CESO Indigenous Services: Committed to Helping Communities and Businesses Succeed

CESO Indigenous Services: Committed to Helping Communities and Businesses Succeed

CESO has had a long history of working collaboratively with Indigenous communities to create environments where entrepreneurs, leaders, and members can thrive and prosper. As the focus on Indigenous well-being and participation grows stronger throughout the country, CESO renamed its National Services department to Indigenous Services to better reflect the work they do.

“The change of name was a conscious effort on the part of the organization to clarify our focus and our history of working with Indigenous communities across the country,” shares Stacia Kean (Director, CESO Indigenous Services).

CESO Indigenous Services provides flexible and affordable full-service solutions to support Indigenous businesses and communities. In an interview, Stacia Kean and Allison Deer (Manager, CESO Indigenous Services),  talk about the business model and why they offer the best solution for the communities.

Stacia may be relatively new to CESO (she joined in January 2018), however her accomplishments and the success of her team, speak volumes about her passion for her work. Travelling  across the country to meet with people, businesses and communities and listen to their needs is part of their routine. “There’s a lot of exciting energy coming from the Indigenous community, especially from the youth,” says Stacia. “I’m thrilled to have a great team of people behind me – staff, volunteers and board members – who are just as passionate about seizing the opportunity to lend a helping hand to Canada’s Indigenous peoples.”

“CESO Indigenous team and the whole organization are committed to making a difference by supporting the growth of Indigenous communities across Canada,” adds Allison “They are motivated by our purpose. We’re a non-profit organization, with no vested interest in the community aside from seeing them succeed.”

There is an undeniable need for building capacity across Indigenous communities to fully participate and benefit from ongoing local and global economic activities. “To be an entrepreneur or community leader (or both) requires a personal leap of faith to put yourself out there, find out what you don’t know, take a risk in bringing a new idea to the table and making it happen,” Stacia shares as she talks about how CESO Indigenous Services helps to build capacity through a collaborative approach based on a unique business model.

“Our approach is to enhance what’s already in the community – ideas, resources, talents and knowledge, by tapping into our large network of exceptional experts who are ready and willing to help, unmotivated by personal gains,” Allison explains. “This is supported by our business model of linking global networks and local expertise based on our ethical values, so we can provide professional expertise at a very affordable cost.”

The CESO Indigenous Services team is made up of diverse individuals of staff, volunteers and board members whose common goal is to enhance lives and livelihoods of Indigenous communities across the country. “Everyone has a part to play. At CESO, we strive to build meaningful relationships that inform our approach in every project,” Stacia describes the team’s daily motivation. “Our staff work hard to reach out to communities, listen to them and help them identify solutions to their challenges. Our board members are invested in connecting us to a larger network to grow our work with Indigenous communities, ensuring that our reach goes beyond where we’re at currently.”

“Most importantly, we have a roster of 1,200 experts, from every walk of life, who want to share and transfer their knowledge and experience that they have accumulated over the years of their professional career,” shares Allison to describe CESO experts who come from the public and private sectors whose expertise ranges across a variety of industries and professions. “They act as catalysts and support systems to individuals. Our clients have told us repeatedly that their interactions go beyond building a business plan, and into building self-confidence to become successful.”

“On the surface, we match expertise and provide a low-cost solutions to Indigenous businesses and communities,” explains Stacia, “But our commitment is much more than that. We’re committed to creating these human exchanges and interactions that help communities and businesses succeed.”

To find out more about CESO Indigenous Services, their experts and projects they can help you with, visit: ceso-saco.com/Indigenous-Services.