Foresters Community Finance, Social Enterprise Solutions & Community Asset Building

Join us for an interactive and educational (and free) workshop designed to help you understand:

• recent shifts in community finance
• how a loan for asset purchase could help your social enterprise
• the barriers that exist to accessing finance for asset purchase and business development

Is your social enterprise considering:

• growth & expansion
• property purchase
• business development
• refurbishment
• new products
• new equipment

The Tasmanian Social Enterprise Network is pleased to offer you the opportunity to take advantage of one of three venues in Tasmania:

Hobart:           Tuesday May 1 9am-1pm
Launceston:     Wednesday May 2 9am-1pm
Burnie:            Wednesday May 2 3-6pm

Spaces are limited to 50, please register online today at www.foresters.org.au/knowledge-exchance/events.html

What others are doing? Parramatta City Council (NSW)

Parramatta City Council offers seed funding through the Social Enterprise category of our Community Grantsprogram. In 2007 we established the three year Parramatta Social Enterprise Hub project to support the development and growth of the local social enterprise sector. This project was completed in June 2010 and our work is currently focused on incubating Social Enterprises Sydney.

A ‘resources’ page has also been created bringing together a range of material for those interested in learning more about social enterprise.


Research conducted in the UK during 2009 showed that the local social enterprise sector contributes £24 billion to the economy, was twice as confident of future growth as traditional small and medium businesses, and since the economic downturn began 56% had increased their turnover. In addition to the considerable financial value they contribute, the additional value they create through their social and environmental outputs was exceptional.

A big week coming up

Preparing for a big social enterprise week:
Tuesday at the Institute for Regional Development UTAS in Burnie:  

• Social Enteprise Workshop 1pm onwards looking at the state of social enterprise in Tasmania. Go to http://www.utas.edu.au/ird/ for details
• Forum with Associate Professor Jo Barraket, a nationally recognised expert on social enterprise
• Dr Ernesto Sirolli is speaking about leadership and enterprise facilitation at a breakfast hosted by the Tasmanian Leaders Program in Hobart . Any queries please contact Ted Ross at esross@gmail.com or phone 0409 547 797.

Wednesday:

• Dr Sirolli presents the 1st of a 3 day workshop in Launceston for practitioners working with entrepreneurs. Contact Kylie on 0439 262 344 for more information

Tasmanian Social Enterprise Study

This is the first study of social enterprise in the state and is a partnership between the Tasmanian Government and the University of Tasmania.

It is a stock take of activity that will provide valuable information to guide the development of the social enterprise sector in Tasmania and Nationally.

To contribute to the study please complete the survey before the closing date of 4 March and go into the draw for some great prizes. Results to be publicly available by mid 2011.