Co-Creating Social Impact - Participants deliberating, bringing together government departments and non-profit organizations.

St. Maarten—NPOwer of Foresee Foundation and the Think 2 Do Institute announce the second forum in their "Co-Creating Social Impact" series, which will take place on Monday, July 8th, 2024. The forum, set to run from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM at the University of St. Maarten's conference room upstairs, is designed to bring together representatives from the private sector, Parliament, Council of Ministers, semi-government entities, and non-profits.

This forum aims to provide participants with valuable insights into the importance of social cohesion and the Social Progress Index (SPI) as tools for assessing and enhancing the quality of life in St. Maarten. Special attention will be given to recently evolving issues such as access to electricity, telecommunications, information, and infrastructure.

Leading the discussions will be Bonnie Roberts Benesh, PhD, CEO of the Think To DO Institute. Dr. Benesh, an expert in international economic development and organizational change, will draw on her extensive experience to guide the forum. Her keynote at the 2023 conference emphasised the crucial role of social cohesion in community resilience, laying the groundwork for this year's series to foster essential dialogues for St. Maarten's development.

In addition to the main forum, an advanced "Deep Dive" session will be held on Tuesday, July 9th from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM at the Office Foresee Foundation/NPOwer on A.T. Illidge Road #60. This session is open to those who attended either the April 24th or July 8th introductory forums. During this session, real work will be put into creating the framework for St. Maarten’s SPI.

Interested participants can register at https://bit.ly/2024-Forum-NPOwer or scanthe QR code in the event graphics on NPOwer’s social media pages. Note that attending one of the introductory sessions is a prerequisite for participating in the Deep Dive session.

Dr. Benesh, who will moderate the forum, is renowned for her work as a researcher and organizational change consultant. As the CEO of the Think To DO Institute, she collaborates with public and private sector entities to foster leadership and community resilience. Her contributions include developing life-long learning systems, integrating IT into societal structures, and creating master plans for various regions.

This forum represents a call to action for the private sector, government and non-profits to collaborate in addressing St. Maarten's developmental challenges. By combining resources and expertise, these sectors can co-create solutions with significant social impact, contributing to a more resilient and cohesive community.