Immediate release: 22 March 2010
CONFERENCE TO EXPLORE POTENTIAL ROLE OF
SOCIAL & COMMUNITY ENTERPRISE IN ECONOMIC RECOVERY
“ the current economic crisis requires a fresh approach to business and finance”
Ireland’s top social entrepreneurs and a panel of distinguished local and international experts will gather at conference in Athlone on Thursday, 25 March, to discuss the emerging role of Social and Community Enterprise in job creation and economic regeneration.
The conference, which will be hosted by Clann Credo - The Social Investment Fund, will also explore Social Enterprise as an alternative operating model for charities and community organisations, which have been hit hard by funding cuts.
Paul O’Sullivan, chief executive of Clann Credo, said the current economic crisis requires a fresh approach to business and finance: “Communities are being devastated by job losses. The old model of finance and development has collapsed. Social enterprise, assisted by social finance, offers the opportunity to rebuild our society job by job, community by community.”
Social and community enterprises have an ethos and commitment to a social justice. Their commercial activity is not motivated by personal profit, but in order to:
· Provide services that would not otherwise be provided (i.e. addressing market failures),
· Support disadvantaged groups and communities,
· Respond to environmental challenges,
· Regenerate urban and rural areas and
· Create jobs.
Social enterprise and social finance offers a sustainable alternative, which will in the long term, offer Community & Voluntary groups greater financial independence,” he said.
Delegates at the conference will hear from a host of distinguished speakers, including Gerry Higgins, who is regarded as the UK’s leading authority on Social Enterprise. Mr Higgins, who is originally from Cork, is the chief executive of CEis, a leading local development agency based in Scotland. He has also advised the UK French and Australian governments on the development of Social Enterprise.
Social entrepreneurs from across Ireland will also be present, and a number will be sharing their success stories with delegates.
Mr O’Sullivan added that social and community enterprises will play an important role in Ireland’s economic recovery. “This conference offers an opportunity to help shape the future of this growing sector of our economy,” he said.
Common Cents 2010 will take place at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Ahtlone on Thursday, 25 March. For further details visit www.clanncredo.ie, or contact Angie or Anne-Marie on (01) 400 2100 / info@clanncredo.ie to reserve your place at the conference.
NOTE TO EDITORS:
Paul O’Sullivan, the CEO of Clan Credo, and other speakers are now available for interview. Please contact Gert Ackermann on Tel: 086 176 9287, or email gert@clanncredo.ie.
ABOUT CLANN CREDO – THE SOCIAL INVESTMENT FUND
Unlike mainstream lenders, the level of loan approvals to community owned businesses and social enterprises by Clann Credo - the Social Investment Fund, is up to record levels. Loan approvals broke the €10 million mark for the first time. In 2009, 72 projects were approved a total of €10.8 million, up from €7.2 million in 2008.
Demand for new lending is very strong in 2010 and Clann Credo is asking charities, community organisations and social enterprises to contact it. Clann Credo was selected as an example of international ‘Best Practise’ for the 48th Session of the United Nations Commission for Social Development, held in February this year at the UN Headquarters in New York.
ABOUT GERRY HIGGINS
Gerry is the Chief Executive Officer at Community Enterprise in Scotland (CEiS) leading a team of 60 people to assist communities, individuals and enterprises to realise their potential. Gerry manages a diverse portfolio as CEiS operates the largest specialist business support service to social enterprises in the UK and it provides business finance through its subsidiary company, DSL Business Finance. CEiS also supports communities with Employability Services and Community Asset Development initiatives.
Gerry was previously the founding CEO at Social Firms UK from 1999 to 2006 and he was a founding director of the Social Enterprise Coalition and worked with the DTI in developing the first UK Social Enterprise Strategy in 2002. Prior to this Gerry worked for over 20 years to develop innovative training and employment services for voluntary and public sector organisations in the UK and Ireland.
He is a director of the Scottish Social Enterprise Coalition, DSL Business Finance, the Social Enterprise Coalition (UK), and CEiS Ayrshire and is on the Investment Panel for the £30m Scottish Investment Fund. Gerry is particularly interested in social enterprise finance and is working to introduce new finance models to enable social enterprises to increase their social and economic impact.
In 2008 CEiS was awarded Social Enterprise of the Year due to the impact of its enterprise and community services and for its innovation in hosting the inaugural Social Enterprise World Forum, bringing 417 people from 26 countries to Edinburgh to commence an annual gathering of social enterprise practitioners and support agencies.
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