Social Enterprise World Forum - International Line Up

The 2nd Social Enterprise World Forum (SEWF) is heading to Melbourne on 6-8 October 2009, with a stellar line up of international and Australian speakers and participants taking part in what is seen as an unprecedented sharing of ideas.

Hosted by Social Ventures Australia (SVA) and Social Traders, on behalf of the International Social Enterprise Consortium with Pro Bono Australia as a partner, the Forum will bring together local and global leaders and practitioners in social enterprise.

The conference will see more than 300 delegates from Australia, New Zealand, Asia, Africa, the UK, Europe and the United States taking part in debates, master classes, hypotheticals and panel discussions.

Some of the international speakers include:
*Sally Reynolds, the Chief Executive of Social Firms UK who travels the world promoting the social enterprise model.
*Laurie Russell , the Chief Executive of the Wise Group, which supports unemployed people into sustainable employment and chair of the Scottish Social Enterprise Coalition.
*Margaret Elliott OBE from Sunderland Home Care in the UK, who is described as a social enterprise veteran. Her organisation employees more than 270 people.
*Andy Kuper from Leapfrog Asia/Africa, the world’s first micro-insurance fund launched by President Clinton.
*John Bennett from Pack-It UK -a distribution and mailing social enterprise based in Wales. Pack-It won the country’s Top Social Enterprise of 2008.

There will be the opportunity for delegates to take part in study visits to social enterprises in Victoria, New South Wales, Western Australia and Queensland following the event.

Building on the success of the inaugural 2008 SEWF, which took place in Scotland, UK, the 2009 forum will explore the role social enterprises play in encouraging and facilitating social inclusion, including creating sustainable employment opportunities for those disadvantaged in the labour market.

The Social Enterprise World Forum will attract a local and global network of:
· Practitioners who are running or want to set up a social enterprise
· Supporters or Investors in the development of social enterprise

Key areas of focus will be on how to start a sustainable social enterprise, growing and scaling social enterprise, developing markets for social enterprise, investment for social enterprise development, measuring impact and creating the policy environment for successful growth. It will examine how the correct mix of each of these areas leads to a real capacity to develop successful sustainable social enterprises.

The forum will combine facilitated plenary sessions, workshops, master-classes and showcasing of best practice from social enterprise founders, practitioners and investors.

Visit the SEWF website at www.sewf09.com to book.

Pro Bono Australia is proud to be involved with the Social Enterprise World Forum.