Entrepreneurship as an Empowering Option for Disadvantaged Groups

History

The Rotman Small Business Program at Regent Park was started in the Spring of 2006 as part of a University of Toronto Regent Park Knowledge Exchange Program by Andy Ranachan (U of T Regent Park Knowledge Exchange), Professor Ann Armstrong (Director, Social Enterprise Initiative), and Michael Hartmann (Director, Executive Programs), and Bethany Osborne (Regent Park Neighborhood Initiative).

The first small business course was actually preceded by a one day pre-course designed to encourage a particularly disadvantaged group in Regent Park, Bengali Women, to take the full 6 week Small Business Course. The pre-course for Bengali Women was successful since the majority of registrants (19/34), for the first full Rotman Regent Park Small Business Program, were of Bengali origin.  The pre-course involved the following volunteers: Fyaz Faisal (Rotman MBA alumni), Amit Lahiri (Centinnial College) and Ushnish Sengupta (Rotman MBA alumni).  Entrepreneurship Course materials were translated from English into Bengali by Priyadarshini SenRoy  (Anubhav Creative Arts Therapy).

This project would not be possible without the various people invoved, and here is a short acknowledgment of the people who make it happen in alphabetical order by last name:

Nouman Ashraf

Former Director, Anti-Racism and Cultural Diversity Office, University of Toronto

As Director of the University of Toronto’s Anti-Racism and Cultural Diversity Office, Nouman Ashraf works closely with members of the faculty and senior administration as well as student leaders around various policy and program issues. He possesses a special interest and expertise in issues pertaining to diversity and has served as a consultant to various agencies and organizations including the United Way of Canada, the Ontario Public Service as well as numerous post-secondary institutions. Prior to joining the University of Toronto, Nouman worked in consulting capacity with IBM and a Bank of Montreal affiliate in the Middle East. He current serves on several not-for-profit boards and is recognized widely for his publications and speaking engagements at conferences at institutions of higher learning. He is the recipient of honours and awards from various communities for his leadership on community engagement initiatives.

He has an undergraduate degree as well as an Executive MBA from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto. Nouman teaches within several executive programs at the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto.

Nouman brings a unique combination of experience and knowledge to the Rotman Regent Park Small Business Program, and has provided a presentation on cultural diversity of customers in Toronto, in an educational and entertaining way.  Nouman’s extensive practical experience in dealing with diversity issues, and in depth knowledge of current research, makes him an invaluable source of practical knowledge for course participants.  Nouman Ashraf is currently pursing his PhD at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work at the University of Toronto.

Ann Armstrong

Director, Social Enterprise Initiative, Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto

Ann Armstrong, Ph.D. is the Director, Social Enterprise Initiative, Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto and has been a lecturer at Rotman for the past seven years, in the OB/HRM area. She teaches courses in change management, team building, organizational theory and design, and non-profit consulting. She also teaches in the M.Biotech and the Culture, Communication and Information Technology programs. Ann is working on increasing the School’s involvement in the non-profit/social enterprise sector and has recently completed a case on the print shop at Eva’s Phoenix. She consults to organizations on compensation, creativity and organizational design.

(Acknowledgment: Rotman Nexus website)

Michael Hartmann

Former Director, Executive Programs, Rotman School of Management

Michael Hartmann was Assistant Dean and Managing Director, Executive Programs, Rotman School of Management when he put together the Rotman side of the Rotman Regent Park Small Business Program.  Michael lived in the area of Cabbagetown in Toronto, adjacent to Regent Park, and recognized the need for this type of program between Rotman and Regent Park. Michael Hartmann is now Chief External Officer at Manchester Business School (MBS), United Kingdom.

Bethany Osborne

Community Engagement Worker, Regent Park Neighborhood Initiative (RPNI)

Bethany Osborne was a Community Engagement Worker of the Regent Park Neighborhood Initiative when she put together the Regent Park side of the Rotman Regent Park Small Business Program.  Bethany identified Bengali women as a particularly disadvantaged group requiring a pre-course, from her experience as a Publics relations Coordinator, Mennonite Central Committee Job Creation Program in Bangladesh.  Bethany Osborne is currently a PhD candidate at the Ontario Institute of Studies in Education (OISE), University of Toronto.

Andy Ranachan

University of Toronto Regent Park Knowledge Exchange

B.A. (York University) & M.A. (University of Toronto ). Since 1974 Andy’s keen interest in politics and social policy have led him to part-time teaching of humanities, social science, political economy, political science and history at the universities of Ryerson, Toronto and York in the areas of humanities, social science, political science, political economy and history. He has also been heavily involved in union organizing, bargaining and education and with social movement groups doing work in economic and political literacy. He funded his university education by working in a factory as a millright — an experience which inspired him to organize labour, union and bargaining units at York University. Andy Currently teaches an on-line course at Ryerson on advocacy for non-profit sector workers. In addition he is the programme co-ordinator for the University of Toronto/Regent Park Learning Exchange Programme which delivers non-credit courses taught by UofT faculty to the residents of Regent Park. He has served on numerous community boards, worked as a social policy consultant, and recently spearheaded the Regent Park/ University of Toronto Learning Exchange programme for local residents Also a fanatical soccer junkie on the two 24/7 soccer channels and supports Scotland and anyone playing England. He has also been known to somewhat dabble in film, William Blake, J.M. Turner, Bob Dylan, Billy Bragg, The Kinks, The Clash, Robert Altman, Gilles Pontecorvo, and punk, jazz, folk and alt. country music. At Linden School, he teaches all the histories in grades 10-12, social studies and civics. Additionally he coaches indoor and outdoor soccer and is faculty adviser to both the Social Justice Club and the Model UN.

(Acknowledgment: Linden School website)

Peter Scott

Executive Programs, Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto

Peter has a BFA degree in fine arts and his currently completing his Certificate in Adult Training and Education (OISE) Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto. He has also completed several executive programs courses from the Rotman School of Management, Executive Programs.  Peter’s experience is extensive in the arts including production theatre design as well in community employment education with the St. Stephen Community House Employment and Training Centre, where he is a regular volunteer, and was also former employment counselor for several years. Peter has been the program manager for the SBP-Regent Park for the past five years.  Peter puts in many volunteer hours into the program, and is the utility player who catches the ball when someone else drops it.  If you ever visit the Executive Program on the third floor of the Rotman building located at 105 St. George Street in Toronto, Peter is the smiling face that greets you at the reception, and is willing to go above and beyond his duties to help people.

Priyadarshini Senroy

MA CCC Special Education, Anubhav Drama Therapy

As a Creative Arts Therapist Priya works in direct service, training and research in Mental Health Care. Priya’s expertise lies in facilitating groups and individual sessions, intake, evaluations, assessment, research and publication, outreach and community education, training of staff, volunteers and other professionals, referrals and documentation. Settings and situations include psychiatric inpatient and outpatient, substance abuse, geriatric, special education, families, after-school programs, medical rehabilitation, AIDS, the homeless, domestic violence, eating disorders and sessions in prisons.

Main Page: Rotman Regent Park Small Business Program