Published Oct 2024
Challenge areas for the Sector
Social enterprises are at the forefront of tackling some of our most pressing challenges. This section focuses on four thematic areas where social enterprises are driving real change: environmental care, people-centred services, access to decent work, and community-led innovation. Dive into the latest research and thinking that can help grow understanding and impact in each of these critical areas.
Environmental care
This section explores the critical role of social enterprises in addressing environmental challenges and promoting sustainability. We'll examine the various ways in which social enterprises are working to reduce their environmental footprint, develop eco-friendly products and services, and advocate for change. This will include considering areas such as renewable energy, waste reduction, conservation, and regenerative food systems. We'll also discuss the opportunities and challenges of building a more sustainable social enterprise sector in Australia.
Resources are coming soon.
People-centred services
Social enterprises have the potential to transform the way we deliver essential services, putting people and communities at the heart of their approach. In this section, we'll explore how social enterprises are reimagining sectors such as healthcare, education, and social services to better meet the needs of diverse populations. We'll examine the principles and practices of people-centred service design, highlighting how social enterprises can co-create solutions with the communities they serve. We'll also explore the challenges of scaling and sustaining people-centred approaches within the current funding and policy environment.
Resources are coming soon.
Access to decent work
Creating access to decent work is a key priority for many social enterprises, particularly those working with disadvantaged or marginalised communities. This section examines the various strategies social enterprises are using to create meaningful employment opportunities, from job training and pathway programs to inclusive hiring practices and fair wage policies. We'll explore the challenges of operating in a rapidly changing labour market and how social enterprises can innovate and advocate for broader systemic changes to support access to decent work for all.
Resources are coming soon.
Community-led innovation
Social enterprises have the unique ability to harness the knowledge, skills, and creativity of local communities to drive innovation and address complex problems. In this section, we'll explore the concept of community-led innovation and its potential to generate more effective, sustainable, and culturally appropriate solutions. We'll highlight approaches to support community-led innovation, from participatory research and co-design methods to placed-based investment and community governance.
Resources are coming soon.
Coming soon
Stay tuned as we continue to build out "Starting and running a social enterprise". Other topics which will soon be included are:
- Communications and stakeholder engagement
- Pitching your business
- Building and managing teams
- Other useful learning platforms
Understorey points to a range of quality resources that help the sector to learn and exchange about social enterprise. Do you have a good resource you would like to recommend? Share it with us here.
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