Guest Blog<\/p>\n
<\/p><\/h3><\/span> <\/p>\n Key Insights from Our Data Party<\/p><\/h3><\/span> Guest blog by Dr. Julia Fursova, Assistant Professor, Renaissance College, Interdisciplinary Leadership Studies Program, UNB <\/i><\/p>\n \u201cWomen and Non-Binary Leadership in Social Enterprise\u201d is a collaborative community-based research project that examines the experiences of women and non-binary founders in the social enterprise ecosystem in Atlantic Canada, focusing primarily on New Brunswick. This project explores how emerging social enterprise leaders navigate the complexities and tensions inherent in pursuing multiple goals related to raising capital and their commitment to social purpose and public service.<\/p>\n On January 24, 2025, our research team hosted an online data party <\/span>as a part of this project\u2019s participatory research approach. Eleven participants, representing a range of social enterprises joined the discussion. Together, we uncovered several key insights about the experiences of women and non-binary leaders in social enterprise.<\/p>\n A data party is a collaborative research technique where participants engage in analyzing and validating data collected through a research study. Such a participatory approach enhances the credibility of findings, encourages knowledge co-creation, and supports a shared understanding of key challenges and opportunities within the sector. The data party session provided an opportunity to collectively analyze emerging findings, ensuring that our research remains grounded in lived experiences.<\/span><\/p>\n Presenting the emerging findings as infographics and visual summaries, we invited participants to discuss how our interpretation of data reflects their experience. We asked questions such as \u2018what surprises you about the data?\u2019, \u201chow do the findings resonate with you?\u2019 and \u2018what, if anything, doesn\u2019t feel right?\u2019. Finally, we invited participants to generate actionable messages to funders and policymakers in the social enterprise ecosystem.<\/p>\n<\/div> Key Takeaways<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Affirming Shared Experiences<\/span>: Participants expressed a strong sense of connection with the data presented. Hearing the stories and challenges of fellow social enterprise leaders provided reassurance that they were not alone in navigating the complexities of the sector. Many leaders found validation in the distinction between self-knowledge and the pressure to fit into predefined categories of social enterprise.<\/span><\/p>\n The Need for More Accessible Resources<\/span>: One of the biggest questions that emerged was whether social entrepreneurs need an all-in-one resource platform or simply a better way to navigate and access existing resources. Participants emphasized that instead of consolidating everything into a single platform, making resources more visible, accessible, and well-advertised could be more beneficial.<\/span><\/p>\n Funding and Support Gaps<\/span>: Access to funding remains a major challenge, especially for women, non-binary individuals, and racialized social entrepreneurs. Participants called for more targeted funding and operational support to help social enterprises sustain their services and scale effectively. The discussion highlighted the need for funders and policymakers to:<\/span><\/p>\n Looking Ahead<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n These insights reinforce the importance of creating an ecosystem that values and actively supports the contributions of women and non-binary leaders in social enterprise. As a research team, we remain committed to advancing equity, fostering collaboration, and advocating for systemic changes that empower diverse entrepreneurs.<\/p>\n We extend our gratitude to the Pond-Deshpande Centre for their collaboration and commitment to this research. Their efforts in knowledge mobilization are instrumental in shaping a more inclusive future for social enterprise.<\/p>\n As we move forward, we invite funders, policymakers, and ecosystem partners to act on these insights. Together, we can build a thriving social enterprise landscape that truly reflects and supports the diversity of leadership within it.<\/p>\n<\/div> Next Steps<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n As we further analyze and process our findings, we will be sharing more detailed updates on the emerging results.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n The Women and Non-Binary Leadership in Social Enterprise Research Team:<\/p>\n You can follow along as we share more guest blogs on this project.<\/p>\n Research updates will be shared on Renaissance College social media platforms: Facebook<\/a> et Instagram<\/a>, as well as Julia\u2019s personal LinkedIn<\/a> et website<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":2603,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-5560","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nGrowing Knowledge Together: Women and Non-Binary Leadership in Social Enterprise<\/span><\/p>\n
What is a data party?<\/h5>\n
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Follow Along<\/h3><\/span>