"Young people are changing the course of our future. Creating spaces for youth to engage with each other and their communities in new ways, and to work on big issues is crucial to building a better a better world for all of us."
“The work of the CEI centers communities, and the people that live and work within these communities. Through this work the CEI is able to better help make meaningful change and ensure that individuals and their communities thrive. The inclusive nature of the CEI allows for the innovation necessary to continue make a difference in regard to employment in Nova Scotia, today and in the future.”
“Supporting new employment initiatives, in collaboration with service providers, allows us to witness firsthand the breadth of innovation occurring within our province’s employment services system.”
"Diversity and equity are essential components of a strong and inclusive workforce. Here at the CEI, we support the innovation of employment services in Nova Scotia through research, collaboration, community engagement, and promoting asset-based approaches."
"Our biggest asset is the diversity of our communities. Our differences in perspectives, stories, knowledge and experiences are exactly where innovation emerges. Our work prioritizes inclusivity and collaboration in finding what is working and how these best practices can be shared, ensuring that those who are impacted by decisions have a voice throughout the process."
“The CEI does purposeful community-based research with a focus on diversity, inclusion and equity. Through collaboration and career development pathways, the CEI helps Nova Scotian citizens find opportunities for meaningful work that helps them achieve a full and abundant life.”
"Engaging with young workers is extremely important in the quest to learn about the challenges and obstacles that face employees entering the workforce. By learning from the experiences of youth, we can move towards a world in which more young people can find and maintain meaningful employment."
"Employment is an integral part of our lives, it determines where you live, what food you eat, and what services you have access to and all of those are determining factors in how healthy you are. The impact that employment has on our health is important and I am excited to have the chance to explore it further this summer!"
“Innovation through collaboration is the cornerstone of our engagement, learning and research agenda. At the CEI, we focus on bringing together the people, knowledge and assets that strengthen communities and organizations, and build capacity for positive social change.”
“The voice of the community is at the core of our work. We believe collaborative relationships are key to fostering a future that works for all.”
“CEI provides Social Innovation Labs and Communities of Learning to foster collaboration; bringing community and system partners together to share, learn, and develop innovative initiatives that ultimately lead to meaningful employment for all.”
“Creating avenues and spaces for research to be initiated, driven, and informed by community and individual experiences within those communities is an integral act to encourage radical system changes”
"The foundation of meaningful employment is good relationships, the foundation of a good relationship is trust. CEI’s investment in community relationships creates a space that allows trust to grow and collaboration to take place."
"Here at the CEI, collaboration and innovation happens, making conscious and lasting improvements within employment and our communities."
"Diversity facilitates creativity, widening the lens of possibility by learning from various ways of knowing, listening, valuing, and organizing. By leveraging the diversity of knowledges and experiences from across our communities, we can work together to reimagine and reshape employment opportunities so that all people can find meaningful, dignified, and sustainable work."
"Through researching with our community and finding gaps within employment that can foster a more diverse and inclusive workplace, we contribute to a collaborative and supportive provincial community. The CEI prioritizes inclusivity and collaboration, and when these traits are brought into any team - whether work or social life - exceptional things happen! Diversity allows for new perspectives, solutions, and understandings to emerge, helping us bring people together to gain insight into what really matters."
"We do research you can use. Our exploration of career development is practical, community-focused and above all, practitioner led.”
"Our work at the CEI strives to break down the barriers of inequality through innovative, evidence-based research that addresses the issues that impact our diverse communities. We seek to consistently ask "who is not at the table?". The voices of our communities are powerful and provide opportunities for collaborative, long-term and much needed change."