Canadore’s Purposeful Living Project

Expands Sustainable Happiness

What began with a meeting between Canadore College and Montreal’s Dawson College at a national post-secondary school conference three years ago has grown into a transformative initiative to foster well-being at Canadore and beyond.

The Purposeful Living Project builds on the Sustainable Happiness certificate program founded by Dr. Catherine O’Brien. The certificate promotes individual, community, or global well-being without exploiting other people, the environment, or future generations.

Supported by Canadore’s Organizational Development and Talent Management (ODTM) team, a cohort of 12 employees completed the Sustainable Happiness course, marking an important step toward embedding well-being into the College’s culture.

“Supporting the Purposeful Living Project reflects our ongoing commitment to fostering a healthy, thriving workplace culture at Canadore,” said Jodee Brown Yeo, Director, ODTM. “When well-being is embedded into how we learn, work, and lead, it becomes part of who we are -- and that is the foundation of a strong community.” 

ODTM also supported the certification of five staff facilitators and employees from departments across the College. This growing internal capacity has inspired initiatives such as journal clubs and wellness walks, offering new ways for staff and students to connect—with one another and with the planet.

Canadore is now expanding this vision through the Purposeful Living Project, designed to extend the reach of Sustainable Happiness globally. The Project invites participation from individuals and organizations across all sectors, promoting well-being, connection, and environmental responsibility on a larger scale.

Momentum is already building, marked by two major firsts:

• Canadore’s inaugural Queen Elizabeth Scholars became the first to study in the College’s new off-grid classroom at Farm 17 in Costa Rica; and
• The program hosted the first-ever intergenerational cohort, uniting residents from The Village and students for a three-day exchange that fostered empathy, connection, and shared learning across generations.

Canadore will lead the Project’s expansion in collaboration with Chris Adam, the visionary behind the Living Campus Model at Dawson College. The Purposeful Living Project offers flexible delivery options—in-person, online, or through immersive study at Farm 17 in Costa Rica, in partnership with Green Communities. In addition, the project will launch a Sustainable Happiness course for Canadian Adult Education Credential learners, expanding access to well-being tools and education for all.

“At a time of systemic mental health issues, ecological challenges, and economic uncertainty, along comes a College with a bold plan to cultivate hope, build resilience, and encourage positive community action,” said Chris Adam. “This micro-credential offers a transformative experience to students, educators, and organizations where personal and professional well-being is cultivated. The Sustainable Happiness micro-credential is designed to spark meaningful change, helping participants realize the connection between hope, agency, and well-being.”

The micro-credential is 20 hours long. To receive the certificate participants must implement a community project of their choice. The resulting agency and positive contribution to others and/or the environment expresses well-being

“This project reflects our steadfast commitment to sustainable development locally and globally. We are incredibly proud of what has been accomplished so far, and we look forward to continuing this work as we expand our reach, deepen our impact, and inspire lasting well-being for both people and the planet,” said Jesse Russell, Sustainable Development Project Leader.

More information about Canadore’s Purposeful Living Project can be found here.

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About Canadore College

Canadore College trains people through applied learning, leadership, and innovation. It provides access to over 80 full-time quality programs and has outstanding faculty and provides success services to students from nearly 400 Canadian communities and 25 international countries. The College, its students, and alumni add $402.5 million to the Nipissing Parry Sound service area economy. Approximately 1,000 students graduate from Canadore each year, and they join 78,000 alumni working across the globe. Canadore receives less than 50 per cent of its traditional funding from the provincial Ministry of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security and relies on its own innovation and entrepreneurial endeavours and generous donors for the balance.