Principles and Practice of Social Enterprise

A training program focused on the Principles and Practice of Social Enterprise was developed earlier this year by Community Works.

Over the years Community Works has gained relevant experience acquired developing social enterprises and through our associates’ experience as tutors for the School for Social Entrepreneurs.

This course was featured in other wider programs taught by our consultants. Elements have been taught at Melbourne University, to professional groups visiting Australia from other countries under DFAT/AusAID programs as well as to community organisations and NGOs in Australia and overseas.

Numerous organisations are seeking alternative ways of funding to reduce their dependence on grant funding for all or part of the services they provide. This training program enabled participants to explore the potential of social enterprises for their specific projects and circumstances, especially though the analysis of real examples, case studies and the practice of tools and techniques used by social entrepreneurs.

Participants gained knowledge of the theory underlying social enterprises, an understanding of the key considerations to stablish weather to start an enterprise project and the more intrinsic factors to consider in achieving desired results.
The training program targeted staff of community organisations with an interest in setting up a social enterprise or improving an existing one and was open to the public with interest to learn about social enterprises.

The key themes covered were:

• What are social enterprises? Theory and examples
• Key considerations in starting a social enterprise
• Developing and testing a business model
• The limits to social enterprise
• Managing risks, delivering results and measuring impact