EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Every year thousands of women-including single support parents, newcomers, older women and abuse
survivors, go through life in poverty. This report joins research, personal experience and existing data with the
objective of 1) identifying the financial disparities faced by these women, some even with children, (2)
describe an easy business success strategy synthesized from years of data, and (3), discuss the benefits of
partnering with this program now and in the future.
The report also discusses current activities that are complimentary,
lessons learned from other programs in terms of support for
entrepreneurial pursuits, resources to encourage self employment
among women, while pointing out possible profit gaps and
solutions.
This paper was crafted out of a need to explore the financial
imperative to support Peel's poorer citizens, especially
women.There are programs such as the Ontario Self Employment
Benefits Program ( OSEB) that provide resources for building
businesses, however applicants are required to be or have been
"in the labor force." Another similar program allows all OW
recipients to join but it lacks the depth of OSEB and participants
are left seeking ways to fund their ideas. Women in poverty
require services focused on our unique and varied needs.

Starting a business needs resources.

Entrepreneurship can be viewed as a step up from self
employment, which in legal terms means that business ownership
would go from sole proprietorship to partnership or corporation. For those
joining the Women Empowered through Entrepreneurship program (WEE), that
means choosing all the responsibilities of business ownership and then
choosing to use available resources to improve their lifestyles and then pay it
forward in the community. All the actions taken toward business ownership
require resources such as information, funds, coaching and support. Yet, the
difficulties in accessing resources has been a huge deterrent to those living in
low income situations or are really new to the country and WEE can help to
change that.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction

This paper is written for those who are working with or interested in finding new resources to help reduce the
poverty rate, among women, in the Region of Peel. It is especially for those searching for resources to help lone
parents and their children rise well above the low income cut off point.
Peel has a lot of appeal for those in their late thirties choosing to work nearby and raise families. Located close to
Toronto, with a reputation for affordable housing, it is no wonder the Tri-city region of Peel grows at a rate of 2
percent per year with so many young families. With each year,however,comes an additional 27,000 plus people,
who are mostly immigrants needing resources. This cultural melting pot effect, brings vibrancy and diversity to the
region, but economic disparities tend to arise along with ethnic enclaves where people live together,separately.
What Peel lacks in affordability it seems to make up for in growth and development rate. But,the economic gap
continues to widen for those who are marginalized by poverty and unable to communicate their needs. It is
interesting to note that Peel has the highest proportion of Punjabi only speakers in Ontario, and that m any of
these are women and children, unable to communicate in the culture's official language.
The Region of Peel's 2005 Strategic Review of Poverty in Peel revealed that persons living below t h e p
o v erty line include:
Single parents
Families with young children
Persons with disabilities
Racialized Communities
Recent immigrants
Single seniors (especially women)

And according to a 2015 Pre-Budget submission by the Region of Peel, "unemployment rate remains high at
8.2% and its youth unemployment rate even more so at 17.6%." Entrepreneurship can help with the
unemployment rate and assist with the municipality's plan to " work together to develop solutions that will lead
to greater prosperity and an improved quality of life for all residents." 1.

1. https://www.peelregion.ca/council/advocacy/2015-provincial-pre-budget-submission.pdf

Overview
The effect poverty on society can be measured of the strain on social
and health services,or the lack of skilled workers. A 2008 Cost of
Poverty Analys2is showed that poverty cost Ontario $10.4 billion and
the country $21.8 billion. And according to the Peel Poverty
Reduction Strategy 2014-19, there is a commitment to,"investing $50
million over five years to create a new Local Poverty Reduction Fund
targeted at supporting local solutions to poverty. The fund will
support innovative poverty reduction efforts across the province."
Since the focus is on providing sustained funding for programs with
strong outcomes and as a part of the poverty reduction strategy the
government is prepared to: "providing mentorship, training and assistance
in accessing capital in order to develop and launch their own businesses.
Our government is investing $45 million to help Ontarios next generation
of entrepreneurs." 3 .Now is the ideal time for this program to be
implemented and used as a part of the strategy, evidence and best
practices.

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Who Am I ?
I'm an a divorced, sole support parent of 4, living below the poverty line and in need of this program. As a
former homemaker and supplemental income earner,I was shocked to learn the amount for market rent, the
length of the waiting list for subsidized housing and how little social service funding there was for those of
seeking to escape the shackles of poverty. I am in the more than half of the GTA population, aged of 15 to 65
plus, who's completed a post-secondary education.But due to family constraints,I find myself struggling to
make ends meet, resorting even to seeking help from our local food bank, The Knights Table. My natural
curiosity and drive to improve my situation, gave me the impetus to "create a door" where none was being
opened. And,after years of self employment experience, the last of which was a home daycare, I have learned
that financial independence can be achieved by women through creativity. My experience as a caribbean
trained teacher, homeschool educator, writer and my passionate dedication to helping women thrive, give me

the advantage to initiate this program geared toward motivating women to enhance their lives and their
families through entrepreneurship.

2. http://www.oafb.ca/assets/pdfs/CostofPoverty.pdf.
3.https://www.ontario.ca/page/realizing-our-potential-ontarios-poverty-reduction-strategy-2014-2019-all#section-7

Show me the Money

The wait time for subsidized housing in Peel is now five to seven years. With approximately 13 percent of residents
living in low income situations, and average rent being close to $1200, it is hard to not address the need for more
income, through creative measures. I am proposing that those who are invested in poverty elimination in Peel and
the GTA, get involved in providing entrepreneurial training and morale boosting support for these women. In the
last 4 years, I learned a formula used to create and multiply momentum which leads to income online. The formula
in the simplest form is to: gain followers using freebies---) offer up-sell---) offer bonus--) feed them into your
funnel and keep them engaged. It's a simple formula used to create millions of dollars in income online and off to,
but in order to create and offer quality and value to your followers, one needs an injection of capital.
An idea, with little money and few options for work that fits a unique schedule, leave many women impoverished
and children vulnerable. There are programs like Family First, geared toward helping lone parents find suitable
work. However,entrepreneurship support will sew the seeds of success into future generations and help improve
the economy in the future.

According to the Peel Poverty Reduction Strategy 2014-19, entrepreneurship as an initiative is

working well with youths. "Supporting entrepreneurship among vulnerable youth.One program
being delivered through the Youth Entrepreneurship Fund is the Strategic

Community Entrepreneurship Projects program, which supports youth facing multiple barriers to
employment to gain the skills necessary to implement a self-employment venture or smallscale
business. There has been a strong Aboriginal uptake of the program, at 39 per cent. In one case, a
16-week entrepreneurship training and business support program delivered by the Kenamatewin
Native Learning Centre is helping 24 low-income, at-risk Aboriginal youth in
Kenora and surrounding areas." 4
4.https://www.ontario.ca/page/realizing-our-potential-ontarios-poverty-reduction-strategy-2014-2019-all#section-7

Objectives

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The Strategy
Think of this as a partnership for poverty
reduction among women, in Peel. Like the
United Way and The Peel Poverty Reduction
Strategy Committee, we will be adding our
efforts, in a focused, resourced manner that
allows private sector businesses to become
leaders in supporting initiatives that build
stronger communities and address persistent
issues.
Studies have shown that Canadian immigrants have a slightly higher self employment rate5
And The Region of Peel should be no exception.This shift is possible due to the over all youthfulness of the Region
and number of single-support homes needing funds. The economy has contributed to this need to redefine
employment as a whole and also as it affects immigrants living in Canada ten years or less. It is this core group* that
initiates self employment and in some cases entrepreneurship in times of economic turn down and job insecurity.
There are many other reasons people choose to work for themselves, including: a need for economic independence,
carrying on a family business, and identifying opportunities. But there are also more sinister reasons that push
residents away from being self employed, that need to be addressed. The lack of training and experience
disenfranchises the under resourced," around a third of employers state that they would not hire newcomers for
sales and marketing occupations, supervisory and manager positions,and as senior leaders and executives." 6 With
WEE in place, motivated women are allowed the opportunity to transform their lives, with measurable changes such
as increased income, education, professional business etiquette, communication and financial skills. Read on to learn
of the way we could use this simple, yet profound system to address income and lifestyle issues.

5.http://metcalffoundation.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/immigrant-self-employment-and-entrepreneurship.pdf 6.
http://www.peelhaltonworkforce.com/sites/default/files/PHWDG%20LLMP%20Report%202015%20Final_0.pdf
*Gvt paper to copy style.*

Specifications
Plans
This document represents the beginning of a necessary discussion to address the need for support and radical
strategy to tackle the current challenges facing our female residents. Women
Empowered through Entrepreneurship's vision is to secure sustained funding to help 24 women per year
abdicate the confines of indigence. Of course this is a massive undertaking, that will require guidance and
mentorship to be established and beginning removing the barriers faced by women motivated to transform
their situations. Like the Ontario Employment and training systems, WEE seeks to become a vital part of the
infrastructure poised to reduce poverty in Ontario.

Funding used to:

Raise awareness,support and build team(Program beta testers)
Create a plan similar to ones offered by social services(OSEB and OSWED) with value added
bonuses of online training, field experience and self employment status Gain support from
private businesses and government agencies working to reduce poverty in Ontario.

Action
Our mission is to provide a program that uses entrepreneurship and life skills training to help women in Peel and
eventually Ontario, become more self sufficient. The three main areas we will be developing in this program are:
Entrepreneurial mindset, skills and actions. By providing instruction online in comprehensive, learner
focused,downloadable modules,participants will learn at their own pace, have continuous access to practice and
master the more difficult concepts and learn in a manner suitable to their personality, right at home. No more
need for childcare, transportation or missing vital information. First, however, we must take the necessary steps to
initiate, test and streamline the WEE program, while raising community interest.

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Measurements
Mindset-practicing emotional Skill-putting ideas to the test.
security, confidence and
Doing research and
discipline
using resources to create
businesses or "doors."
Confidence
Training
Experience
Discipline
Potential
Possibilities
Own a business
Fit & Healthy

Organized plan
Dressed Well

Body Language
Apply material
practices
Niches
Diversify
Financial Security

Acquire product
Package offer

Action-massive, focused
movement toward
successful business
practices

Met with VIP*

Save/make money
Current Income Wellness
Business plan
Focus on Giving
Get $$ /support

Conclusion
The hardship faced by many new comers and at risk persons in Peel are many. And barriers to gainful
employment can cause undue insecurity and pauperism. If this paper has brought to your attention
the need for specialized programs for women in poverty, starting in Peel Region, then the author has
done her job.
If you are now considering ways to successfully implement this entrepreneurial approach WEE and
aware of its future effect on unemployment, self employment and bettering the community, then
she has done her job well.
Gender based disparities such as differences in earnings, power in decision making, lack of property
ownership and physical safety, force women into under-addressed insolvency. Gender based
solutions are needed to make the difference. Women Empowered through Entrepreneurship will
allow women, who are willing to change their situations, access to a program with the pace and
focus of a career college, hands on training of trade school, and the coaching and practicality of
apprenticeship.
Finally,the author intended that this document shows she is indeed capable, willing and
prepared to launch her author-entrepreneurial business, with WEE as a significant value
proposition block in the business model. As a woman facing the economic hardships mentioned in
this paper, this author is motivated to partner with key parties to leverage the business model,
contribute resources and add to the betterment of her community.

Nada Poyser is the author of Balancing Acts: The Guardian, a contemporary fiction about healing from betrayal
and one woman's comeback from the brink of destitution. Due Fall 2016. She's a thorough researcher and
word-crafter, who spends majority of her time teaching complex concepts in the simplest form.You can find
out more about her at : Nadapoyser.com

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