Western Sydney Social Entrepreneurs graduate and the community gains

by StreetCorner
17/02/2010

The Sydney-based School for Social Entrepreneurs provides professional support and enterprise development mentoring for social enterprises and the entrepreneurs driving them.

The Australian Government has supported the School for Social Entrepreneurs with $1.2 million from the Innovation Fund.

“The 17 students in the graduating class have shown impressive entrepreneurial drive and an innovative approach to addressing social needs,” Senator Stephens.

Students enter the 12 month program with an idea for social change or a business community project.

The explicit mission of the school is to benefit the community, society or the environment.

A business can make money, but this has to reinvested into the business.

CEO of the School, Benny Callaghan, said that graduating students are responsible for employing 36 community members in paid positions and over 189 as volunteers and since their involvement in the School have attracted over $2.5 million in investment.

“We have seen amazing results from our students to date with many developing the confidence, networks and skills to make their projects more effective and sustainable. Our students have secured funding, developed partnerships and delivered significant social impact in their communities.”

The program has been going for one year and has come from a very successful UK program that has been running for 12 years with amazing results.

Callaghan explains “for every student it creates three jobs and in the UK model 85% of the ventures are still going after seven years.” “We aim for diversity and often English is the third language spoken, and how we engage with the community is fundamental to its success that is going into the community.”

The Government has been funding the program as they have achieved great successes where Governments have had little success.

The majority of the people that are involved with the program come from the Greater Western Sydney.

The school enrolments for this year are on now.

For more information about the Australian Government’s social inclusion agenda visit www.socialinclusion.gov.au.

For more on the School for Social Entrepreneurs visit www.sse.org.au

Report Post