{"id":4353,"date":"2023-10-03T03:51:14","date_gmt":"2023-10-03T03:51:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ownrblog-preprod.go-vip.net\/?p=4353"},"modified":"2023-12-07T13:07:13","modified_gmt":"2023-12-07T13:07:13","slug":"ownr-spotlight-bootcamps-for-change","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ownr.co\/blog\/ownr-spotlight-bootcamps-for-change\/","title":{"rendered":"Spotlight: Bootcamps for Change, a Social Enterprise"},"content":{"rendered":"

Bootcamps for Change believes fitness can break the cycle of poverty. They remove barriers for youth experiencing homelessness to access the tools and community to reach their full potential through physical activity and industry employment. Through cross-sector collaboration, their vision is that every at-risk youth will thrive through better health and a foundation for sustainable livelihood. In this interview with Ownr, Katie Heggtveit, Founder of Bootcamps for Change shares her inspiring story and how her organization is continuing to make a meaningful impact on the lives of those in need.<\/p>\n

How did you start a non-profit social enterprise in Canada?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Katie:<\/strong> I\u2019ve worked with youth since I myself was a youth. I saw funding was cut at a shelter, Horizons for Youth, for residents to access gyms in Toronto. In response, I became a group fitness instructor<\/a> and committed to teaching them weekly. To create a sustainable, scalable program, the \u201cBootcamps for Change\u201d organization was born. We began to mobilize the fitness professional community and collaborated with businesses, universities, like-minded organizations, incubators, and accelerators to increase our impact.<\/p>\n

Read more examples of social enterprises in Canada<\/a><\/p>\n

The work that you\u2019re doing through Bootcamps for Change and the impact you\u2019re making on people\u2019s lives is inspiring. What first inspired you to become an entrepreneur?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Katie:<\/strong> I would pinpoint it to a personality trait: imagination. I see the world not as it is, but as it could be. So, I became an entrepreneur<\/a> to not only solve a problem but also to achieve a vision that I see for the future of Canada and the youth that inhabit it.<\/p>\n

Learn more about reasons to be an entrepreneur<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

What are some important lessons that starting a social enterprise has taught you?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Katie:<\/strong><\/p>\n