Social Side of Economic Development (SED)
Social Side of Economic Development (SED)
Understanding the Intersection of Social and Economic Outcomes
Economic developers are increasingly asked to engage with issues such as housing, workforce participation, health, inclusion, infrastructure, and community well-being. While these topics are often viewed as social challenges, they also have significant economic implications that affect workforce attraction, business growth, investment readiness, and long-term community prosperity.
The Social Side of Economic Development (SED) is designed to help economic development practitioners understand where social and economic issues intersect and determine the most appropriate role economic development can play. Using the Purple Paradigm© framework, participants will explore how social conditions influence economic outcomes and learn practical approaches for deciding when to lead, collaborate, advocate, or defer to organizations with deeper expertise.
The course examines five key overlap areas where social and economic outcomes are closely connected: health, housing, diversity and inclusion, infrastructure, and workforce development. Participants will explore how these issues affect community competitiveness, resilience, talent attraction, business success, and quality of life while strengthening their ability to work effectively across sectors and build meaningful partnerships.
Rather than turning economic developers into social service providers, this course helps practitioners understand where they can add value, contribute strategically, and support community outcomes without overextending their mandate. It provides practical tools for integrating social considerations into planning, engagement, partnership development, and performance measurement while maintaining a clear economic development focus.
This is an optional course within the Community Economic Development Certificate Program.
COURSE OUTCOMES
- Explain how social and economic outcomes are interconnected and influence community prosperity.
- Describe the Purple Paradigm© and apply it as a practical framework for analyzing complex community issues.
- Recognize how health, housing, diversity and inclusion, infrastructure, and workforce development affect economic outcomes.
- Apply the Expertise vs. Responsibility Framework to determine when economic development should lead, collaborate, advocate, or defer.
- Identify appropriate roles for economic development in social and community-focused initiatives.
- Understand how social enterprises, co-operatives, Indigenous partnerships, and responsible business practices contribute to economic development goals.
- Apply an equity and inclusion lens to community planning, engagement, and strategy development.
- Build effective partnerships with social service organizations, Indigenous communities, businesses, educational institutions, and community groups.
- Integrate social considerations into strategic planning, community engagement, and economic development initiatives.
- Identify social and economic indicators that can be used to measure progress and community impact.
- Strengthen their ability to address complex community challenges while remaining aligned with their organization's mandate and expertise.
- Develop practical approaches for moving from understanding to action in the "purple zone" where social and economic outcomes intersect.
Delivery Option & Cost
Individual
Online, self-directed learning. Available 24-7.
$195 Members $295 Non-Members
Group
Hybrid- Online:
Self-directed, augmented with live instructor sessions
$325 Members $435 Non-Members
In person:
Group session in your community. One day instructor-led online workshop.
$2950 Members $3450 Non-Members