Social Enterprise Council of NSW & ACT (SECNA)’s Post

Meet our Industry Member Young Change Agents Young Change Agents is a nonprofit social enterprise committed to reshaping how young people interpret challenges, guiding them to approach problems with an entrepreneurial mindset. They focus on cultivating the entrepreneurial skills of young individuals aged 10 - 25, equipping them to navigate and influence their future. At the heart of their mission is the creation of a supportive ecosystem that encourages entrepreneurial thinking. This means investing in the development of their technology, supporting teachers through capacity building, and connecting a community of stakeholders to provide a comprehensive and supportive environment for youth entrepreneurship. Young Change Agents is focused on integrating entrepreneurial learning into school curriculums. Their carefully designed programs aim to ignite creative thought and action in students so they can become proactive learners and doers. Find more great social enterprises in our Industry Member Directory at https://lnkd.in/g7Mc5paf #SECNA #socialenterprise #businessforgood #peopleandplanetfirst #members #memberspotlight

Tickets close today for Monday’s Parramatta Business for Good Lunch! People who join these lunches have shared that they love the opportunity they get to share an ask and an offer with the other attendees and leave feeling energized from the people they’ve met, stories they’ve heard and more connected to what’s happening in the social enterprise space in the community. 🧡 🎟️Register via Humanitix so we can ensure you get to enjoy the delicious catering by social enterprise Darcy Street Project https://lnkd.in/gF-dAeDe See you there!

Meet our Industry Member Social Traders Social Traders' mission is to create opportunities for social enterprises by connecting them with the influential buying power of government and private sector organisations. They achieve this by certifying social enterprises and aiding their expansion. For buyer members, Social Traders facilitate introductions, host networking events, and work closely with corporate and government buyers to refine their procurement processes, crafting new avenues for social enterprises. For business and government members, Social Traders is an essential resource, providing the tools to integrate social enterprise into supply chains and develop exemplary Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices. Social Traders is dedicated to 'unlocking business for good,' transforming transactions into positive social impacts and fostering a thriving and sustainable social enterprise sector. Find more great social enterprises in our Industry Member Directory at https://lnkd.in/g7Mc5paf #SECNA #socialenterprise #businessforgood #peopleandplanetfirst #members #memberspotlight

Are you working in social enterprise, a social entrepreneur, supporter or someone who is interested in learning more about social enterprise? 🍽 Thanks to the generous support of City of Parramatta and Launch Pad at Western Sydney University we're hosting a Business for Good Lunch in Parramatta on Monday 29th April and invite you to join us! 🎟 Tickets close this Friday. Registration via Humanitix essential for catering purposes. Link in the comments below 👇 See you there!

Do you have plans for lunch on Thursday 9th of May? Newcastle folks we are back for our second Business for Good Lunch 12-1:130pm at local social enterprise HopeStreet cafe BaptistCare! We are thrilled to be joined by SECNA member and Newcastle host Bianca Bartlett from Purple Card Project and Newcastle City Council Councillor Elizabeth Adamczyk Business for Good Lunches are open to all and a fantastic opportunity for social enterprises, supporters or people interested in learning more about social enterprise movement to share their story, an 'ask' and 'offer' and connect with members of the local community (and in some cases people and acquaintances from a previous life!) Tickets available via Humanitix https://lnkd.in/grmHfVXD See you there!

Did you catch last night's segment highlighting the growth of social enterprises on Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)? Fantastic to see the stories and messages shared in this mainstream news piece featuring Social Traders Assembled Threads ICON. "Having a purposeful job actually does transform someone's life," she says, surrounded by workers cutting and stitching. - Edwina Walsh, Founder Assembled Threads "Social enterprise is business at its best." - Tara Anderson, CEO Social Traders "We are able to provide a hand up to people in the community who need it the most, simply by thinking differently about the decisions we make day-to-day." - Nicole D., ICON Social Procurement Manager Check out the full article below 👇 https://lnkd.in/gkPdxCv8

At our May event, we'll be celebrating the work and commitment of two former SECNA Board Directors: Christina Chun and Jess Moore. They'll shed light on the often unseen successes and challenges that have marked their journey; behind-the-scenes insights and lessons, and reflections on the trends they have seen in their many years supporting the social enterprise movement and the opportunities that lie ahead. Speakers Christina Chun: Christina is passionate about leveraging tech, data and strategic partnerships to build and scaleup solutions that combat inequity. Christina has been in leadership positions across tech startups, social enterprise and government, with a strong focus on education and young people. Her work and impact has been recognised by Westpac’s Top 200 Businesses of Tomorrow, Forbes, and in Marie Claire’s Glass Ceiling Awards. Christina is currently the COO of Social Enterprise Australia. Jess Moore: Jess is passionate about social justice and climate safety, and people working together to create change. Her work has always been in social innovation, in peak organisations, social enterprise and community development. Jess was CEO at Community Resources, one of Australia’s largest jobs focused social enterprises. Prior to this, she led social enterprise Green Connect through startup and scaleup. Jess came into social enterprise from a background in public policy, advocacy and movement building, and has led collaborations that changed government policy and decisions. She is currently the CEO of Social Enterprise Australia.

Our Parramatta Business for Good Lunch is next Monday, have you got your ticket? SECNA Business for Good Lunches bring together social enterprises and supporters from all walks of life. With the Minister for the Department of Social Services (DSS) Amanda Rishworth's recent announcement providing details on the Australian Government's $11.6 million Social Enterprise Development Initiative (SEDI), to the upcoming release of the federal budget and stories of social enterprises, such as 2024 Parramatta Community Grants Award recipient ConFit Pathways, making a difference in the Parramatta community - there's much to discuss! 🎟 Tickets close this Friday! Jump on to Humanitix today to register. Link in the comments below 👇 Thank you to City of Parramatta and Launch Pad at Western Sydney University for generously hosting the event and providing catering from social enterprise Darcy Street Project

Meet our Industry Member Community Flower Studio Inc. (CFS) Community Flower Studio is a not-for-profit social enterprise that sells floral arrangements, indoor plants, and art, with all net proceeds directed towards supporting youth facing mental health challenges. CFS goes beyond traditional support by offering creative workshops in collaboration with youth outreach services, like the long-standing charity StreetWork, to nurture artistic talents, provide inspiration and encourage personal growth. CFS goes a step further by also providing work experience opportunities in their pop-up shops, where young individuals can learn customer service and work ethics. For those looking towards higher education, CFS connects them with mentors to support their goals and help pave the way to meaningful employment. CFS is all about giving young people the tools they need to succeed and make a positive change in their lives. Find more great social enterprises in our Industry Member Directory at https://lnkd.in/g7Mc5paf #SECNA #socialenterprise #businessforgood #peopleandplanetfirst #members #memberspotlight

Registrations are open for SECNA's Parramatta Business for Good Lunches! Head over to Humanitix to grab your ticket today for one of our upcoming events: 📆 29th April 12-1:30pm 📆 13th June 12-1:30pm 📆 12th August 12-1:30pm Business for Good Lunches are open to anyone interested or involved in the social enterprise movement and are a fantastic opportunity to connect with local social enterprises and people and organisations that support them. Thank you to City of Parramatta and Launch Pad at Launch Pad - Western Sydney University for generously hosting the event and providing catering. We look forward to seeing you there! "It was a fabulous lunch with a group of inspiring people." "Great to meet and connect with people in the social enterprise world."