An introduction toSocial

Entrepreneurshipin Australia

A case for Social Entrepreneurship• The welfare state is under

increasing pressure, unable to respond effectively to a growing array of social problems

• Radical reform is still controversial and highly contested; have mainly focused on cost cutting and gradually reducing entitlements to benefits

• As a society we are stuck in an impasse

• We need a wave of innovation to develop a problem-solving welfare system designed to create social capital by encouraging people to take greater control over their lives

• Innovation in ideas and policies will be vital to an active, problem-solving welfare system. Organisational innovation will also be important to create new institutions capable of delivering a new form of welfare.

• Social entrepreneurs will be one of the most important sources of innovation

"Experimentation and learning are the only ways to reinvent or

create anew the institutions that support our society’s objectives.”

Brenton CaffinCEO, TACSI

Entrepreneur & Social Entrepreneur

Entrepreneur• Exceptional ability to see

new opportunities

• Determination to take those opportunities

• Unflinching willingness to take inherent risk

• Sees that a suboptimal equilibrium = OPPORTUNITY

• Outcome focused – creative destruction

Social Entrepreneur• Targeting under-served /

disadvantaged / broken markets

• Large scale and transformative change

• Ethical process to reach that change (beyond compliance)

• Sees a stable but unjust equilibrium (not just suboptimal)

• Is able to take the opportunity to reach new equilibrium

Growth in Australia

Opportunities (and what’s happening!)

More creative funding solutions1. Under-developed capital markets however social finance is slowly beginning to become

more mainstream2. Interest being shown in increasing the flexibility of philanthropic foundations and trusts3. Traditional grant making bodies such as Community Benefit SA are exploring more

investment based approaches4. Growth in Social Challenge models

Improvement of metrics and increased adoption rates5. Social Return on Investment6. Ongoing development and iteration of new tools and methods7. Radical Redesign - blend of creative and analytic methods drawn from design, social

science, business and policy development.

The formation of an International community of social entrepreneurs8. Rise in innovation laboratories9. Co-working spaces10. Local informal networks

Closing the gap between for profit and not for profit11. Not for Profit reforms12. Growth in Corporate Social Responsibility programs13. Changes in consumer markets and consumer buyer behaviours14. Growing collaboration between business, private, public and voluntary sectors

Opportunities (and what’s happening!)

The Democratization of the Movement1. Growth in the number of passive opportunities for civil society shape political & public

discourse2. Increasing emergence of citizen engagement in the political process3. Building public sector’s capacity to engage with citizens4. Growing move from traditional consultative engagement to co-creation

The evolution of a meta profession5. Growing number of university programs in entrepreneurship, innovation and social

sciences6. School for Social Entrepreneurs7. Action learning curriculum

Growth of the Youth Constituency8. Exploration of new education models9. Foundation for Young Australians10. MaD Asia

More product-driven ideas11. AroundYou.com.au12. Who Gives A Crap13. Aged Care Digital Lifestyle

Further readingPathways to Enterprise StatePeter Botsmanworkingpapers.com.au

Social Entrepreneurship – a global perspectivesouleconomy.com

Social Enterprise in Australia: an introductory handbookTalbot, Tregilgas & Harrisonucwesleyadelaide.org.au

The Rise of the Social Entrepreneur Charles Leadbeaterdemos.co.uk

Social Entrepreneurship: The Case for DefinitionRoger L. Martin & Sally Osbergssireview.org

Eight Trends on Social Entrepreneurship to watch for in 2011Tamara Schweitzerdowser.org

christian.stenta@tacsi.org.autwitter: @cstentawww.tacsi.org.au