CAMBRIAN COLLEGE
Cambrian College Espanola campus co-hosted community services summit

Working Together for a Stronger Community.

Cambrian College is helping key stakeholders and local community organizations connect and become more informed about programs and services in their areas to help residents in the LaCloche and Espanola regions.

The first Connect to Community: Service Providers Networking Summit was held earlier this month in Espanola, bringing together more than two dozen community services providers. Pictured are Jimmy Michaud and Aaron Walsh, employment consultants at Cambrian College's Espanola campus.

Last week, Cambrian's Espanola campus and Workforce Planning for Sudbury & Manitoulin co-hosted more than 25 local agencies and service providers at the first Connect to Community: Service Providers Networking Summit. 

The event provided an opportunity for community heath, employment, and social service providers to connect, collaborate, and build stronger networks to better serve clients in the region.

"This was an amazing turnout, and our first summit was a true success," says Rebeka Robin, administrative assistant at Cambrian's Espanola campus and summit co-chair. "Our goal is to make sure everyone in this region knows of the many organizations that are there to help with so many different aspects of life professionally and personally. Together, we're building a more connected and supportive community."

The summit brought together a wide range of organizations and institutions in the fields of education, employment, economic development, health care, social services, municipal services, Indigenous services, and leisure activities.

"We've held two similar summits in Sudbury, and they have both been a resounding success," says Elissa Petryna, project coordinator at Workforce Planning for Sudbury & Manitoulin and summit co-chair. "When we were asked to host another summit in Espanola, we were excited to work with Cambrian College to plan this event. It was our consultations with all the Employment Services that lead us to host the summits in the first place, and we are so excited to see it expand into different communities."

"I want to thank everyone who helped organize, attend, and make this event an amazing success," adds Robin. "We're definitely doing this again next year."

The Connect to Community: Service Providers Networking Summit thanks this year's organizers and sponsors: Cambrian College Employment Options (Espanola), Espanola Regional Hospital and Health Centre, Manitoulin-Sudbury District Services Board, The Mid North Network, Noojmowin Teg Health Centre, Public Health Sudbury & Districts, Town of Espanola, and Workforce Planning for Sudbury & Manitoulin.