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UEL is calling all budding Social Entrepreneurs to step forward

Thursday 2 October 2008

An innovative conference looking at how academics and policy makers can influence social enterprises and social entrepreneurs will be held by the University of London’s (UEL) School of Social Sciences, Media and Cultural Studies on 9 October.

The conference, entitled Listening to the social entrepreneur will be held at the Britannia Village Hall in West Silverton and will look at how academics and policy makers can get their voices heard and face their challenges, concerns and opportunities regarding social enterprises and social entrepreneurs.

Alice Sampson, Director, Centre for Institutional Studies, School of Social Sciences, Media and Cultural Studies, UEL said: “Academics and policy makers have had a lot to say about social enterprises and social entrepreneurs and now it’s time that social entrepreneurs have their voices heard.

“They face big challenges and the issues discussed at this conference will improve our understanding of what it means to be a social enterprise at the grassroots level, the problems they face and how they achieve their goals.”

The conference will be focused around a series of three interactive workshops - one on each of the conference’s main themes. Each workshop will start with a short presentation followed by debate and discussion.

The conference themes include The Social Entrepreneurial Mindset, Procurement Versus Market Place Focus and the Business Versus Social Goals Debate.

Guest speakers at the conference include Kathe Mckenna who will discuss Hayley House – a well know Social Enterprise in Boston in the United States that works with the homeless, Professor Lars Hulgard the founder of the Centre for Social Entrepreneurship in Roskilde University, Denmark and Zoe Portlock – the founder of Bikeworks, a Social Enterprise based in East London.

For further details and photos contact Hana Esselink, Press Officer, University of East London, 020 8223 2194 / 07595 056 245

Notes to Editors

The University of East London (UEL) is a global learning community with over 28,000 students from over 120 countries world-wide. Our vision is to achieve recognition, both nationally and internationally, as a successful and inclusive regional university proud of its diversity, committed to new modes of learning which focus on students and enhance their employability, and renowned for our contribution to social, cultural and economic development, especially through our research and scholarship. We have a strong track-record in widening participation and working with industry.

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