Partnerships with industry. That about says it all.
We were fortunate enough to participate in a program last week about the challenges and rewards of social enterprise for nonprofits through San Diego Association of Nonprofits (SANDAN) and AKT CPA. One of the participants was Partnerships With Industry (PWI), a San Diego-based nonprofit bringing together employers and persons with developmental and other disabilities in win-win partnerships. PWI was kind enough to weigh-in with their thoughts on social enterprise and creative partnerships with—well, industry—in order to change the landscape of employment for people with disabilities:
At PWI, we believe that it is crucial to stay aware of trends and innovations happening in our growing world of social enterprise. While we are proud of our forward progress in providing jobs for adults with intellectual, developmental and other disabilities, we know there are other social entrepreneurs enjoying great success and improving the quality of life for thousands individuals with significant barriers to employment. Upon hearing about a session hosted by SANDAN on the topic of Social Enterprise and the growth strategy for nonprofits given by Dave Shaffer of DePaul Industries, we signed up for the opportunity to learn and hear another perspective.
The session proved to be very informative to say the least. Dave Shaffer’s knowledge of the business world and compassion for serving others through employment was clear throughout, and inspiring. Dave explained WHERE THE BUSINESS AND NONPROFIT WORLDS MEET and stressed the importance of addressing demand rather than push a social agenda that might not prove as successful. The broad topic of social enterprise was covered from various angles with a clear focus on U.S. labor force statistics and areas for improvement.
DePaul Industries is proving that social enterprises can aptly bond the needs of the business world with the social missions of U.S. nonprofits and create true win-win relationships. We walked away from the meeting inspired and hope to collaborate with such an amazing organization in the future.
PWI provides contracting outsourcing solutions for businesses, as well, and recognizes the need to provide viable business solutions while simultaneously providing a solution to a large social problem. After all, the word ‘partnerships’ means that it’s beneficial and works for both parties’ bottom lines—whether that be providing competitive employment for underserved populations, or reducing a manufacturer’s HR headache to generate additional company revenue. Many thanks to Brian and Mark at PWI for their kind words, and all the excellent work they do across sectors for people with disabilities.
