On September 28, 2021, the FNQLEDC launched a community of practice entirely dedicated to Quebec First Nations Community Economic Development Officers (CEDOs). The purpose of this online community of practice is to promote the sharing of information and to create opportunities for meetings.

CEDOs work on a wide range of economic development projects in various areas of activity. As a result, they have knowledge and expertise that could benefit other CEDOs; however, to date, there has been no established channel or tool for them to stay connected and share information.

Therefore the FNQLEDC has decided to provide a virtual collaboration and networking space where CEDOs can share and discuss their knowledge, experiences, challenges and more. They will be able to benefit from the expertise of their counterparts and share their own through a single platform.

The launch activity

The community of practice was launched on September 28, 2021 in conjunction with the FNQLEDC Annual General Assembly and brought together more than 20 CEDOs. The goal was to present the features of the platform and to allow participants to familiarize themselves with it. As part of this event, the FNQLEDC team held a practical workshop aimed at preparing CEDOs to make the platform their own and use it efficiently.

A fully dedicated community of practice

The FNQLEDC team will develop exclusive content to foster discussion and will provide regular opportunities for meetings. Moreover, CEDOs will be able to create specific events to discuss topics of interest to them and stay connected at all times through private discussions.

A calendar of activities related to a theme will be proposed each month. Activities will include sharing news, useful information or successful initiatives undertaken by CEDOs or their communities (pertaining to the theme of the month or to economic development in general).

Each week, Steve Laveau, Economic Development Advisor, will lead an informal discussion on a specific theme in a forum called the CEDOs’ Coffee. The activity will take place every Tuesday of the month and will allow for a more in-depth discussion on a theme chosen by CEDOs. As well, a FNQLEDC advisor will discuss services offered to CEDOs on a weekly basis and will be available to answer their questions.

Once a month, an expert will be invited to give a presentation related to the theme of the month or on a topic of common interest in relation to economic development or entrepreneurship.

Collaboration and networking features

The community of practice offered by the FNQLEDC is powered by Fanslab, a Quebec-based company specializing in digital platforms for managing virtual events and online communities.

In order to foster collaboration and networking, the community includes the following features:

• A homepage with direct shortcuts to targeted sections of the platform.
• A news space for sharing articles, videos, information from the network and exclusive documents (not available on our website), etc
• A section dedicated to activities proposed by the FNQLEDC (live or pre-recorded conferences, networking activities, thematic workshops, etc.) where users will be able to access their agenda and register for the activities they are interested in.
• A section for members to access the profiles of platform users. This section will allow users to start a private discussion with the person of their choice.
• A section dedicated to small group discussions on a specific topic of interest. These activities will be proposed by CEDOs. This section aims to facilitate their discussions and foster networking.
• A section dedicated to partners where users can learn about FNQLEDC services and access useful links.
• A section dedicated to facilitators and speakers for FNQLEDC-led activities that allows users to access their profiles.
• A section for FAQs about using the platform.

In closing, the FNQLEDC is hopeful that the new platform will meet the needs and expectations of CEDOs, and that it will enable the building of a solid network where the skills of each individual are valued by and shared with the community.

Time to put collective intelligence to work!

For more information about Fanslab, visit fanslab.com.

You are a CEDO, log in now to the community of practice!

For tools that have been developed by the FNQLEDC, don’t hesitate to visit the toolbox section of our website.