The Social Enterprise Policy and Practice Conference 2023
Posted: 21 July 2023, in News
The Annual Social Enterprise Policy and Practice Conference, Scotland’s largest annual social enterprise policy event, historically organised by Community Enterprise in Scotland (CEIS), is to be hosted and delivered by Social Enterprise Scotland (SES) on the afternoon of Thursday 26th October in Edinburgh.
In March 2022, the Scottish Government awarded Social Enterprise Scotland the grant to become the single enhanced intermediary in Scotland with the responsibility to represent and strengthen the social enterprise sector across Scotland. As an independent membership organisation, Social Enterprise Scotland is the go-to place for organisations to collaborate, partner, and connect with social enterprises and thus is perfectly placed to deliver this conference.
Since the first event in 2007, the Social Enterprise Policy & Practice Conference has provided a platform to learn about policy updates and to offer space for policy dialogue among practitioners, Scottish Government representatives, and other interested parties. It is a well-established calendar event in social enterprise members’ diaries.
The 2023 Policy and Practice Conference will see several exciting changes to this event:
- First, the Conference moves to Thursday 26th October. The date coincides with the Social Enterprise Awards Scotland at the Scottish Parliament which takes place immediately afterward in the early evening nearby to the Conference venue on the same day. By bringing these two major events together, in date and time, it is hoped that social enterprises and the wider ecosystem will benefit from enhanced networking and collaborative opportunities.
- SES will take over the organisation of the event from the capable hands of CEIS who have adeptly organised this event since 2007. SES will build on the strengths of the Conference and highly regarded social enterprise movement to catalyse a new way forward at a national, regional, and local level in order to make sure that the voices of social enterprises are recognised and amplified.
- As in previous years, the Conference will continue to feature discussions and the latest thinking, policy updates, and practice news from across the country. The theme for this year will be focused on the third and final Social Enterprise Action Plan 2024 that supports the ambitious 10 Year Social Enterprise Strategy.
Kim Wallace, Director of Membership and Policy at Social Enterprise Scotland, said: “It’s a real privilege for Social Enterprise Scotland to pick up the baton and take on the lead for the Conference which is always one of the highlights of the year in the social enterprise calendar. We look forward to working with CEIS and partners to shape the programme and are excited that the event will lead on to our annual Awards ceremony in the evening at Scottish Parliament.”
Martin Avila, Group CEO at Community Enterprise in Scotland, added: “After the decision was taken to give Social Enterprise Scotland the single intermediary grant, we knew that the right way for the Policy and Practice Conference to be organised was through Social Enterprise Scotland. It has always been the sector’s Conference, the place to discuss what’s happening and what to do about it. Social Enterprise Scotland’s role is to bring the sector together to do just that. That’s why we are proud to be supporting them to bring the Policy and Practice conference together at the end of October. We can’t wait to see you there! “
This year’s Social Enterprise Policy and Practice Conference will provide a platform for social enterprises, leaders, social entrepreneurs, practitioners, support organisations, and public sector colleagues to engage in conversations, share expertise, and network around empowering positive narratives and fostering collaboration for sustainable social impact in Scotland.
How to book:
Tickets for the 2023 Social Enterprise Policy and Practice Conference will be available on the SES website and open shortly. This year’s Conference will take place at the Greyfriars Charteris Centre, Edinburgh on the afternoon of Thursday 26th October ahead of the Social Enterprise Awards Scotland 2023 ceremony at the Scottish Parliament. The annual Awards, hosted by Beatrice Wishart MSP, celebrate the best of Scotland’s social enterprise sector recognising the innovation, impact, and success of the social enterprise organisations and individuals that are making a big difference in their communities. The winners of the prestigious Awards will receive a fabulous prize package and are automatically shortlisted for the UK-wide Social Enterprise Awards.
Conference Date – Thursday 26th October (afternoon)
Conference Location – Greyfriars Charteris Centre, Edinburgh
Conference Tickets – available from w/c 28th August