July 2014

 

1 July 2014, Milan, Italy, Business to Youth – AIESEC Italia Annual Summit 2014

 1 July 2014, Sheffield, Great Britain, 'Inaugural FairShares Association Conference'  

1 July 2014, Brussels, Belgium, CAPS2014

1 July 2014,  Brussels, Belgium, CONSIDER Workshop

2-5 July 2014, Rome, Italy, “40 under 40” – European Young Leaders

2-4 July 2014, Sheffield, England, 'Pathways Out Of The Crisis: Co operative And Social Enterprise Responses To Economic Austerity'

3 July 2014, London, UK, 'What Is The ERASMUS For Entrepreneurs Programme? How Can You Get Involved?'

 3 July 2014, Brussels, Belgium, Boosting partnerships in collaborative consumption

6 July 2014, worldwide, International Day of Cooperatives 

7 July 2014, Brussels, Belgium, Food donation : Fighting food poverty and addressing food waste

8 July 2014, London, UK, Partnership Working: Opportunities for Social Enterprises & Public Authorities

 9-13 July 2014, Zegg , Germany, GEN-Europe Conference

18-22 July 2014, Sydney, Australia, '5th Annual G20 Young Entrepreneurs’ Alliance Summit'

21-25 July 2014, Brussels, Belgium, Think Young’s Entrepreneurship Summer School

23 July 2014, Birmingham, UK, Crowdfunding: from grassroots to mighty oaks

 

 

1 July 2014, Milan, Italy 

Business to Youth – AIESEC Italia Annual Summit 2014

Business to Youth is AIESEC Italia’s  annual event where AIESEC will present its new activities and its new national board. The event will mark an opportunity for discussion on issues such as internationalization of enterprise, communication, employer branding, social business, CSR, networking and knowledge of AIESEC Italia’s next projects. Furthermore,  representatives of important international  brands will speak about their cooperation experiences with AIESEC and about how this cooperation has added  value to their company. It will be a way to listen to success stories and find out how to start to write one’s own.

To read more: http://aiesec.it/

 

1 July 2014, Sheffield, Great Britain

'Inaugural FairShares Association Conference'  

FairShares Association is celebrating its first annual conference on 1 July in Sheffield. They will be launching FairShares V2.0, a new approach to developing co-operatives and social enterprises underpinned by the FairShares Model.  FairShares V2.0 includes: the FairShares Brand; FairShares Social Auditing tools; FairShares Advanced Diagnostics; Model rules for associations, co-operatives and companies; a FairShares Wiki with documentation about the model and diagnostics.

 This is your chance to become a pioneer, part of an exciting initiative on the frontline of social enterprise development. If you are interested in becoming an active supporter or member, join the debate and help to spread the FairShares Model across the globe.

To read more: http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/inaugural-fairshares-association-conference-tickets-11135094367 

 

1 July 2014, Brussels, Belgium

CAPS2014

CAPS2014 is a two-day international event organized by the Coordination and Support Action CAPS2020, the first about Collective Awareness Platforms for Sustainability and Social Innovation (CAPS). CAPS are ICT systems leveraging the emerging ‘network effect’ by combining open online social media, distributed knowledge creation and data from real environments (‘Internet of Things’) in order to create awareness of problems and possible solutions requesting collective efforts, enabling new forms of social innovation. CAPS2014 OFF unconference on 1 July offers a dynamic schedule of talks, workshops and hands-on interactive sessions. On 2 July, the CAPS2014 Conference will bring CAPS to the European Commission to develop synergies between initiatives and discuss the broad spectrum of topics implied in CAPS such as (but not limited to) Social innovation, Sustainability, Climate change, Open knowledge and Equality. On this occasion insights on future Horizon 2020 CAPS opportunities will be delivered to all interested individuals and organisations.

To read more: http://caps-conference.eu/ 

 

1 July 2014,  Brussels, Belgium

CONSIDER Workshop

Scholars and other stakeholders expect multiple advantages from including CSOs in research projects. Specifically, the European Commission expects consumer-friendly outputs, harmonised political debates or the improvement of legitimacy for policy decisions. As is the case for political or industrial involvement in science, the voice of CSOs should be respected within research projects and their scientific or societal contexts. Following extensive analysis of theoretical research and empirical studies, the CONSIDER consortium has identified the characteristics, influencing factors and best practice of CSO participation in research projects in order to produce a set of guidelines and recommendations. Its next step is to invite experts on the topic to a workshop on 1 July in Brussels to gather input on its work and identify any potential weak points or missing links. Through peer-to-peer discussion, group analysis and workshop debate facilitated by representatives of the project, participants will be allowed to offer their opinion on the findings and work together to strengthen CONSIDER’s proposal. It will also ensure that the results are presented in the best possible way, so as to ensure all stakeholders can benefit from the project.

To read more: http://www.consider-project.eu/

 

2-5 July 2014, Rome, Italy 

“40 under 40” – European Young Leaders

The next seminar of the “40 UNDER 40” – European Young Leaders programme will take place in Rome from July 2 to July 5. 

This high-level interactive 3-day seminar is part of an ambitious leadership programme for Europe co-initiated by Friends of Europe and Europanova. These European Young Leaders, aged between 30 and 40, are coming from all the European countries and have been selected from various fields of activity including politics, science, business, media, NGOs, the arts and civil society. These young talents are meant to shape the future of our continent at a time where many challenges lie ahead.

To read more: http://www.friendsofeurope.org/Contentnavigation/Events/

 

2-4 July 2014, Sheffield, England 

'Pathways Out Of The Crisis: Co operative And Social Enterprise Responses To Economic Austerity'

Pathways out of the Crisis is a three-day short course from 2-4 July 2014 on co operative and social enterprise responses to economic austerity. The course provides participants with an opportunity to develop their knowledge about the rationale, purposes and practices of co-operative and social enterprises in order to frame educational curricula and entrepreneurship strategies in collaboration with: social entrepreneurs;  universities;  local, national and international development bodies; policy makers; co-operative members; work colleagues; financial institutions;  business advisers; charity trustees.

Pathways out of the Crisis includes discussion on the origins and contemporary forms of co-operative and social enterprise.  The first day of the course will focus on theoretical perspectives whilst the second and third day will look into applying theory to practice. The final day is run as an Open Space, driven by participants' own social enterprise development agendas.  

The course is delivered by Dr Rory Ridley-Duff, Reader in Co-operative and Social Enterprise at Sheffield Hallam University and Cliff Southcombe, Managing Director of Social Enterprise Europe.  Rory was a Co-Founder of Social Enterprise London – the UK's first regional social enterprise agency while Cliff was a Co-Founder of the Social Enterprise Partnership, the first international social enterprise consultancy established in the UK.  Together, they bring nearly 40 years of experience into the classroom. 

To read more: http://www.socialenterpriseeurope.co.uk/services/courses/pathways-out-of-the-crisis/ 

 

3 July 2014, London, UK 

'What Is The ERASMUS For Entrepreneurs Programme? How Can You Get Involved?'

Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs is a cross-border exchange programme which gives new or aspiring entrepreneurs the chance to learn from experienced entrepreneurs running small businesses in other Participating Countries. This a fantastic opportunity for entrepreneurs who have three years or more experience to share their knowledge and experience and get some 'hands on' help from an entrepreneur starting out.

And for new entrepreneurs, this is your chance to learn from someone more advanced than you as well as have the opportunity to live in another European country and receive a bursary to help with your exchange.  

If you want to find out more, please come to this informative session run jointly by Euclid Network andUnLtd where we'll talk you through the process, hear from those who have participated and help you sign up!

To read more: http://www.euclidnetwork.eu/

 

3 July 2014, Brussels, Belgium

Boosting partnerships in collaborative consumption

Collaborative consumption is a class of economic activity in which participants share access to products or services, rather than having individual ownership. On 21 January 2014, the EESC endorsed an opinion on collaborative or participatory consumption and called for further action at EU level.

There is a clear need to provide information and to raise awareness about collaborative consumption. Collaborative consumption can meet social needs in situations where there is no commercial interest and it can help, as a for-profit activity, to create jobs. It offers an alternative to the excesses caused by the previous century's hyper-consumption and the immense inequalities it created, such as the unnatural coexistence of hunger and obesity, or waste and precariousness.

A conference "Boosting Partnerships in Collaborative Consumption", co-organised by the EESC, European Sharing Economy Coalition, OuiShare and ShareNL, to be held in the EESC premises on 3 July 2014, will explore how stakeholders can forge partnerships to lay the necessary policy framework conditions and create an enabling environment for Collaborative Consumption to be a success for Member States, business, consumers and local communities in the EU.

The conference will be followed by a ShareFest organised by TaxiStop and our Committee at the Esplanade "Solidarnosc 1980" in front of the European Parliament from 5.15 to 8.00 p.m. Come and find out a series of initiatives in collaborative consumption that can help you out in your daily life! More than a source of information and inspiration, the ShareFest is a unique occasion to fully get involved and interact with the various stands. Seize the opportunity to be a "consumDOer": bring your tools and utensils to exchange,… and your passion for sharing and learning!

To read more: http://www.eesc.europa.eu/?i=portal.en.events-and-activities-boosting-collaborative-consumption 

 

6 July 2014, worldwide

International Day of Cooperatives 

Theme for 2013: Cooperative enterprise remains strong in time of crisis

In 1992, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the International Day of Cooperatives to be celebrated annually on the first Saturday of July. The aim of this International Day is to: Increase awareness on cooperatives; Highlight the complementarily of the goals and objectives of the United Nations and the international cooperative movement; Underscore the contribution of the movement to the resolution of the major problems addressed by the United Nations; Strengthen and extend partnerships between the international cooperative movement and other actors, including governments, at local, national and international levels.This year's theme Cooperatives are making a difference in times of financial, food, and environmental crisis confronting societies around the world. Financial cooperatives have demonstrated their strength in a time when many financial institutions are failing.  In addition, agricultural cooperatives have demonstrated their importance to achieving food security.  Furthermore, cooperatives have been recognized by Rio+20 for their role in sustainable development in the context of environmental crisis.

To read more: http://www.un.org/en/events/cooperativesday/ 

 

7 July 2014, Brussels, Belgium

Food donation : Fighting food poverty and addressing food waste

Food donation is recognised as an effective lever in reducing the amount of edible surplus food going to waste and counteracting against food poverty, especially in times of economic and financial crisis. Nevertheless, at present, the amount of food redistributed to food banks and charities remains a small fraction of the edible surplus food available in the EU, as food donation faces a number of legislative, administrative and practical barriers.

The EESC has contracted a "Comparative study on EU Member States' legislations and practices on food donation" with the objective, amongst others, to develop recommendations on how to legislate or interpret legislation in order to facilitate food donation in the EU.

The results of the study will be presented at the conference "Food donation: fighting food poverty and addressing food waste" organised by the EESC in Brussels on 7 July 2014.  The event will represent an opportunity to illustrate best practices in the field and to discuss the proposed recommendations with key policy-makers and stakeholders, including the FAO, the European Commission (DG SANCO), national authorities, food banks, NGOs, the private sector, etc.

To read more: http://www.eesc.europa.eu/?i=portal.en.events-and-activities-eu-food-donations 

 

8 July 2014, London, UK 

Partnership Working: Opportunities for Social Enterprises & Public Authorities

This one-day seminar will explore the opportunities for innovative partnerships, including joint ventures, particularly in the context of the new procurement directive. It will also examine how new kinds of finance can be brought to these partnerships through the use of social impact bonds.

To read more: http://www.socialenterprise.org.uk/events/partnership-working-opportunities-for-social-enterprises-public-authorities

 

9-13 July 2014, Zegg , Germany

GEN-Europe Conference

Over time, GEN is becoming richer in fascinating tools, mutual support, interesting people, important connections and deep insights. GEN is an opportunity to celebrate  what we have created as a strong network, carrying forth the power to live sustainably in a post-growth world.  This year the focus will be on  strengthening the bonds between the national and local networks as well as reaching out to the Global South in mutual support. Amongst other interesting presenters GEN is proud to welcome Anna Breytenbach, the „Animal Whisperer“ from South Africa. Experienced members from long-term communities will share and support participants’ process in founding or strengthening their community initiative, GEN will look into the transition of traditional villages and urban neighborhoods into living communities and more. 

To read more: https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/socialinnovationeurope/node/4522 

 

18-22 July 2014, Sydney, Australia

'5th Annual G20 Young Entrepreneurs’ Alliance Summit'

The G20 Young Entrepreneurs' Alliance (G20YEA) is holding its fifth annual G20 Young Entrepreneurs’ Alliance Summit on July 18-22, 2013 in Sydney, Australia.

The G20YEA  is a collective of leading entrepreneurship support organisations representing the G20 countries who seek to promote youth entrepreneurship as a powerful driver of economic growth, job creation, innovation and social change. It holds an annual summit prior to the official G20 Leader's Summits. The G20YEA Summit is a forum where young entrepreneurs, thought leaders and world-class entrepreneurship-focused organisations from around the world meet with their peers, share best practices and develop recommendations to drive Small and Medium Enterprise creation by young entrepreneurs in their respective countries. These recommendations are presented to leaders and stakeholders in the G20 and B20 process and then actioned by the G20YEA member organisations in their respective countries. This year the focus of the agenda has been set on how entrepreneurship can help reduce youth unemployment. Global unemployment is at world record rate with 73.4 million young workers worldwide reported unemployed in 2013. Youth unemployment has incredibly negative social, political and economic implications and it is a critical topic to tackle as part of the G20 summit.

To read more: http://g20yeasummit.com/  

 

21-25 July 2014, Brussels, Belgium

Think Young’s Entrepreneurship Summer School

The not for profit organization ThinkYoung is organizing its Entrepreneurship Summer School, that will take place  in Brussels from July 21st to 25th and in Hong Kong from August 4th to 8th. 

In partnership with Google, Huawei and the University of Hong Kong, the Entrepreneurship Summer School is the next step to become a successful entrepreneur. Without any teachers or boring lectures, it welcomes successful entrepreneurs such as Luigi Tiziano Peccenini (founder of Wall Street Institute International), Jennifer Chan (founder of Delta Think), Raphael Cohen (founder of Hotel Quickly) and many other professionals. The Entrepreneurship Summer School therefore aims at inspiring a new generation of entrepreneurs to build their own ventures. 

The Entrepreneurship Summer School website allows students  to apply and gives a great overview on the program as well as a full description of the speakers. Past editions are also promoted to show the continuity of the project and the evolution of the Entrepreneurship Summer School throughout the years. A conference is to take place at the European Parliament concerning the summer school project.

To read more: http://www.entrepreneurshipsummerschool.com/

 

23 July 2014, Birmingham, UK 

Crowdfunding: from grassroots to mighty oaks

What is Crowdfunding and how can it make your organisation successful? These are the questions we will be answering, and so much more, at this two and a half hour seminar. Crowdfunding is an innovative new way of co-designing and funding projects through your natural community, and done well, can take on a momentum of its own. Using skills and experience from a successfully delivered campaign, as well as a breadth of knowledge from the field of income generation and community engagement, John Taylor Hospice offers you the opportunity to add value to your own Crowdfunding attempt. Whether you are a seasoned fundraiser and want to add Crowdfunding to your armory, or you are starting a business and need grassroots investment, this is the seminar for you. John Taylor Hospice exists to make every moment matter for people with life limiting conditions, providing multidisciplinary support to people all over Birmingham, both at the hospice and in their own homes. Staff who were deeply affected by the younger men they were seeing dying of prostate cancer from the black and African Caribbean community decided that the hospice had a duty to intervene sooner for the benefit of these men and their families. From this Benjamin’s Brothers was born. No funding was immediately available, so a Crowdfunding approach was taken to kick start the project. Working closely with the black and African Caribbean community, a campaign was put together and launched in March 2014. The team then had just eight weeks to reach the target of £3,000. In the end, that target was reached two weeks ahead of schedule. The results have been about much more than the financial income though. The hospice has now engaged with a new group of individuals who have the passion, drive and experience to make Benjamin’s Brothers a reality, and save lives.

To read more: http://www.socialenterprise.org.uk/events/crowdfunding-from-grassroots-mighty-oaks