Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/659479
"People are interested in various aspects of our story," says Maggie Edwards, general manager, men- tioning the design, social enterprise and sustainable building practices as major draws. " ere's a lot of interest in indigenous cultures, especially in Canada." EAST VAN ROASTERS East Van Roasters (EVR) looks like any cute and tidy urban café. But it's part of a creative employment pro- gram to help women struggling with addictions. On a weekday morning I ordered house-roasted co ee and an energy square made from EVR's own bean-to-bar chocolate, and stole a few minutes with Shelley Bolton. Bolton's early adulthood had been lled with travel, social service work and 10 years in the lm business before a local nonpro t housing group asked her to start some social enterprises. First Bolton founded the Windows Community Art Shop for neighborhood artists. en she learned how to roast co ee and make chocolate. And then she taught the women in the employment program. EVR cultivates a non-judgmental approach to ad- diction. No one is drug tested or interrogated about sobriety. A few women have gone o assistance, and one got her child out of care. " ey want to do some- thing meaningful and work in a place they feel good," Bolton says. Just like anyone else. TAKE A TOUR Tour guide Jennifer Potter works social enterprise into many of her Vancouver tours. Known as Jenn- invan on the ToursByLocals website, she o en takes tour groups into areas of East Vancouver that tourists have long been advised to avoid. "I've found very few people who aren't interested," Potter says. "More and more people want to under- stand the local perspective and the local landscape. People want to talk about what it's like to live here." Potter o en asks Potluck, a 15 year-old social en- terprise catering company, to provide box lunches. Or she'll take guests to Save On Meats, well known for its program of selling $2 tokens that homeless people can redeem for sandwiches. "It really made me happy when I started to see [local] people going down there who wouldn't have in the past. To be hon- est, I'm one of them." CONFERENCES AND CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY Beautiful Vancouver, with its moderate climate, at- tracts many corporate visitors. Engagement Unlim- ited is a new sort of business that o ers visiting con- ference participants team-building activities that also help support the community. Since many big compa- nies now strive for more social engagement—wheth- er from conviction or because it makes them look good—this unlikely business model is slowly catch TAKE A TOUR Tour guide Jennifer Potter works social enterprise into many of her Vancouver tours. Known as Jenn- invan on the ToursByLocals website, she o en takes tour groups into areas of East Vancouver that tourists have long been advised to avoid. "I've found very few people who aren't interested," Potter says. "More and more people want to under- stand the local perspective and the local landscape. Photos: bottom, Albert Normandin; top, courtesy YWCA Hotel Vancouver april/may 2016 29