Today’s Knowledge Is The Next Generation’s Power: A Digital Transformation

Norma Fay Nicholson, a four-time self-published author, dynamic public speaker, and educator shares her story and literary art to positively impact the lives of minority families and youth. When it came time for Norma to share her message and the impact of her non-profit organization, IgnitePress Consultant, with a broader audience online, the ShopHERE powered by Google program was there to support her every step of the way. 

Norma, a retired Registered Nurse, also holds a B.A. degree in Sociology & Psychology as well as an M.A. in Adult Education. A significant portion of her career entailed managing healthcare with a cross-professional team for incarcerated youth in the largest youth custody facility in Ontario. She met many youth who should not have been incarcerated as they presented with undiagnosed mental illness, suffered unresolved childhood traumas, were illiterate, and- in some cases- even had vision and hearing loss. 
 
Norma explains that confinement damages young people's physical and mental health, impedes their education, and exposes them to abuse. 
 
Reflecting on the time she spent in that organization and her interactions with youth and their families, Norma decided to author a book that could be used to mentor, support, and educate minority youth and their families about managing challenging behaviours in teenagers to help keep youth on the right track. Upon retirement, Norma registered as a not-for-profit to market her books and offer educational and outreach services. 

That’s where support from the AchatsICI propulsé par Google came into play. Digital Main Street delivers this free eCommerce tool to small businesses across Ontario, with a focus on empowering non-profit and small business owners with the tools, resources, and know-how they need to get off to the right start in the eCommerce space. 

“Having a website that is vibrant, accessible, and states that I connect literature and education to impact the lives of minorities positively will encourage increased sales of my books and provide opportunities to enrich the lives of others with added education outreach.” 

Among the most gripping of Norma’s titles is, Young Lives on the Line; You can make a difference. This novel, available in eBook & paperback through IgnitePress Consultant’s website as well as Amazon, recounts stories of the author's horrific childhood as well as the adversities faced by six at-risk youth. With the care and support of others, Norma illustrates that it is possible to overcome the seemingly insurmountable challenges to lead a purposeful, productive life, while also giving back to the community.

To help support the education and outreach aspects of Norma’s non-profit organization, she also needed a website with the capability to allow interested visitors to contact her for more information on speaking and consulting engagements. 

As the saying goes, “Teamwork makes the dream work”. Norma shares her experiences with her eCommerce coordinator, Raiven, in working to build a site to turn Norma’s dream in to a reality: 

“Raiven is a ‘little saint'. She is patient and takes the time to understand the customer's needs. She took the time to connect with me not only by email but planned meetings and follow-up behind the scenes. I highly recommend her as an adult educator; she did a great job teaching me as a senior.” 

The ShopHERE program also places an emphasis on ensuring that its partners provide top-notch products and services to program participants. 

“The ShopHERE Program is free to entrepreneurs who want to develop a thriving business. I would not have been able to pay a qualified educator and mentor to spend several hours teaching me how to develop an excellent marketing tool such as the webpage on Square.com.” 

To learn more about Norma and her work at IgnitePress Consultant, please visit her website sur ce site. For more information about the ShopHERE powered by Google program, feel free to check out our website sur ce site.