It has been announced that Athlone, Co. Westmeath, will play host to a national conference on social and community enterprise on Thursday, 25 March. The conference, which is being facilitated by Clann Credo, a leading provider of social finance, will focus on the key issue facing  charities, community and social enterprises, and offer attendees a unique chance to influence policy for the development of Ireland’s Community and Social Enterprise Sector.

 

The theme of the conference is "Social Enterprise: Creating Jobs, Building Communities" and it will feature contributions from top Irish and international experts in the field, including Gerry Higgins, who is regarded as one of the leading experts on social enterprise in the United Kingdom. He is currently, CEO of CEIS Scotland, a director of the Scottish Social Enterprise Coalition and a member of Steering Group for the Social Enterprise World Forum.

 

In addition, the preliminary findings of the Task Force on Social Enterprise will be presented. This will give those attending a unique opportunity to feed into the development of a new national strategy to encourage and promote Social and Community Enterprise. 

 

Sean Coughlan of Social Entrepreneurs Ireland, which supports the development of social enterprise in Ireland will outline the difficulties and opportunities facing today’s generation of social entrepreneurs. 

 

Social and community enterprises are social mission driven organisations or enterprises, which apply business strategies to achieve a social purpose. Clann Credo’s chief executive, Paul O’Sullivan, says many charities see social enterprise as a way to reduce their dependence on charitable donations and state funding while others view the business itself as the vehicle for social change.

 

Clann Credo - The Social Investment Fund is Ireland's leading provider of Social Finance. In 2009, the organisation approved loans of over €10 million to 72 different community projects.

 

Visit www.clanncredo.ie to see examples of their work and to download the conference agenda.

 

The conference will take place at the Radisson Blu Hotel,  on Thursday, 25 March from 10am to 4pm.

To book your place contact Anne-Marie or Angie on Tel: 01-400 2100 or email info@clanncredo.ie.

Paul O’Sullivan, chief executive of Clann Credo – The Social Investment Fund is now available for interview. Tel: 087 226 4902.