With this year’s Social Enterprise World Forum (SEWF) now in the books, our Events and Marketing Manager Jo Seagrave reflects on the event in this latest blog.
Through a bursary programme supported by SEWF and the International Social Enterprise Observatory (ISEO), I had the privilege of supporting a Scottish delegation to attend and participate at SEWF 22 Brisbane and fringe events through 26th September – 5th October.
Having supported or attended every SEWF since 2014, I can honestly say this was the best global forum yet. Kudos to the SEWF and White Box Enterprise teams, and all others involved to bring together such a massive, successful hybrid event – 1,500 delegates in-person and the same, if not more joining online.
Stand out sessions for me were the fireside chats that kicked off each morning and ended each day.
After the opening ceremony formally welcomed by indigenous performers and singers, we heard from Laura Thompson, Clothing the Gaps in Australia, where we heard about her campaign to have the Aboriginal flag freed from copyright for all to use. You couldn’t help but be moved by Laura’s passion, tenacity and elation when the flag was finally freed. Learn more about the campaign.
At the end of day one, we heard from Dylan Alcott, Australian of the Year 2022. Dylan is one of the country’s most successful Paralympians and one of Australia’s most recognised advocates for people with disability.
He shared his experience and the many enterprises he has created to address inequality and help people with disabilities to achieve their goals in the workplace, sporting events and university. Dylan’s honesty and candidness was inspiring. Learn more about Dylan’s story.
On day two, the opening fireside chat was with young climate activist India Miro Logan-Riley of ActionStation in New Zealand. India spoke emotionally and defiantly of her desire for Maori communities to sustain and retain their land colonised in history, borne from her great grandfather’s story. Read India’s inspiring story.
The in-person event was closed with a fireside chat with one of Australia’s leading social entrepreneurs, Daniel Flynn of Thank You. Daniel’s determination and grit to change the world we live in for the better through innovation, disruption and impact was enviable.
His campaigns against supermarkets to stock his products, his fundraising endeavours and invitations to huge consumer product companies P&G and Unilever to change the world. Read about the Thank you journey.
Increased diversity and inclusivity
What really struck me this year was the increasing diversity and inclusiveness of the event with a plethora of young and indigenous people on the stage storytelling and sharing with such passion, emotion and bravery. Also, how seamlessly accessibility and sustainability had been woven through the event.
It was particularly awe-inspiring to see two of our young Scots, Aimee Spence at InspirAlba and Cameron Campbell of STAT SALUS face their fears to present and tell their stories on THE biggest social enterprise platform they will likely experience.
Aimee Spence from InspirAlba (far left)
As the fifth largest Country delegation at SEWF 22 Brisbane after Australia, New Zealand, Nigeria and Afghanistan we were delighted to fly the flag for Scotland with most of the group presenting or facilitating sessions.
Event takeaways
As a group we packed in a lot with many attending fringe events including social enterprise study tours, the youth forum and some joining the Rural Gathering in Beechworth.
Before parting ways, the group met on Friday evening to reflect on their key takeaways and giveaways at the event.
With some of our group currently participating in the Rural Gathering I’m sure they’ll gain and impart so much more, however key takeaways included the contacts made, participation in the youth forum, self-confidence in individual abilities and the knowledge and experience they have to share as well as gain.
They were also struck by how similar the issues we in Scotland and our indigenous communities experience globally.
Key takeaways included chance meetings throwing up unexpected or unintended opportunities, an Australian entrepreneur mentoring request, and meetings with local Australian networks Queensland Social Enterprise Council (QSEC), Social Enterprise Australia and Social Enterprise Network Victoria (SENVIC). These meetings demonstrated the speed and scale of the Australian social enterprise sector movement in the past couple of years and how else we in Scotland can learn and progress.
The group also shared valuable experiences, insights and resources from Scotland including the Social Enterprise Ecosystem map and the global Creative Social Enterprise Network in partnership with Social Enterprise Scotland and Creative Social Entrepreneurs Club , recently launched on 29th September by Kim Wallace and which already has global interest.
Prior to heading out to Brisbane, Aimee Spence, Cameron Campbell and Finlay MacLennan told us what they were hoping to achieve. We look forward to following up with them on their return.
International networks
I can’t mention international networks and using SEWF to build relationships and explore business opportunities without name-checking Cameron Campbell of STAT SALUS. Cameron used SEWF as intended, arranging meetings in Sydney and Brisbane ahead of attending SEWF and seeking out contacts and networking at every event throughout the course of the week. He is an ambitious start up to look out for and whose energy and enthusiasm rippled through the group.
Cameron Campbell from STAT SALUS at the podium
It was also great to meet up with fellow Scottish social enterprise Hey Girls, where Celia Hodson, Georgie Nicholson, Alice Hunnibell and Bec Lovely shared their experience of scaling their enterprise up and breaking into the international market in Sydney, Australia.
Celia shared invaluable knowledge, hints and tips for anyone considering expanding globally, which we’ll share via a blog from Celia soon. You can also hear Hey Girls story on 19th October, as Celia joins our colleague, Hannah Dent on Social Enterprise Scotland’s Wednesday webinar.
On the same evening we met with Maggie Cairns, Project Manager for Ignite, an expat from Scotland who via the International Social Enterprise Observatory (ISEO) is exploring the opportunity of setting up a franchise in Scotland. We were delighted to meet with Maggie in-person and look forward to seeing her back in Scotland soon.
SEWF 22 Scottish delegation with Maggie Cairns Ignite
The forum also provided an opportunity to meet with colleagues in Amsterdam Impact and Social Enterprise Netherlands – announced as the SEWF 2023 hosts – to discuss the work in both our nations and ambitions for the forum as it returns to Europe.
SEWF 22 Scottish delegation with Egon Van Wees, Amsterdam Impact and Jorien Van Lookern Campagne SENL
Strengthening the Scottish Third Sector
For others it was the ability to spend time and build relations with national colleagues; be reinvigorated, motivated and recognise the need for co-working among the Third and other sectors to truly build an inclusive economy. Watch this space.
This trip would not have been possible without the assistance of ISEO bursary. To find out more about what ISEO do, please visit their website.
If you are keen to learn how you can internationalise your business, ISEO are running a webinar for Social Enterprise Scotland on October 19th. It is free to attend, and you can sign up here.