Social enterprise goes to Congress

What are the challenges of today social enterprises? The answer may be different in the UK, where there are more than 55,000 social enterprises with a combined turnover of £27bn, and in Italy where a law regulating the sector has just been approved. But one thing is for sure: global priorities, and strategies, will be set in Edinburgh from September 2nd to 5th during the first Social Enterprise World Forum.

The Forum will be the first international gathering of practitioners and support agencies dealing exclusively with social enterprise and will bring together social enterprise leaders and champions from all continents to collaborate, share best practice and plan future developments. This collaboration will raise awareness of social enterprise as an expanding global mechanism for social change and will explore the merit of ongoing collaboration for key stakeholders.

Phil Hope MP, Minister for the Third Sector, UK Government will reflect on the progress and impact since the first social enterprise strategy was introduced in 2002. Speakers and participants from Australia, South America, the United States and many other different countries, will reflect on the most effective methods to support and grow an enterprising social enterprise sector. Speakers will describe the motivation behind investing in social enterprise from a government’s perspective, and to outline the components of an effective support strategy.

VitaEurope will report from the World Forum, stay tuned.

More information at www.ceis.org.uk/index.php?render&p=44