We are defining social enterprise as: a revenue-generating enterprise or project operated by a non-profit organization. Join us for an overview of social enterprise, with time for questions and discussion.
THE EXPERT:
Originally from Morocco, Moncef Lakouas arrived in New Brunswick over 19 years ago. His journey is a success story that shows that the Canadian dream is possible in our community. As an international student at the Université de Moncton, he obtained a Bachelor of Business Administration, majoring in Finance, and a Bachelor of Accounting. He was also the first immigrant to preside over the Fédération des étudiants et étudiantes du campus universitaire de Moncton (FEECUM).
Moncef is passionate about community development, entrepreneurship and creating opportunities for youth and newcomers. That is why, during his university years, in order to help young New Brunswickers find a job in our region in their field of study, and to support emerging entrepreneurs who want to start their own business, he founded the Mouvement Leadership Étudiant.
He defines his own journey of integration and adaptation as a mission to give to the next and reach out to others, so that sharing his own experience, with its ups and downs, mistakes and successes, can serve as a guide to newcomers and native youth alike.
He has chaired CAFI, sat on the board of directors of the Conseil économique du Nouveau-Brunswick where he advocated for entrepreneurial initiatives for francophone youth and was involved with MAGMA during the crisis in Syria to help settle and integrate Syrian refugees who chose our region to start a new life.
His multiple commitments in favour of the well-being and expansion of all within civil society have earned Moncef Lakouas many recognitions. He was a member of the first francophone parliament of the Youth of the Americas, was selected among hundreds of candidates as a 2013 Emerging Leader in the Top 50 Leaders of Atlantic Canada, and finally in the Top 21 Leaders of New Brunswick in 2014. During this community leadership program, he presented a proposal to give immigrants the right to vote in municipal elections. Moncef advocated for this issue across the province, highlighting the positive impact it would have on the retention and inclusion of immigrants in our communities. In 2021, the provincial government proposed to adopt the immigrant vote at the municipal level as part of the municipal reform for the 2026 municipal elections.
Moncef Lakouas is also the recipient of several awards for his community involvement including the Paul Harris Award from the Rotary Clubs and the Everyday Political Citizen from Samara Canada for his exemplary civic engagement. In 2018, Moncef was elected President of the New Brunswick Multicultural Council.
