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Social Enterprises: Key to Strong Local Economies
June 21, 2009
With the world economy in the midst of a deep recession, the Philippines-Australia Community Assistance Program (PACAP) will hold a forward-thinking, two-day forum to discuss the effect the economic meltdown has had on small-scale enterprises, the livelihood of millions of hard-working Filipinos.
The Social Enterprise Development Forum themed “Social Enterprises: Key to Strong Local Economies” will aim to break new ground in understanding how social enterprises help in wealth creation in the poorer sectors of the community.
As special guests on the first day, NEDA Deputy Director General, Rolando Tungpalan and Australian Ambassador H.E. Rod Smith will also officially launch a new book “Social Enterprise Development : Community Businesses at Work”, the second of PACAP’s series of Community Development Technokits.
The two-day Forum echoes the contents of the Technokit and will highlight the factors that make social enterprises in the Philippines successful.
During the Forum, industry leaders and case presenters from PACAP-assisted projects will discuss topics pertinent to social enterprises such as the importance of strong market orientation, usage of available local materials, thinking innovatively to break into new markets, and the productivity value of persons with disabilities.
“In these times of global financial crisis, never has it been more important for communities to work together not as individual businesses in the community but as communities working together in business,” said David Swete Kelly, PACAP Program Director.
“Social enterprises in the communities are the backbone of the Philippine local economies. If we can strengthen them by sharing knowledge and sharing experiences, we are taking the important, first steps to ensure the economic backlash will not affect those working at the grassroots,” he continued.
“The Forum will provide the opportunity for the participants to share their experiences and discuss what assisted them in implementing their projects effectively and what pitfalls to best avoid. “
“Likewise, within the pages of ‘Social Enterprises: Community Businesses at Work’ we hope to share to a wider network, our 23 years of collective knowledge- not only to enterprises in their critical start-up phase but also to those enterprises facing expansion,” Mr. Swete Kelly concluded.
‘Social Enterprises: Community Businesses at Work’ is a free resource and is available by contacting PACAP on info@pacap.org.ph or on (+2) 6317549.
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