Leading experts on Social Enterprise will travel from Brussels to Athlone next month to deliver a major two day conference for local policy makers in the Midlands.
The March conference is being organised by Social Enterprise Exchange (SEE ), a local initiative connecting social enterprises across Westmeath, Offaly, Longford, Offaly, Roscommon, Laois and East Galway.
Today (Thursday, February 2 ), SEE will stage a webinar for social enterprises in the midlands region to discuss and prepare for the two day conference. The SEE project is funded by the Just Transition Fund and the Carbon Tax Fund.
Social enterprises are not-for-profit organisations where the income generated goes back into the business. Their ‘profit for a purpose’ ethos is aimed at making a social, societal or environmental impact.
Brussels-based experts, Luigi Martignetti and Erdmuthe Klaer-Morselli will deliver the two-day presentation in the Sheraton Hotel. Athlone on Thursday and Friday, March 2 and 3. The event is aimed at policy makers such as local authorities, local enterprise offices, LEADER companies and PPNs.
Mr Martignetti is Secretary General of REVES (European Network of Cities and Regions for the Social Economy ) and Ms Klaer-Morselli is REVES Deputy Secretary General. The speakers aim to provide a better understanding of what current EU policies mean and the opportunities they can offer for the Midlands.
Key areas such as EU funding channels for social enterprises and how they can be accessed by policy makers will be among the areas discussed.
Gabrielle McFadden of the Social Enterprise Exchange (SEE ) project said the two day event will be of immense benefit to local policy-makers and social enterprises.
“This Regional Social Enterprise Policy two-day workshop delivered by leading experts will help stakeholders learn what is best practice at EU level in terms of how we can best promote social enterprise for the midlands region,” she said.
