenses (which are subtracted to determine profit).
Being a B Corp requires a different mindset and process, rigour and discipline and ensuring you are actually doing things better.
I want to highlight some of the areas where ME to WE received a flawless score, meaning 100 percent of available points in a category. B Lab found that ME to WE:
Pays the artisans that supply handmade accessories 2.2 times more than what is considered a fair wage by the B Lab. (The B Lab uses a fair wage calculator http://fairwageguide.org/ to determine whether employees or suppliers receive a fair wage based on the regions where they live)
Receives full marks from the B Lab for the training and development it provides to its artisans and the tangible impact it has on efficiency and productivity
Has extremely high levels of women in its workforce (referring to the Toronto office), as well as women in management, and receives full marks on training and development for employees and managers
Produces financials that are verified annually by an independent source through an audit or review
Attains its mission and purpose—which is donating at least 50 percent of its net revenues to charity partner, Free The Children. (In 2014, ME to WE donated $2 million in cash and in-kind donations to Free The Children)
Tracks the impact of its work with small-scale suppliers, such as the mamas who make handmade accessories
Measures the impact and outcomes that its product and services achieve.
Through its leadership programs, reaches underserved and high risk youth including those in Aboriginal communities or youth who have a history of relational aggressive behavior or who have been identified as “bullies.”
Defines the outcomes (separate from the outputs) that it seeks through our products/services and these outcomes are based on measurable factors, such as changes in household income, improved quality of life, ancillary benefits for customers/clients, etc.)
Has direct research on its products/services confirming that a desired outcome has been achieved
Has key performance indicators (KPIs) or metrics that it tracks on at least an annual basis to determine if it meets its social or environmental objectives.
has a relatively small spread between a coordinator salary and the highest paid executive (between 1-5X)
ME to WE is in impressive company. The Canada B Corp community includes companies such as the Vancouver-based tech company HootSuite, Business Development Bank of Canada, and Ontario craft brewery, Beau’s Beer.
We can now compare ourselves to other socially and environmentally impactful organizations—and we compare very well.
– Russ McLeod, Chief Operations Director, ME to WE
ME to WE team returns from two-day Take Action workshop with inspiring Grand Prairie youth
ME to WE’s leadership team and the City of Grand Prairie’s Youth Council partnered this October to create a two-day Take Action workshop focused on exploring local issues and reflecting on the strengths of a team.
The City of Grand Prairie’s Youth Council comprises of over twenty local youth, aged 14-21. The Youth Council works together to put a spotlight on and take action on issues in their local community. They also host impressive local events, including their mini WE Day, named Mighty Peace Day, and an annual Youth Conference.
ME to WE was so excited to return to Grand Prairie to work with this amazing group, who are so passionate about the place they live. This year’s program was a chance for the youth to share their ideas of how they envision an improved Grand Prairie. In particular, the group is eager about the creation of a permanent Youth Centre where they can regularly meet and host events.
The workshop also included leadership training, focused on building communication skills. The group participated in activities that asked them to overcome a challenge using verbal and non-verbal communication skills. They then explored what makes communication effective, including patience, feedback and clarity.
Youth each created action plans focused on the upcoming Youth Conference in May 2016. Youth explored local issues that they will highlight during the conference. The group will also be further exploring the idea of creating a local Youth Centre and how to increase participation on the Youth Council.
“They all became so engaged and passionate about what was going on around them, and they all had such fantastic ideas about how to improve their community,” says facilitator Kelly Chessman, whose favourite moment was when youth talked about local issues. “Seeing their passion and hearing their innovative ideas was so humbling and was just another reminder of why I am so lucky to be doing this kind of work.”
