State Farm showcases their successful Coop experiences within their organization-it's 'A Win!'

Click on the page to read the entire article.

Link to this blog entry showcasing a unique and highly successful Coop experience plus the power of social netwoking in providing mentorship opportunities.

My cooperative education experience was an amazing opportunity.  I am grateful that I got to see ideas come to life, from the beginning to end.  I was given the chance to display my own artwork in the galleries. Working with designers from graphics to project management gave me great exposure and open my eyes to a whole other perspective.  The ROM taught me a lot about Natural History, Sciences, and cultures around the world.  Coop allowed me to gain skills I can use in the workplace and network with people that enjoy and share the same interests as me.  The ROM is such an amazing environment and I loved every moment there.

-TDSB Student, Semester 1 Coop, 2009-2010

Southlake Hospital has showcased current and former Coop students. Click here to link to their publication.

Wall St. football jock makes difference in the classroom

By Ellen Roseman Personal Finance Columnist

Goldman Sachs banker Glenn Hadden wants Grey Cup party guests to kick in donations to a $300,000 project supporting financial literacy for Toronto students

"It's a 24-hour-a-day marketplace," says the Toronto native, who has been a bond trader since 1992. But he still finds time for his hobby – raising money to help improve the lives of young people in this city.

The family foundation that he started with his late wife, Cynthia Gray, has given $1 million to charity since 2002.

At a Grey Cup party this Sunday at a downtown restaurant (Easy and the 5th), he's asking 200 guests to donate at least $175 – and he's matching all donations.

Hadden, who played on the University of Western Ontario's Mustangs football team in 1990 and 1991, is using his wide network of friends to support his latest project, called Banking on Knowledge.

He's giving $300,000 to the Toronto District School Board over the next two years to support financial literacy for students in Grades 7 to 12.

Teachers can apply for $2,500 grants to educate kids about money – and Hadden will approve each grant.

The school board will announce the donation Wednesday in a news release.

It's extraordinary to receive such a generous gift from a family foundation, says Catherine Parsonage, senior manager of business development. Even more extraordinary is Hadden's willingness to work with teachers to make finance fun for students.

"He's open to any ideas on supporting financial literacy," she says, "even if it's putting $20 in a bank account and seeing how fast it disappears with $12.95 monthly service charges."

There's never been a strong focus on financial literacy in public schools, she admits.

Ontario Education Minister Kathleen Wynne has said that will change next fall, when money management lessons will be integrated into the existing curriculum from Grade 4 to 12.

The Toronto School Board hopes to build on class work with interactive ideas proposed by teachers.

"Glenn saw the impact of the financial meltdown on the average person and knew the way to make a difference is through our kids," Parsonage says. "He came to us with an open mind. It was a long process, almost a year, until we knew we were meeting the needs of kids. You learn best when you participate. This will allow classrooms to come alive and the subject to come alive."

Hadden credits his career choice to a Grade 5 class trip to visit the Toronto Stock Exchange.

"It opened my eyes to the world of investing, finance and the stock market. From that time, I took a keen interest," he said in an interview from his Manhattan office.

"I asked for shares of companies I knew as gifts for birthdays and at Christmas."

As a student at Sir Oliver Mowat Collegiate in Scarborough, he worked as an intern for two summers on the TSX trading floor.

He got a BA in economics at Western, which led to a job at Gordon Capital, then the pre-eminent firm on Bay Street (now defunct).

After two years there, he was a bond trader at Burns Fry (now BMO Nesbitt Burns) and at Goldman Sachs in Toronto.

Transferred to Goldman Sachs' London office in 2001, he started hosting Grey Cup parties to raise money for worthwhile projects in his hometown.

"Coming back every six months or so, I was aware of an increase in violent crime in Toronto and a fraying social fabric," he told me.

"I realized the feds had downloaded some costs to the provinces, which in turn downloaded costs to cities. Since they couldn't raise taxes, cities were forced to cut back services. I also realized the most cut-back constituents were those with no political voice, students and youth."

He started a foundation and decided to use Grey Cup parties to attract donations. "I met lots of Canadian expatriates working in England, who wanted to reinvent their inner Canadian, so to speak, and give back to their community.

"The Grey Cup is the one unifying cultural event we have in Canada right now."

Among his early projects were Pathways to Education, which encourages kids in low-income housing to stay in school, and Breakfast for Learning, which feeds low-income kids before they go to class in the morning.

His focus on financial literacy stemmed from seeing firsthand how quickly the industry was creating new products – and new risks. "We approached the Toronto school board, which also realized the need for resources. There was nothing available, so we created a joint venture. We offered funding and they offered people on the ground, the human effort to teach it. We're excited to have such a formidable partner."

I also had a small part in shaping the program since I wrote a series of columns on financial literacy this summer.

Let's hope the gift helps awaken more young people to the realities of handling their money and living within their means.

eroseman@thestar.ca

Time for a change - find the right career

Book Review

from: http://www.exchangemagazine.com/morningpost/2009/week49/Tuesday/120104.htm

In her new book, Own Your Life, 7 Essential Steps to Independence, author, speaker and lawyer Suzanne B. Quinn guides the reader through the seven essential steps to personal and financial security and independence.

Imagine how different your life would be if you looked forward to work. You were excited to get up in the morning, eager to start your day because you really enjoyed what you do. Doesn't sound possible? Erase that negative thought from your mind immediately, if you ever hope to achieve "living your passion". It can be done.

If you find your passion, and it is something that can be translated into a career, that will not only be fulfilling personally, but also assist you financially as well. If there is one thing that I have learned, it is that no one should be afraid to ask for help. Take the support you need, when it is offered. When it is not offered, seek it out, because it is there. Sometimes it may not be in the most obvious places, it may not be where you think it is, but it will be there when you seek it out.

When you have discovered that which you are passionate about, there are steps you can take to uncover the career that is right for you. One that is in alignment with your passion. There are steps you can take, to further yourself to your ultimate career goal.

1. Do some research. Find out what training your chosen career requires. You can surf the Internet for this information, interview those who are already working in your chosen field, or speak to a career counsellor at an educational institution that offers programs in your chosen field.

2. Decide what, if any, training is required for you to become proficient at your chosen career. If furthering your formal education is required, review the different institutions that offer a suitable program. Consider factors like: distance to school, times of classes, cost, whether or not there is a co-op component (actual work experience through the school program) and job placement services, when choosing an institution.

3. Consider volunteering for a company or individual that is in your chosen field. This gives you real-life experience which will allow you to decide whether this is truly what you want, and also give you valuable experience to put on your resume.

4. Part-time employment is another good way to get your foot in the door. If you dream of being a world-renowned hair-stylist, in addition to some formal training, you will require work experience. Salons often need staff to book appointments, wash hair and sweep floors.

5. Multiple sources of income. One thing that may allow you to pursue your passion financially, is having more than one source of income. People earn in four ways: having a job, investment income, owning a business, and self-employment. If there is a way you can create more than one source of income, it can subsidize your education and training to pursue your chosen career path. For some, it leads to complete financial freedom. Multi-level marketing or network marketing is an ideal source of income. You can run your own business from home, get a tax write-off for doing it, you can do it part-time, and enlist the services of others in building your business. Find a company that resonates with you, and sign up. This supplemental income may just be your ticket to freedom.

6. Set your goals, then put your plan in motion. Goal setting only works if you actually take action on your plan!