Social Enterprise News

Are you a Community Development Legend looking to tackle your next project within an exciting, challenging and engaging new role? Then this is the role for you!

With a passion for the diverse social enterprise sector, you will work with a dedicated team in the heart of Brisbane's CBD to build systems and deliver programs which aim to grow the social enterprise sector in Queensland.

Some of your duties and responsibilities will include:

• Coordinate the development and implementation of the social enterprise ecosystem
• Engage and build strong relationships with stakeholders, including social entrepreneurs, sector leaders, volunteers, contractors, and relevant industry partners
• Work closely with the CEO and team to manage project resources and activities
• Lead regional event planning across key regional areas
• Build community development systems for the growth of the sector
• Process mapping and program designs
• Working within tight budgetary restraints

Ideally the successful candidate will demonstrate:

• Proven experience in a community development role
• Knowledge of social enterprise
• Strong stakeholder engagement background
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
• Inventive, innovative, and creative approach
• Strong IT proficiency
• Project management and community facilitation skills
• Ability to travel as required

CLICK HERE TO GO TO SEEK.com

This role will be on a fixed term contract directly with our client for the duration of this 18-month project. This is a Part Time role working 4 days per week.

Support if you can't earn an income because you or someone you’re caring for has to self-isolate or quarantine due to COVID-19.

Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment is a lump sum payment to help you during the time you can’t work and earn income because you have to:

• self-isolate or quarantine due to COVID-19
• you’re caring for someone who has to self-isolate or quarantine due to COVID-19.

You have to self-isolate or quarantine for one of the following reasons:

• you have coronavirus (COVID-19), for isolation periods starting before 10 January 2022, you must have been directly informed you have COVID-19 by a health official
• you’re informed by a health official that you’re a close contact with a person who has COVID-19
• you care for a child, 16 years or under, who has COVID-19
• you’re informed by a health official that a child you care for who is 16 years or under, is a close contact with a person who has COVID-19
• you’re caring for someone who has COVID-19
• you’re caring for someone with disability or a severe medical condition who must self-isolate or quarantine because they’re a close contact of a person with COVID-19.

MORE DETAILS

Vision and mission for the sector

Work has just kicked off to develop a vision and mission for the Australia social enterprise sector. 

This will be the means through which to set a shared direction and articulate a compelling call to action; one that also engages the wider impact ecosystem and the Federal Government.

ASENA (Alliance of Social Enterprise Networks Australia) and the state networks have been engaged to give initial feedback on the draft vision and mission from the Yunus Centre report.

This feedback will then be compiled to put to sector-wide workshops to discuss and further develop. To allow for different availability and maximise participation, three open-invite workshops with the same format will be held on the following dates. People are encouraged to book into one only.

The results of these workshops will then be compiled for ASENA, then the SENS Advisory Council, to finalise.

REGISTER for TICKETS: https://events.humanitix.com/conversation-circles-national-vision-and-mission-for-social-enterprise

The Australian Federal Government has announced funding to support refugee employment. It is a $24.6 million four-year grant program with the Department of Home Affairs.

The fund is anticipated to allow social enterprises to create opportunities for employment for refugee and humanitarian entrants and help the sector to maximise the critical role it can play. It will demonstrate how government and social enterprise can together unlock greater economic inclusion.

More here: https://www.socialchangecentral.com/social-enterprise-funding-to-support-refugee-employment/

Sector Development Grants

The Sector Development Grants program will provide grants of between $10,000 and $200,000 for projects that support the development and growth of the social enterprise ecosystem in Queensland.

Applications close 11 February 2022.

Eligible applicants are sector intermediary organisations or significant ecosystem developers with experience in building the skills, capability and capacity of social enterprises. Such intermediaries may include:

• incubator and accelerator program providers
• social entrepreneurs
• social enterprise networks
• research providers
• academic institutions.

Individual social enterprises may be eligible to apply, but only where their primary role is to provide incubator or accelerator programs, or are active in the ecosystem development.

An online application form will be available when the program opens. Organisations must complete and submit the application form and supporting documents by the closing date to be considered.

Read the Sector Development Grants funding guidelines (PDF, 193KB) for more information: https://desbt.qld.gov.au/training/future-skills-fund/social-enterprise-grants

If you have further questions, email programdesign@desbt.qld.gov.au.

The Queensland Government has provided a Roadmap for easing COVID restrictions. 

Queensland has reached 80% double dose vaccination. From 1:00am Monday 13 December fully vaccinated people are able to travel to Queensland without quarantining under certain conditions.

You can keep up to date HERE

Queensland Health has released the new Public Health and Social Measures linked to  vaccination status Direction outlining the rules coming into effect for business and Queenslanders from 17 December 2021.

Vaccine Rules

From 17 December, there will be no capacity restrictions on non-essential leisure businesses that are only permitted to allow fully vaccinated people, including: • hospitality venues such as pubs, clubs, taverns, bars, restaurants, cafes and fast food outlets • indoor entertainment venues such as nightclubs, live music venues, karaoke bars, concerts, theatres or cinemas, casinos • outdoor entertainment activities such as sporting stadiums or theme parks • festivals – either indoor or outdoor – such as musical festivals, folk festivals or arts festivals • activities – either indoor or outdoor – such as convention centres and showgrounds • Queensland Government owned galleries, museums or libraries.

Support For Business

These businesses will need to display  signage clearly outlining the  requirement to be vaccinated to enter  the premises and use best efforts to  ask for evidence of vaccination  from customers at the time of check-in or at the point of sale/service.  Support for businesses to manage  these requirements is available.   Signage for business Display these signs to clearly show if proof of vaccination is required to enter your business: From 17 December – Proof of vaccination will be required sign Proof of vaccination required sign Proof of vaccination not required sign

Find Out More

FREE Micro-Credential – TAFE QLD

A free, online training course  developed by TAFE Queensland is  now available to help businesses  implement the new measures and  manage the entry of customers and  visitors, including checking their  vaccination status.

Course Registration

Essential Business

Unvaccinated people will still  be able  to access essential  services and  activities, such  as retail outlets,  places of  worship and public  transport. Essential businesses can also  voluntarily elect to adopt these  measures if they believe it best  suits  their business needs and  customer expectations.  However, for some businesses, capacity restrictions will still remain. A list of the requirements for different types of businesses is included in the new public health direction.

Changes to Queensland's Border Restrictions

From 1am AEST Monday 13 December 2021, Queensland’s border restrictions will ease further for fully vaccinated residents and visitors. For more information visit the Queensland Health website.

A message from the Queensland Government 

On Tuesday 7th December, we gathered for our Annual General Meeting.

Please find our 2021 Annual Report here - download

Minister for Employment and Small Business and Minister for Training and Skills Development
The Honourable Di Farmer

An animal shelter training program, a rural telehealth provider and a restaurant skilling migrant women are among the latest recipients of the Palaszczuk Government’s Social Enterprise Growth Grants.

Minister for Employment and Small Business Di Farmer said 30 organisations would share in more than $635,000 to grow their operations and goodwill.   

“Social enterprises are businesses that address social, cultural and environmental challenges and invest their profits towards that purpose,” Minister Farmer said.

“They are community assets, often supporting disadvantaged Queenslanders into secure jobs.

“We announced our $8 million Social Enterprise Jobs Fund earlier this year to grow the sector and create jobs as part of Queensland’s Economic Recovery Plan.

“Under this Fund, the Growth Grants will support a whole range of projects creating genuine social impact, including recycling clean plastic waste from hospitals and training inmates in graphic design to reduce recidivism.

“Funded organisations can invest in things like new equipment, training or strategic advice and website improvements to scale up or adapt their operations.”

Minister Farmer said The Prince Charles Hospital Foundation’s Café for The Common Good will receive $15,000 towards their Fresh Food After Hours Project.

It provides freshly prepared, in-house food options for staff, patients and visitors at The Prince Charles and Caboolture Hospitals and the Kedron Emergency Services Complex at every hour of the day.

CEO of The Common Good Michael Hornby said the grant was a win-win to improve the health of the community.

“This grant enables two great outcomes - healthy food options for healthcare workers and the profits are funding lifesaving medical research,” Mr Hornby said.

“Next year, we plan to expand to other hospital campuses as part of our goal to reduce chronic disease which affects 90 per cent of Queenslanders.”

The Café for The Common Good currently employs 56 staff across its five venues.

Last year, the social enterprise funded over 20,750 hours of life-changing medical research, supporting over 100 researchers, scientists and biomedical engineers conducting research into chronic diseases like dementia, heart disease, lung disease and mental health.

Profits from new vending machines will be directly channelled into the various medical research projects and support local fresh food suppliers, creating further demand for jobs.

The Palaszczuk Government released the Queensland Social Enterprise Strategy in 2019, designed to build capability and capacity, make connections across the sector and improve market access.

In a further show of support for the sector, the Palaszczuk Government recently committed $385,000 to the Queensland Social Enterprise Council and $100,000 to sponsor the 2022 Social Enterprise World Forum, to be held in Brisbane.

For more information on support available for social enterprises visit the Business Queensland website: https://www.business.qld.gov.au/ or call 1300 369 935. 

MEDIA RELEASE: https://statements.qld.gov.au/statements/93944

Recently the Buy Queensland Supplier Awards were held at a ceremony in Brisbane on Wednesday 10 November 2021. 

The awards recognise outstanding suppliers to the Queensland Government. These suppliers demonstrated how Buy Queenslandis achieving real outcomes and generating positive economic, environmental, and social outcomes in local communities. 

A list of the award recipients can be seen on the Buy Queensland Supplier Awards website and the Business Queensland Facebook page, who will also be uploading photographs and a video from the event over the coming weeks.

Of the nine awards provided, THREE were social enterprises. This includes QSEC members; Supply AUS and Ochre Sun.

Congratulations social enterprises! :) 

If you have any questions or would like any further information, please contact the team via email at buyqueenslandevents@epw.qld.gov.au.