December newsletter
As this year comes to a close, I want to give big and heartfelt thanks to all who are helping build an economy for all. Business as usual cannot solve the social and environmental challenges we face. We need more innovation and collaboration that puts people and the planet first.
This year social enterprise became more visible, and support for our sector - particularly from the Australian Government - grew.
I look forward to building on this together in 2025... after a short break.
Social Enterprise Australia will be closed from Monday 23 December to Friday 3 January.
From all of us, wishing you moments of joy and restorative days.
See you next year!
Save the date: Social Enterprise Jobs Summit
Access to decent work is one of the four challenges the social enterprise sector said we want to help tackle.
With so much federal attention and further potential here, Social Enterprise Australia is partnering with our friends at White Box Enterprises to deliver Australia’s first conference dedicated to jobs-focused social enterprise.
The Social Enterprise Jobs Summit will take place on 11-12 June 2025 at Melbourne University.
The summit will bring together jobs-focused social enterprises, intermediaries, government and philanthropy, to strengthen relationships, collaborate, problem-solve, learn from each other - and build common ground to shift systems, for a future where all have access to decent work.
More details will come in 2025. For now, mark your diaries and register your interest.
Learning communities
In the context of a sector that is diverse, full of passionate people and rich with lived and learned experience, we asked the question: what is needed to contribute to collaborative knowledge, culture and capability-development of the social enterprise sector at this moment in time?
The views of hundreds of people who responded have shaped four different types of learning communities, commissioned by Social Enterprise Australia as part of the Australian Government's Social Enterprise Development Initiative (SEDI).
People shared that they want to:
Connect with others across the social enterprise ecosystem so the work is not done alone.
Share knowledge and experience that brings together emerging and established actors, including those from under-represented backgrounds.
Learn from peers engaging with similar challenges.
Explore and experiment through collaboration.
Co-create learning resources that advance social enterprise knowledge and practice in ways that centre equity in transforming systems.
In response, we invited expressions of interest (EOIs) from convenors of four types of learning communities, each with different entry points to grow understanding of the social enterprise sector and connect with others in it; including those who are well-established in the social enterprise world, those who are new to the space, and those who are doing the work but may not know about or see themselves as part of the social enterprise sector.
We were thrilled to receive 121 submissions across the four types of learning communities and a wide range of impact areas. The breadth and quality of EOIs reflects the extraordinary diversity of expertise and abundance of knowledge and innovation in our sector.
At the end of the EOI process, we are excited to update on this work, and share some of the themes and ideas to be explored through learning communities.
Grants for jobs-focused social enterprises
Last week the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations released more details about its $21.9 million WorkFoundations program which will fund social enterprises and other businesses that assist people with complex barriers to work, and pay real wages.
The package is a big win for the social enterprise sector, and those most disadvantaged in the labour market. An open-competitive grant round will open on 14 January 2025 and close on 11 February 2025, with a grant pool of up to $10 million available. Grant activities will commence from 1 July 2025. Read more here.
The WorkFoundations announcement coincided with a sector submission to the Australian Government outlining how systemic challenges which have stifled the growth of jobs-focused can be addressed, to unlock greater economic inclusion.
The submission outlines five requests to the government to ensure jobs-focused social enterprises are fairly compensated for the public value and savings they create.
The submission was put together by the WISE Hub; a collaboration that seeks to grow government understanding, support and funding, unlock private investment and connect those working in work integration social enterprises (WISEs) to evolve leading practice and work towards shared goals.
WISE Hub members include Kate Barrelle from STREAT, Cindy Carpenter from The Bread & Butter Project, Mark Daniels from White Box Enterprises, Lisa Fowkes from Social Ventures Australia, Sally McGeoch from Westpac Foundation. Fiona Jose from Cape York Partnership, Matt Knopp from Paul Ramsay Foundation, and myself from Social Enterprise Australia.
You can read the submission here.
Sincerely,
Jess Moore
